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Girls and Parents

Growing-Up: Puberty for Boys,
Girls and Parents

Books for Boys

American Medical Association Boys' Guide to Becoming a Teen
Kate Gruenwald Pfeifer, 2006
As a boy, what kind of feelings do you have when you go through puberty? What do should you think about eating, exercise, and weight? How is your body changing? What should you know about relationships—about sex? What’s okay and what’s not? Can you find good information online? Answers to all of these questions and more are found in this book.
J / 613.04233 / AME

Let’s Talk Puberty for Boys
Disney Educational Productions, 2010
Short and sweet and to the point—this 10 minute video gets right to the heart of boys’ questions about their changing bodies, reproduction, and health.
J / DVD / 612.6

Lintball Leo's Not-so-stupid Questions About Your Body
Walter Larimore, 2003
This conversational book takes a biblical approach to the changes in a boy’s life during puberty. The book covers topics such as body image, anger, tattoos, physical changes, masturbation, and abstinence. A year-by-year section outlines the changes a boy can expect in the decade between his 10th and 20th birthdays.
J / 248.82 / PARENTS’ SHELF / LAR

My Body, My Self For Boys
Lynda Madaras, 2009
This book uses quizzes, checklists, games, and journal pages to help preteen and teen boys explore the physical changes in their bodies.
J / 613.953 / MAD

On Your Mark, Get Set, Grow!: A “What’s Happening to My Body?”
Book for Younger Boys
Lynda Madaras, 2008
This book is full of frank talk for boys—most key and slang terminology is discussed. The book focuses on physical aspects of puberty, but touches on feelings, emotions, and relational issues—even sexual harassment and abuse—as well. The author frequently uses questions and quotes from boys and men who have taken her puberty classes.
J / 613.04232 / MAD

What's Going On Down There?: Answers to Questions Boys Find Hard to Ask
Karen Gravelle, 1998
Boys’ questions about physical changes in their own bodies and in girls’ bodies are answered. Sex, birth control, sexually transmitted disease, and homosexuality are topics covered. There is also a chapter entitled, “What If” that covers those sorts of questions that boys might wonder about, but feel too awkward to ask.
J / 612.661 / GRA

Books for Girls

The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls
Valorie Lee Schaefer, 1998
A tween girl’s guide from the American Girl Library that gives basic information about both health and hygiene—“from braces to bras, pimples to periods, and hair care to healthy eating.”
J / 612.661 / SCH

Girl in the Know: Your Inside-and-Out Guide to Growing Up
Anne Katz, 2010
Growing up healthy in body, mind, and spirit is the focus of this book for preteen girls. The “ins and outs” of a girl’s changing body and mind, mood swings, support networks, and self-expression are topics covered. Girls are encouraged to become their “be-you-tiful best, inside and out!”
J / 612.661 / KAT

Girl Stuff: A Survival Guide to Growing Up
Margaret Blackstone, 2000
A fairly explicit guide for girls explaining both the physical and psychological aspects of puberty—this book covers subjects such as acne, emotions, peer pressure, sex, birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, and personal safety.
J / 613.04243 / BLA

The Girl's Body Book : Everything You Need to Know for Growing Up You
Kelli Dunham, 2008
Starting off with the adage “knowledge is power,” the author of this comprehensive book aims to fill in a lot of blanks for preteen readers. Physical changes, self-esteem, healthy eating, fitness, periods, a first visit to the gynecologist, family relationships, cliques, girls who bully, boys, and feelings are all explored.
J / 612.661 / DUN

Growing Up: It's a Girl Thing: Straight Talk About First Bras, First Periods, and Your Changing Body
Mavis Jukes, 1998
A guide for pre-adolescent girls to the changes that puberty brings to their bodies, including information about menstruation.
J / 612.662 / JUK

Is This Normal?: Girls' Questions Answered by the Editors of The Care & Keeping of You
2009
An American Girl book that is a companion to The Care and Keeping of You, this is written as a series of letters from real girls about everything from shaving to tampons to hair care. There are also suggestions on how to talk to parents or guardians. This book is geared toward younger readers.
J / 612.661 / IS

