From School Library Journal
Gr 6 Up-The American Academy of Pediatrics makes a statement on inclusivity with a puberty guidebook for all young bodies. Written by three physicians, the book frames puberty through normalcy, positivity, and acceptance. The text covers most of the bases: beginning with "Friends and Feelings" as a first chapter, which makes explicit the intention of promoting emotional, mental, and physical health. It continues on to topics like breasts, skin, testosterone, body odor, and more, with each chapter introduced by a short story from one of six young people, whose unique characteristics and diversity demonstrate the intersectionality and complexity of their lives. Though purporting to be inclusive and featuring two transgender main characters, the particular puberty concerns of trans youth are covered only superficially, and the language used is clunky at times. Relationships and sex are not discussed, though masturbation is explained and normalized. The authors take a highly cautionary tone about pornography, and send a strong message about sexual abuse. The age-appropriate and accurate information is presented in large blocks of text, with little formatting to break up the content. The colorful illustrations are sparse and serve as a break for the eyes, featuring the cartoonlike characters common in puberty books, but with few diagrams or images of body parts detailed enough to add value to the text. VERDICT While not at the forefront in terms of pushing boundaries on inclusivity in puberty texts, this book benefits from having the backing of a trusted and reputable source, and is full of important and useful information. A recommended purchase.-Clara Hendricksα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review
"As a mom of a transgender daughter, I’m delighted that You-ology explains and illustrates puberty in an inclusive and sensitive manner." —Jeanette Jennings, President and Cofounder of the TransKids Purple RainbowFoundation, mom of trans youth activist Jazz Jennings, and cast member of the award-winning TLC docuseries, I Am Jazz
“An inclusive, all-gender look at puberty . . . featuring a diverse cast of six characters who are dealing with real-world scenarios.” —New York Times
"You-ology is a book where kids can see their bodies and their uniqueness reflected back at them. This book is about real kids going through real changes." —Ilena Sherer, MD, Pediatrician; executive committee, American Academy of Pediatrics Section on LGBT Health and Wellness; and cofounder of Child and Adolescent Gender Center at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
"This is the guide every parent and child needs to develop a comfortable and confident acceptance of their own bodies and others!" —Michelle Icard, author of Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen
"The much-needed book about puberty that covers not just the physical but also the emotional changes that youth go through in a gender-inclusive way that normalizes everyone’s puberty experience." —Paria Hassouri, MD, FAAP, author of Found inTransition: A Mother’s Evolution During Her Child’s Gender Change and director of the Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Wellness Clinic at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
"This reassuring and preteen-friendly guide to puberty mixes factual information with short stories that feature a diverse cast of characters to show how relatable puberty is." —Sharon Rawlins, American Academy of Pediatrics
"You-ology is honest, accepting, empowering, and medically accurate. It reads like a personalized how-to-do-puberty book for kids." —Damon Korb, MD, FAAP, author of Raising an Organized Child: 5 Steps to Boost Independence, Ease Frustration, and Promote Confidence and director, Center for Developing Minds, Los Gatos, CA
"Finally, a comprehensive guide that combines a high degree of gender literacy with medically sound concepts and approaches that speak to ALL young people."--Joel Baum, MS, senior director for professional development, Gender Spectrum, San Leandro, CA
"This is the book about puberty that kids and parents deserve! Not only is it medically accurate, but it is also free of shame and covers topics like gender diversity in thorough, thoughtful detail." —Jennifer Lincoln, MD, IBCLC, author of Let’s Talk About DownThere: An OB-GYN Answers All Your Burning Questions…Without Making You Feel Embarrassed for Asking and board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist practicing in Portland, OR
"Honest, relatable, informative, and inclusive. I hope every kid gets to read this to learn about puberty." —Juanita Hodax, MD, FAAP, pediatric endocrinologist and codirector of the Seattle Children’s Gender Clinic
"A gender-inclusive body-positive explanation of puberty. You-ology is that gift and a wonderful addition to youths’, parents’, and educators’ book collections as children make their way through the puberty journey." —Diane Ehrensaft, PhD, author of GenderBorn, Gender Made and The Gender Creative Child; director of mental health, Child and Adolescent Gender Center at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children’s Hospital; and associate professor of pediatrics, UCSF
About the Author
Dr. Melisa Holmes is a board-certified Ob-Gyn, author, and nationally recognized health educator. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Girlology, a leading wellness app supporting girls and caregivers with personalized on demand health resources that guide them through puberty and adolescence with confidence. She has more than 20 years experience as an ob-gyn with expertise in pediatric & adolescent gynecology and as an educator for medical students, residents and colleagues.
Dr. Melisa is a Co-Founder of the Period Education Project, a national non-profit that trains medical students to deliver menstrual health education to under resourced communities. She has authored books for youth on puberty and sexual development as well as numerous articles and book chapters in the medical literature. She has consulted and created health content for global brands including Always, Tampax and CVS Health.
As a passionate patient advocate, Dr. Holmes received a national award from the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists for patient education.
Trish Hutchison, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician, nationally recognized health educator, and author. Dr. Trish is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Girlology, a leading wellness app supporting girls and caregivers with personalized on demand health resources that guide them through puberty and adolescence with confidence. She founded and directed a young women’s health center for the Department of Adolescent Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina. She is an expert on adolescent development, teen sexuality, parenting, and has been listed among the Best Doctors in America.
Dr. Trish has authored books for youth on puberty and sexual development. She is also a Co-Founder of the Period Education Project, a national non-profit that trains medical students to deliver menstrual health education to under resourced communities. Dr. Trish has over 20 years of clinical practice and currently works in College Health at The College of Charleston. This keeps her up to date on issues that kids face daily, including her own two college aged daughters.
She earned her MD at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) then completed her Pediatrics residency at Vanderbilt University.
Kathryn Lowe, MD, FAAP (she/her) is a board-certified pediatrician, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and a proud mother of two middle school kids. Dr. Lowe has an immense background advocating for LGBTQ+ kids and has taught extensively on the topic of gender. In recognition of her expertise, she was elected a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Executive Committee of the Section on LGBT Health and Wellness and continues to serve on this national level committee today.
Dr. Lowe’s passion for advocating for kids began while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia where she worked with children in rural villages, and only grew stronger as she began her career as a pediatrician and then became a mother. The idea for You-ology sprang from her endless search for the ideal puberty book to read with her two kids as they approached puberty.
Dr. Lowe earned her medical degree through the University of Connecticut and completed her pediatrics residency at Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME. She loves enjoying life with her husband, two children, and always at least one furry four-legged companion.
