Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

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.

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what to consider when deciding to do A or B. My only criticism of the book is that some of the AIDS information is outdated.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.

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.

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.

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.

A good book, with lots of helpful information -- but, perhaps, a bit TOO much information, and too much detail for girls at the younger end of the age range. I bought it for my 10 year old daughter, but will probably hold onto it for another 6-12 months before giving it to her.
"The Care and Keeping of Your Body Book", purchased at the same time, on the other hand, was given to her at once, and seems to be right on target for her age/maturity.

I was given a early copy of this book when I was 8 years old by my mother, a registered nurse. She read the book before she gave it to me, cover to cover, and though it was very striaght forward, was not biased by politcs or religion, and told facts, straight up. So she gave it to me. I am now 22 and I thank my mother *so* much for having the insight to provide me with this book (when my brother was the same age she got him the "boys" book). That book helped me thru my pre-teen and teenage years so very much. I never has to ask the kids at school about stuff, I already knew it! Mom's gesture of giving it to me also let me know that, if I had a question the book didnt answer, I could just ask her cause she was not afraid to talk about it. That helped quell the nervousness that a kid feels on this topic.

I highly suggest this book to all parents of girls and the boys book to the boys. It was a great addition for easing the transition for me.

My mother gave me this book when I was 10. I am now 14 and STILL refer to it for information every day. It gives girls a positive attitude about their changing bodies and other taboo subjects. While alot of moms have said it was too graphic and talked to much about sex, you have to look at a girl's point of view! At 10, I was very curious about sex, and this book was a lot more reliable than some sources I could have gone to...such as my friends. As I chat on girl to girl advice message boards today, I'm amazed and proud of how much more I know than other girls. I highly recommend this book to any contemporary mom who wants to open her pre-teen or teen's eyes to a whole new world of information. The book is very up-beat and easy to read and includes real girl's thoughts. The book is to a pre-teen or teen girl what a thesarus is to a writer...a necsesity!

I have to agree somewhat (not completely) with one of the reviewers... This book is not well suited for girls who are nine or ten (my daughter is nine and a half). It's got a lot of good information, but some of the illustrations are too graphic (my daughter found the ones of male genitalia very disturbing, and she is not immature for her age). The age span on this book should be adjusted upwards to more like 12 and up, not 9 to 13.

That being said, this book covers a lot of ground, and for the most part does so well. It has a lot of important information found in books of this type: stages of puberty, signs to look for, the female reproductive cycle, bras, getting one's period, and so on. All these things are presented clearly, although again, I feel they're geared more towards older girls, rather than pre-teens.

All in all this is an ok book, but not excellent, and is not appropriate for the age range it's listed for. Buy this book for a 12 year-old or up, but don't push the envelope with younger girls, they don't need the pressure that such graphically displayed information provides, which can overwhelm them.

When I was nine, I was given this book along with "the talk". While talking is certainly something parents should do with their children to inform them about sex, they should also give them this book. It clearly explains sexuality with a main focus on puberty using small words and fairly large type for easy reading. By the age of twelve I had mostly outgrown this book because of the focus on puberty, so this book is best given earlier. This book also contains a short chapter on what is happening to boys at this age, which was also immensely useful.

As a short aside, I would like to mention that I am horrified by some of these reviews. If you wait to give this book to your daughter, or refrain entirely because it has an illustration of male genitalia, or because it mentions masturbation, or it doesn't promote the religious message of you have to wait until marriage, or that homosexuality is wrong and a sin, that is a bad decision. Children already know about sex from their classmates, and they don't know correct information. Some kids are already having sex at twelve. And if you wait to give this to your child, they won't know how to do it safely. I know you think, "oh, my ________ would NEVER do that". They may. And if they don't by age twelve or thirteen, they still will probably have done something sexual by the time they are sixteen or seventeen. And by the way, if you don't let them see an illustration of male genitalia, they will look it up. Trust me.