Are You There, Buddha?

by Pip Harry

A fresh, funny and very contemporary take on puberty, first periods and relationships from the CBCA award-winning author of The Little Wave.
Bridget 'Bee' Ballentine is 12 and starting her first year of high school in the beach suburb Crescent Bay.
Still reeling from the departure of her mother for an ashram in India, Bee talks to Buddha and begs for her first period not to arrive. She's not ready to become a woman yet, whatever that means.
Although Bee's yet to find her tribe at school, her best friend forever is surfer Leon McKay, also known as the hottest boy in Year Eight. As long as Leon has her back, Bee can survive the mean girls, her meddling step-mum, Kath, and her swimming nemesis, The Piranha.
Over one blistering summer, set against the backdrop of bushfires, smoke haze and water restrictions, Bee will grow up, show up, and make a name for herself.
From the author of The Little Wave, winner of the 2020 Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers.
'Fresh, authentic, poignant, light and dark by turns - I wish I'd read this when I was growing up.' JANE GODWIN
'This is the book I wish I'd read when I was twelve! Entering high school, dealing with bullies, changing friendships... a turmoil of emotions and a wonderful resilient character to lead us through.' BREN MACDIBBLE

Genres: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Family, Friendship, Humor, Coming Of Age, Contemporary

280 pages, Paperback

Published June 30, 2021

About the author

Pip Harry is an Australian children’s author and journalist. Her middle grade novel, The Little Wave, won the CBCA 2020 Book of the Year Award and the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year. It was shortlisted for the 2020 NSW Premier's Literary Awards – Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature.

Her young adult novels include I’ll Tell You Mine, Head of the River, and Because of You, shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, Victorian Premier's Literary Award and Queensland Literary Awards.

Are You There, Buddha? is a 2022 CBCA Notable book and was nominated for the Ethel Turner prize.

Pip’s latest middle grade novel, August & Jones is out now.

Reviews

[Soph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, I loved the way it was formatted (as a poem type format) so it was a quick read and the story line of growing up and knowing it’s okay to embrace changes is an important message in this book. Overall I absolutely loved this book and gave it a 5/5 star rating!

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. Pip Harry is the best!

[Kat Schrav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, a must read for every girl starting high school!

[Ruby Pellew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book with so many good lessons. I would definitely recommend !!!

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had some cute moments, but it never managed to completely grab me (which honestly I think is more on me - I'm struggling with relating to teen dramas at the moment!). I did like the characters and the friendships within this, but don't feel that Harry properly embraced the verse novel format. I've read some beautiful verse novels lately... and this just wasn't one of them.

[Sharah McConville · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Are You There, Buddha?" is an Australian YA novel written in verse. This coming of age story centres around Bridget 'Bee' Ballentine's first year of high school. She experiences changing relationships around her with her family and friends, and has dramas surrounding school and swimming training. I really enjoyed Pip Harry's book. Thanks to the publisher for my copy.

[Kate Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely adore.

[Angell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent tween fiction. Written in poem like prose as Bee’s stream of consciousness spills out of her pubescent transformations; first periods, new high school, new friends, facing down the bullies and frenemies, coming to terms with her absent mother and allowing her stepmother to actually be there for her, and of course how to react when your life long bff wants to be not just your surfing buddy but maybe your boyfriend too. Bee contemplates Buddhism and meditation in a reaction to Judy Blume, and pleasantly, and more importantly, realistically, grows enough and remains a decent human so you can go along too.
Really quick read for just shy of 300 pages due to the format, but a good middle school text.

[Stef (Noveltea Corner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in verse, this is a coming of age story of a girl starting high school and navigating growing up - from her first period, complicated friendships (and mean girls) and her best boy friend asking her out. Throw in an absent mother, a step-mother who wants to build a relationship and a State swimming championship to win, Bee has a lot on her plate. This was a beautifully written story about finding your place and trusting in your own awesomeness and I wish it had been around when I was reading middle grade books.

[Ms Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

An endearing and ultimately empowering story of Bee’s first year at high school - navigating new friends, old friends, family, and swimming. At its heart, the book explores the special people in our lives that put us back together and most importantly how we put ourselves back together. A great novel in verse for tweens going into high school.

Read if you enjoyed How to Spell Catastrophe.

11+ Years

[elbow ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

maybe i was just feeling sad when i read this but something about it made me so emotional. i loved this book and the way it dealt with both the traditional and contemporary challenges of growing up. and i loved bee and claire.

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

✍️This delightful coming of age story follows twelve year old Bee who has just commenced high school and is at the midst of puberty. She speaks to Buddha every day urging not to get her first period yet as she doesn't feel equipped still to mature into a young woman. She's fronting a few other matters in her life in addition to her mother who left and ran away to an Ashram In India leaving her addled and perturbed. She hasn't made any friends yet at her new school. Her best friend is surfer Leon AKA "the hottest boy in year eight." We follow Bee as she undertakes all the battles and obstacles in her life to conquer through.