It's a Girl Thing: How to Stay Healthy, Safe, and in Charge
Mavis Jukes, 1996
Filled with personal stories and examples, this book takes a much more serious look at all subjects of puberty (body changes, health, sexual education, etc.) including tackling such subjects as drugs, oral sex, birth control, pregnancy tests, sexually transmitted diseases, forced contact, and sexual abuse of kids.
J / 612.661 / JUK

Let’s Talk Puberty for Girls
Disney Educational Productions, 2010
Short and sweet and to the point—this 10 minute animated video answers girls’ questions about the physical and emotional changes that happened during puberty.
J / DVD / 612.6

My Body, My Self For Girls
Lynda Madaras, 2007
This book uses quizzes, checklists, games, and journal pages to help preteen and teen girls explore the physical changes in their bodies.
J 613.955 / MAD

On the Spot: Real Girls on Periods, Growing Up and Finding Your Groove
Karle Dickerson, 2005
An informative, fun, honest book for tweens and teens on what to expect as your body starts changing with puberty. Questions, answers, and advice from other teens on things like how to find the right bra or what to do when you find yourself in a “period emergency.”
J / 612.662 / DIC

The Period Book: Everything You Don’t Want to Ask (But Need to Know)
Karen Gravelle, 1996
This book covers every aspect of girl’s menstruation, from her changing body to what happens when her first period starts; from seeing the gynecologist to “what if” questions.
J / 612.662 / GRA

Ready, Set, Grow!: A “What’s Happening to My Body?”
Book for Younger Girls
Lynda Madaras, 2003
Breasts, pubic hair, getting taller (or not!), dieting, B.O., acne, The menstruation, and basic sexual harassment/abuse are some of the main topics of this book. There is Frank talk, lots of questions from real girls with direct answers.
J / 612.661 / MAD

Books for Everyone

Asking About Sex and Growing Up: A Question-and-Answer
Book for Boys and Girls
Joanna Cole, 2009
Written for preteen kids and their parents, this book covers all aspects of sexuality including bodily changes, menstruation, masturbation, crushes, dating, the biology of reproduction, pregnancy, abortion, homosexuality, diseases, and abuse.
J / 612.6 / COL

Hair in Funny Places: A Book About Puberty
Robie Harris, 2006
This is a detailed but very introductory book on the differences between boys and girls, how babies are made, and relationships between children and their families and friends. Many myths, such as the stork bringing babies and babies growing in their mother’s stomach, are dispelled.
J / 612.6 / HAR

It’s Not the Stork: A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families, and Friends
Robie Harris, 2006
This is a detailed but very introductory book on the differences between boys and girls, how babies are made, and relationships between children and their families and friends. Many myths, such as the stork bringing babies and babies growing in their mother’s stomach, are dispelled.
J / 612.6 / HAR

It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health
Robie Harris, 2009
This comprehensive book introduces human sexuality, differences between heterosexuality and homosexuality, and changes brought on by puberty. It also discusses sexual abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, birth control, and a baby’s development from pregnancy through birth. The book includes cartoon pictures and a recommendation that the book be given to children ages 10 and up.
J / 613.90712 / HAR

It’s So Amazing!: A Book About Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families
Robie Harris, 1999
Very similar to a book by the same author, It’s Not the Stork: A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families, and Friends, this book is for an older group of readers who want more information about the differences between boys and girls, various forms of romantic love, sex, reproduction, families, touch, and disease.
J / 612.6 / HAR

Teen Dreams: The Journey Through Puberty
2004
Created in conjunction with the Learning Channel, this book is a step-by-step walk through the beginning of puberty. It examines the lives of next-door neighbors Natalie and Darren and looks particularly at the effects that gonadotrophins, testosterone, and estrogen have on the kids’ bodies and minds.
J / 612.661 / TEE

What’s the Big Secret? Talking about Sex with Girls and Boys
Laurie Krasny Brown, 1997
Written for the younger readers as a read-aloud, this book offers an introduction to the anatomical differences between boys and girls, touch, privacy, reproduction, and babies.
J / 612.66 / BRO

Related Resources

Menstruation
Alan Nourse, 1987
This book examines the menstrual cycle, the treatment of abnormalities, and what menstruation means in a girl’s life. It includes a glossary of medical terms.
J / 612.662 / NOU