Judy Blume Told Jenna Bush Hager Not to Gift Daughter, Mila, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”

Charna FlamFri, May 22, 2026 at 1:40 AM UTC

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Jenna Bush Hager and daughter Mila and Judy Blume
Credit: Jenna Bush Hager/Instagram; Rosalind O'Connor/NBC via Gett -

Jenna Bush Hager appeared on the Las Culturistas podcast on Wednesday, May 20, and chatted about her family's reading habits, including her 13-year-old daughter, Mila

She recalled how she wanted to give her daughter Judy Blume's Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

The best-selling author, however, advised her to let Mila discover the novel herself

Judy Blume offered Jenna Bush Hager a bit of parenting advice on sharing books with her children.

The Today co-host appeared on the Wednesday, May 20 episode of theLas Culturistaspodcast, and chatted about her children, her affinity for reading and how the two intersect.

Co-host Bowen Yang explained to Bush Hager, 44, that his literary contraband growing up was books he snuck from his sister's room. Bush Hager then asked whether he had read Blume growing up. He revealed he hadn't, but he loved The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares. "I love a book you're not supposed to read," Yang, 35, said.

Bush Hager then shared how she inadvertently, but intentionally, gave her 13-year-old daughter, Mila, Blume's Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

She explained to Yang and co-host Matt Rogers that when Blume, 88, gave her a copy of the best-selling novel, she said, "'Oh my God, I’m going to give that to Mila.' "

Hoda Kotb, Judy Blume and Jenna Bush Hager on Thursday, January 12, 2023
Credit: Helen Healey/NBC via Getty

But the author instructed her not to do so. “'You can’t give that to Mila,' ” Bush Hager recalled Blume saying. “'She doesn’t want a recommendation from her mother.' "

Yang and Rogers were taken aback before Bush Hager added that Blume told her, "'Hide it somewhere and let her find it.' "

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Bush Hager agreed with the advice, telling Yang and Rogers, 36, "Kids need to be empowered to find their own sort of way. Like nobody gave you that book. You discovered it. And there's something really empowering about that."

Bush Hager previously told PEOPLE in September 2024 that Mila read the book and told Blume she had. Bush Hager is adapting Blume's Summer Sisters, and while they were on a Zoom call talking about it, Mila, who was 11 years old at the time, came into the room.

"I was like, 'Mila, this is Judy Blume.' And she was like, 'You wrote the first chapter book I ever read,' " the proud mom of three remembered. " 'How amazing is that?' "

Bush Hager shares Mila, Poppy, 10, and Hal, 6, with husband Henry Hager.

Mila and Jenna Bush Hager
Credit: jennabhager/Instagram

At the time, Bush Hager shared Mila's affinity for Jenny Han's novels, Harry Potter and The Hunger Games.

"She's really into those books that are sort of driving home empathy. She likes to feel when she reads, which is something I also really like," she said. "So I'm just trying to help guide her to books that are like that."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”