As soon as I picked up this book I naturally thought of Judy Blume's 1970s classic "Are you there God? It's me, Margaret" largely by the ascription of the title and the assorted themes of both stories. I liked the verse narrative throughout which made reading extra enjoyable. The characters were brimming with joy and amusement. I especially loved the character of Bee and her tenacious, warmhearted and resilient charisma. The plot was distinct and modern as well as conveying crucial topics about the environment and religion. The writing style was exceptional. I adored this book.

[imogen · Rating 1 out of 5]

in my opinion, realistic fiction is a hit or miss. this absolutely missed. realistic fiction needs to have a twist. this book's twist is literally puberty. which is tremendously overexaggerated in this book. not to mention there are a lot of unfinished side gigs, such as her relationship with her best friend, the whole environmental thing (like was the author trying to convey a message about climate change because if so it was poorly done) and swimming. the side gigs were confusing and the book's 'twist' was incompetent. it took me a lot of effort to finish the book and i would not to recommend it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a girl sort of always feels weird - at least for me. But year 7 is definitely, a specifically strange time! This book is about Aussie culture, swimming, getting your period (desperately hating getting your first period) and generally what it's like as a young teenage girl. It's definitely a book I wish I had when I was a teenager, it's funny because I quit swimming just before high school and it's weird to imagine if it had been different. Bee's reflections, worries and life commentary are indicative of being almost thirteen and struggling at high school. I can't recommend it enough.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually would give this a 3.5!

I adore verse novels, but for some reason this one didn't quite hit the mark in terms of the structure (although interestingly I read another review by someone who DOESN'T enjoy verse novels and they enjoyed this one!!!! I wonder if Pip Harry has struck some middle ground - not quite verse not quite prose?!) The writing seemed to drift into prose at times and I found myself trying to reimagine it in verse!

Having said that, it was a really enjoyable read, touching a number of themes... friends, crushes, bullying, religion, blended families, absent parents, global warming, first periods. (Although the global warming theme sometimes felt a little contrived and unnecessary to be honest.)

Bee is a tomboy and a talented swimmer who lives with her dad, his new partner and their little boy Max. Her best friend is Leon, who loves swimming and surfing and who all the girls adore. This causes Bee problems because these girls want to get to Leon through her. And complicating matters even further is that Leon seems to be falling for Bee... even though she is no way ready for a relationship. Bee's main focus is her swimming and making the state finals... but in her way is swim club bully Laura, and the dark cloud that is a tween girl's first period.
Added into the mix is Bee's absent mother (who sounds awful!), her well-meaning step-mother Kath (who Bee hasn't quite accepted yet), her new friend Claire (who doesn't back down from a fight and who we MIGHT read between the lines and wonder whether she has a crush on Bee as well), and her relationship with Buddha (who she turns to for help when she needs it.)

As mentioned, there are a number of complex themes throughout the book, but they are generally dealt with with sensitivity and care - even when Bee has to learn to use a tampon.

It is definitely a book which will appeal to lovers of realistic fiction and developing relationships... and I would even go so far as to suggest that we should be encouraging boys to read books such as this so they might get an understanding of their female peers.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Pip Harry's The Little Wave and was looking forward to reading this next novel in verse. It is aimed a little older that The Little Wave, late primary/early high school.

I enjoyed reading about Bee and her coming to terms with growing up, settling into high school and dealing with the onset of puberty without her Mum there to guide her. She navigates her feelings about her Mum leaving, about her new Step-Mum, and about many friendship issues; a best mate whose feelings for her might be changing, a jealous rival in her swim team and a budding friendship with a popular girl that might not be what it seems. There are also some serious welfare concerns that arise and would be great examples for discussion in PDHPE lessons.

Apart from these personal issues, the story also deals with Bee's concern for our planet and the effects of climate change. She sees all the fires and floods occurring around the world and concludes that "the earth is having a tantrum, trying to get us to pay attention". Unsurprisingly, given the title, there is some discussion of Buddhism as Bee tries to figure out what she believes. This is mainly a mindfulness, meditation and self-talk form of Buddhism, and doesn't look more deeply into the religion. As you can see, this short volume covers a lot of ground!

It is a book I think many young girls will enjoy and relate to. I'm not sure how many teenage boys will persist with it, given the predominance of discussion about periods early on, which is a shame. Well worth a read.

[Dan Allbery · Rating 3 out of 5]

You yourself, as much as anyone in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

Are You There, Buddha? is a novel-in-verse, modern-day retelling of Judy Blume's classic, Are You There God, It's Me Margaret. Set in New South Wales, Australia, Bee encounters many of the same challenges that Margaret did. Yet, there are many twists and changes that bring the original 1970s story into the 2020s (ex. impact of social media). I found the everyday ups and downs to be very on-point for pre-teens and young(er) readers will be able to easily relate. However, I do think there may have been too many subplots that were unnecessary--bullies, love stories, parents, religion, rivalries. They all worked, but it may have been better to invest more time in major events, like the swimming finals, instead of rushing to the next plot point.

