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

by Lynda Madaras, Area Madaras, Simon Sullivan

Book Overview

Everything preteen and teen girls need to know about their changing bodies and feelings Written by an experienced educator and her daughter in a reassuring and down-to-earth style, The What's Happening to My Body? Book for Girls gives sensitive straight talk on: the body's changing size and shape; the growth spurt; breast development; the reproductive organs; the menstrual cycle; body hair; diet and exercise; romantic and sexual feelings; and puberty...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557047642
• ISBN13: 9781557047649
• Release Date: June 2007
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 10 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 8

Customer Reviews

Thorough, thoughtful, and age appropriate

I purchased this book and read it cover to cover before giving it to my 10.5 year old daughter. I found it to be very direct, clear, and comprehensive. It has many drawings which are informative but not salacious. It is reassuring throughout on many topics and encourages a girl to seek help from parents or other trusted adults. The authors focus on common issues but offer hints of many complex problems with further contacts for those points. What I appreciated most was that this new edition was directed in particular to younger girls and their curiosity and fears about the changes coming to them, and the author said she removed or reduced her chapters (from earlier editions) about actual sexual issues. There are practical discussions about what we used to call 'feminine hygeine products' that I know will be helpful.

Wonderful book!

My mother bought this book for me when I was ten. Her mother had never explained any aspect of puberty or menstruation to her and she was afraid of giving me confusing or incorrect information. I remember reading this book cover to cover at least five times and going through it again as I was a teenager and had questions. I developed earlier than most girls and this book was a reassuring source of information. It not only taught me a lot about my body and what was happening, but was a boost to my self-esteem because it talked about differences as being o.k. I haven't read the new edition, mine is 15 years old, but I can't imagine anything better for a mother to give her daughter as she enters puberty. It opened a line of communication between my mom and me about a topic that is not always easy to discuss with your parents at that age. I would recommend this book to ANY parent for his/her daughter.

Girls' High School Basketball Coach/AD jlori81@gte.net

My wife and teenage daughters teased me about reading this book. But as someone who works with girls in sports, I felt it was important to know what is going on with girls at this age. Was the book informative? Yes. It had two strong points: 1) It treats sexuality and associated taboo subjects as normal parts of life. Really, I cannot understand why some of the other reviewers thought the information was too graphic; 2) I was particularly intrigued with some of the sex-related questions young people ask. At first, their questions seemed ridiculous and so naive but then you realize they ask them because we treat the subjects of puberty and sexuality with such secrecy. No wonder some of the questions are so hilarious! The book treats each of the major subjects in a simple straightforward way. There is nothing difficult to understand and young women are supported for their decisions and preferences. The author also makes some suggestions ( based on adult wisdom and her experience with young people ) about what to consider when deciding to do A or B. My only criticism of the book is that some of the AIDS information is outdated. My copy said the information had been updated. While I am not an expert on AIDS, my impression is that some of the information did not reflect progress made in prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The book has sold well because it gets right to the point about everything that young people want to know about growing up female. And yes, I did learn a few things.

Great book for teens, pre-teens and parents alike

This is a great book for anyone interested in the process of growing up. I am a 15 year old girl and my mom got me this book when I was 10 years old, and I love it. It answered all my questions about growing up. Some people think that this book is too advanced for your average pre-teen, but having been there just a few years ago, I can assure you that it is not. The book provides a lot of information that I was curious about, yet too embarrassed to ask about. Even being so young when I got the book, I can assure you that it did not cause me to grow up any faster... it only caused me to grow up at a normal speed with more information. I still read the book as I experience new things, and because of this book and the topics it discussed, I was more assured about the changes going on inside of me.

Thank you for educating me AND my daughter!

I happened on this book in our local library--boy am I glad I did. As a companion book, I also checked out the What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys--I have 3 sons and 1 daughter. Not only did it bring up issues I had forgotten, it taught us a lot I didn't even know to tell my kids. My daughter is now a resource for her classmates. She's only 10 but told me the other day that her friends are 'not taking this seriously' and they giggle when talking about the changes to their bodies instead of learning and helping each other!I am now purchasing both books so I can keep them not only as a personal resource, but to share with my siblings and their children, and with my coworkers for their children.Thank you, Lynda Madaras, for filling this need.Note: Although book invites children to write the author with questions, we receive replies that she is unable to answer the volume of mail. You may want to head this off with your child before they write and count on a reply.