What's Happening to My Body? Book for Girls: Revised Edition

I just got this book in the mail, which I ordered for my 11 year old daughter. It covers everything girls should know by the time they are twelve or thirteen. The book describes "what's happening to my body" clearly, and without talking down to the reader. The pictures are accurate pencil drawings, not ridiculous cartoons like I have seen in some other books. I appreciate it, as it explains "sex" in a detailed way, which will spare me the having to watch my daughter's face contort while I try to explain how the P. gets into the V. She'll be able to read it in the privacy of her own home, and be able to use it as a reference on an ongoing basis. The book also covers many other useful topics, like appreciating your body the way it is (by eating well and NOT dieting), what boys go through in puberty, and "body hair, perspiration and pimples." I would have loved a book like this at that age. In sixth grade, I remember spending a lot of time talking about and giggling about "sex," all the while having virtually no idea what I was talking about. My main sexual education came from school (watered down and P.C.) and the book "Scruples," which I got a hold of from a neighbor at around 14. I want my kids to have better information than I did! Regarding age: each kid will be ready for this book at a different age. My nine year old daughter is still very much a `kid,' and this book would be way over her head at this time. But there are some girls I have seen who are quite mature by the time they are 10. So you have to judge for your child. But I think certainly, this type of information should be made available by the time a girl is 14, at the latest.

Full of so much great info inside and written in such a kid friendly way

Okay, I looked at a lot of books for this topic before deciding on this one. I have to say, personally - I would not have read it in the order it's presented. I wish I had taken more time when it came to look through the book before starting it with my daughter. My daughter is 10 and I would have started with the breast development, puberty growth spurt, and a few others - not here are all your parts, the boy parts, and this is sex! However, if you're getting this for an older girl that's already gone through the puberty phase and is wondering about sex that might be what you're looking for (and then I imagine she may not be as interested in the other chapters I mentioned). All in all, this gives a lot of very good information, explained well, and has simple diagrams. So far, my daughter loves it when we read it. It's something I keep in my room and when it's time I read it with her (to be able to talk or answer questions more). I don't recommend reading this in the order it's presented, but I think I already said that. : )

When I was about 10-11, my mom got me this book. I found it super helpful to have a book like this to answer some of my more embarrassing questions on my own. I really liked the fact that there were questions from real teenagers. I could relate to many of their concerns. If you haven't seen the pictures in the book, there are some black and white drawings of different body parts. They are not lewd in any way. At the same time, if this book is being given to a younger child, you might want to talk about what information is going to be provided in the book. This same advice goes toward the section talking about sex. In the grand scheme of the world, the sex section isn't that graphic, but for some kids (and parents) it can be a bit to handle. In short, if you are giving this book to a child, look it over first. See if it is appropriate for your child's maturity level. With that said, I really liked this book. I felt it went over several of my concerns when I went through puberty. I also liked the fact that the book was useful for a long period of time. I found myself referring to different sections of the book for a year or two. I'll admit that some sections were over my head when I first started reading the book, but as those sections became relevant they became more understandable to me.

I love all her books. She explains things using both correct and slang terms in ways that are age appropriate. It's important to read the descriptions and reviews of the books and select the ones that match the stage of development your child is in. Some have criticized that she is too graphic but in the world we live in today kids are exposed to sex and sexuality very early. My granddaughter asked me what a slang term for an alternative sexual act meant when she was in third grade. She had heard it discussed on the playground! No,she doesn't go to an inner city troubled school. We have a small town school that draws from surrounding rural areas as well as the town. My point is that unless you keep your children at home 24/7 they will have awkward questions. Giving accurate, factual information is important and kids deserve honest answers to questions they may ask. Lynda Madrasas' books do that and are especially helpful for parents who are not comfortable discussing sexual issues. It's also a great way to get a discussion going between parents and children, which after all, is the ideal. Oh, and yes I did answer my granddaughter's question. Turns out the playground discussion had been graphic enough that she had a good idea of the answer. She asked me because to her mind it was just too gross to be possible. Hold that thought for another 15 years! LOL

My daughter enjoyed reading this book

It’s always better to know the facts than getting wrong information from internet and peers.

My daughter is 12 and I bought this book below after she had some difficult friendship issues. (Although annoyingly American), the advice is invaluable for girls young and old on coping with different types of friendship issues, including being left out, bullying, peer pressure. It describes how to recognise a good friend and be a true friend yourself. It is written in a very readable format with lots of colour, pictures, and examples of real situations. My daughter is avidly reading it and I hope it will set her up for life and I'd recommend it to all

I bought this for my kids. I recommend it.

I really liked this book- bought it for my 12 year old daughter and I was very happy with the content- it was laid out in chapters about different areas (boobs/ periods/ body hair) which was very practical with comprehensive advice on each area. My daughter wd be embarassed to talk at depth so this is perfect- hopefully we'll discuss other stuff using this as a base..