Margaret Simon, who is almost 12 years old, comes home from summer camp in 1970 to find boxes strewn throughout her family's cramped New York City apartment. Why? Her grandmother announces without waiting for her parents to explain that she and her parents are relocating to New Jersey. The year-long adventure that serves as the centerpiece of this flawless rendition of author Judy Blume's "Are You There God? Hello, I'm Margaret.

Kelly Fremon Craig is the writer and director of the film. The way Craig portrays the book about puberty, family, and emerging spirituality teaches us that objects don't necessarily become precious when they get care and consideration. It helps that Craig and the producer James L. Brooks put together an ensemble that conveys the delights and missteps that are just on the cusp of childhood while also addressing the pains of other types of growing up. Barbara and Herb, Margaret's youthful parents, are Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie. Sylvia, Margaret's paternal grandmother, is by Kathy Bates.

But Abby Ryder Fortson carries the film (and the school year) in her portrayal of Margaret.

Margaret's signs of emerging self-awareness and hurt ring genuine on her face. Fortson's Margaret establishes herself as a lead character. She is as accidentally humorous as she is real from the time the soon-to-be sixth grader utters the film's opening prayer. This concludes with the plea, "Please don't let New Jersey be too horrible."

Margaret opens the door for Nancy Wheeler (Elle Graham), a new classmate and neighbor on Mockingbird Lane. Her capacity to discern optimism and skepticism becomes even more endearing. Soon after, Nancy asks Margaret to her home and to join her in her exclusive club. The 14-year-old Moose (Aidan Wojtak-Hissong), who keeps on the fringe of the action, subtly represents both the grossness and the attractiveness of males. Margaret also meets this friend of Nancy's brother at the Wheeler residence.

Janie (Amari Price) and Gretchen (Katherine Kupferer), both of whom have wavy hair and glasses, round up their group. They discuss the boys they like, recite a well-known mammary mantra, look at a Playboy, and study an anatomy book's depiction of male genitalia together. They will mostly worry (and sometimes even lie) about which of them will start their period first.

Farbrook, New Jersey, the setting for the film, is not at all bad. The problems confronting the United States at the time are outside the scope of the plot. Much like in the 1970 book. If the era's edges are softened, it is to make room for something else that is seething, as the narrator of a sex-education DVD will say later in the film, "our changing bodies."

Craig deftly departs from the sweet-natured, first-person narration of the novel and changes it into a general vibe. For three generations of Simon women, "Are You There God" develops into a coming-of-age story. Barbara Simon isn't fully at ease in her role as a suburban parent, as McAdams subtly reveals. When Sylvia, plays by Bates, loses her little best friend, Margaret, she will want to broaden her own horizons.

Craig extends the novel's audience as well. Mr. Benedict, Margaret's instructor, is Black. (Janie Loomis is also.) As the new but empathetic sixth-grade teacher who picks up on Margaret's response to a questionnaire — "I hate religious holidays" — and transforms it into a yearly assignment, Echo Kellum is understatedly outstanding.