Despite my 3 stars, this book is "a win." One of the options for GR 6 book clubs at my school as part of a Challenged/Banned Book unit is Are You There God?, so this would be a nice companion text to offer to my 7th graders. Recommended GR 6/7 and up.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a lot to admire in this book - a true coming of age story where the main character, Bee is growing up and finding her place in the world. I loved Pip Harry’s previous verse novel The Little Wave - and has some similarities in dealing with personal issues. However to me the verse narration did not quite ring with the same level of emotional connection. Bee at times is drowned out as a character by the heavy environmental message that runs almost like a competing commentary over the top of her. Maybe it was just pushed too hard to sit comfortably with the rest of the story. I loved that Bee faced up to the issues in her life and became braver and more confident as a result. Puberty is handled sensitivity and well; as is dealing with the disappointment of her absent mother. Much to love and food for thought...

[Judy Wollin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bridget is Bee to friends. Her best friend Leon called her that when they were little kids, and it stuck. High school is tough, and home life has its moments too. Dad’s partner Kath tries hard to do the right thing, but Bee finds it annoying. Mostly because it’s not her mum doing it. Mum lives in India and makes choices that Bee struggles with.
High school struggles are compounded as Bee’s body changes, periods start, and the girls around her compare their bodies, boys and what they are doing. Even swimming training has its moments. Boyfriends, dates, and changes confuse her. Bee is lonely at school until Claire arrives. What does Bee discover about friends, family, and adolescence?
I enjoyed the realism of the characters’ struggles.
Recommended for readers 10 – 14 years.

[olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

loved this book. being a buddhist, australian and recently finishing year 7, made this book fun and relateable.
it was written in a poem structure making it a fast paced book.

while most of the problems in this book i have not faced and probably will never face is in here, i loved the austrlian and buddah references. OH AND WHEN THEY MENTIONED SELECTIVE?? I'm in a selective school so it was good to know that people actually know we exist.

book was a lighthearted read, something i didnt know i needed.

[Julia Surducki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a wonderful, easy, topical read for young adults. "Bee" is such a delightful main character; I loved that while she narrates the story she's not bookish herself. Working in a school library I find it difficult to find novels for the more sporty kids sometimes, so having Bee narrate her experience of squad and competitive swimming in her prose poetry style was very refreshing. I also loved that Bee is in no rush whatsoever to grow up; neither was I! I think this is a delightful, relatable read for young-adults.

[Hannah Jung · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a good book FOR GIRLS, who doesn't really like growing up/going through puberty. I feel like a lot of girls can relate and the book has some tips while growing up. In the book, a girl named Bridget experiences puberty, friendships, and family during a summer, with also the swimming state competition tagging along.
I gave it 5 stars because, like I said, I can relate to the girl in the book, such as trying to beat the record for competitive swimming.

[Belinda Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just lovely. I tend to struggle with verse novels, they’re just not my thing but I settled into this one beautifully. A gorgeous coming of age story for perhaps Grade 5/6 up. Lots of pertinent issues dealt with - periods, social media, friendship issues, families, climate change, family violence. All done in a really realistic, readable way. Will be recommending this!

[Jodie Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Pip Harry - we all loved it Pip!

There are many kinds of mothers - we usually only hear about the gushy kind - great to see a different type of mother and the impacts on the mother-daughter relationship. Also great of course to see periods written about in a middle grade novel.

[Rowena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic book, especially for girls starting or about to start high school. I was totally cheering on the main character Bee and quite literally felt everything she did throughout the book. Also a good book to offer reluctant readers given the reduced text on each page.

I absolutely loved this book.

[Dianne Wolfer]

There is so much wisdom, written with a beautifully light touch for tweens (and adults) in this book. I didn’t want to put it down and read it in one sitting. Such great characters with modern day worries. It’s funny and tender and tackles challenging issues that young readers care about.
I loved it.

[Francesca Pashby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paying homage to tween classic, "Are you there, God, it's me, Margaret" this modern Australian verse novel is a charming, enjoyable read for girls on the 'cusp' (vomit) of womanhood/pubery/bleeding like a stuck pig.

Decent explanation of periods, also boy/girl stuff, being true to yourself etc.

Really liked it.

[Amelia Woodward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read this book before, as a part of a book club I was with, and enjoyed it as a younger teenager. It is the only book I have read that is written as a huge poem, which was very interesting and a gorgeous way to write a story. It had simple but good characterisation, and is definitely a great book for teens going through the same things as the main character.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book for teenagers ticked all the boxes for me.
1. Awesome Australian author, Pip Harry
2. Covers topics including body image, frenemies, blended families, friends, being the best you can be.
3. I could happily have been part of Bridget’s story for longer

[Gillian Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verse novel
Written from Bree’s point of view
Great story about girls coming of age
Fitting in with friends
Boys
Bullying
social
Media
Being yourself
Blended family
Child protection
Swimming/competing