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THE CARE AND KEEPING OF YOU

Name: THE CARE AND KEEPING OF YOU
Author: Valorie Schaefer
ISBN: 978-1-60958-083-4

THE BODY BOOK FOR YOUNGER GIRLS, REV. ED.

by Valorie Schaefer ; illustrated by Josée Masse ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 26, 2013

This cheerful discussion of the changes puberty brings combines friendly, conversational advice from the author with signed...

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Head-to-toe advice for preteen girls.

This cheerful discussion of the changes puberty brings combines friendly, conversational advice from the author with signed comments and questions, perhaps from preteens. Opening with general “Body Basics,” the text is organized by body part much like an exercise program. There are chapters on heads, breasts, bellies, the pubic area and legs. Within chapters, each spread covers a different topic. Braces, bra choice, acne, sports safety and sleep troubles are just a few examples. In some areas, the advice is quite specific: There are illustrated how-to instructions for shaving legs and using a menstrual pad. The girls shown represent considerable diversity in skin tones, hair and clothing. Lively design adds to the appeal of this growing-up guide, a revision of a popular title first published in 1998. The new illustrations are similar but feature darker skin shades, a greater range of pubescent girls and slightly more modern clothing. There are sporadic changes in the text that reflect new approaches to the use of sunscreen and new nutrition and sleep guidelines. Instructions for tampon insertion and definitions of eating disorders have been moved to the companion book for older girls, The Care and Keeping of You 2 (2012).

Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-60958-083-4

Page Count: 102

Publisher: American Girl

Review Posted Online: March 31, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

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THE GIRL'S BODY BOOK

by Kelli Dunham ; illustrated by Laura Tallardy ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 14, 2017

This introduction to puberty may be particularly helpful for girls looking ahead to that stage.

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A growing-up guide for preteen girls.

This puberty-navigation guide covers girls’ bodily changes, body care, health, relationships with family and friends, staying safe, and handling stress. In many cases the author, a registered nurse, has covered the same material as she did in various editions of this title as well as The Boy’s Body Book. This girls’ book skips the topics of sleep and performance-enhancement drugs in favor of a section on eating disorders. As in the boys’ book, controversial subjects are addressed generally and conservatively if at all. She includes a rough diagram of female reproductive organs and tells her young readers about menstruation and visiting a gynecologist but not how babies are made. She talks about having boys as friends, saying “Don’t put pressure on yourself to call any of your close friendships ‘dating.’ ” The strength of this title is its emphasis on good grooming, healthy living habits, and positive relationships. Added for this fourth edition is new material on interacting with adults, personal empowerment, body language, reputations, and “learning disabilities,” helpful information for the growing segment of the preteen population identified with cognitive and social learning differences. Tallardy’s cartoon illustrations show girls and adults of varying ethnicities and provide a cheerful accompaniment.

This introduction to puberty may be particularly helpful for girls looking ahead to that stage. (resources, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-60433-714-3

Page Count: 148

Publisher: Cider Mill Press

Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BOY'S BODY BOOK
by Kelli Dunham ; illustrated by Steve Bjorkman

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WHAT BODY PART IS THAT?

by Andy Griffiths & illustrated by Terry Denton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 13, 2012

Occasionally clever—fifth-grade boys will love it.

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“There is a lot of nonsense written about the human body,” writes the author, “and this book is no exception.”

Though not quite making good on his promise of “100 percent fact-free chapters,” (he does accurately describe “chondrolaryngoplasty”) Griffiths’ anatomical tour in general steers clear of anything that would be marked as correct on a test. From “Ears can be big or small, depending on their size” to “Capillaries are the larval form of butterflies,” he offers pithy inanities about 68 mostly real body features. Though he closes every entry with “That is all you need to know about…,” he then goes on to regale readers with the news that the epiglottis was named after a Greek philosopher and other “Fun Body Facts.” Similarly, noting that his illustrations “may not be scientifically accurate” (the understatement of the decade), Denton nonetheless provides on nearly every spread profusely labeled, free-association cartoon views of each body part. These are filled out with tiny figures, mechanical apparatus and miscellaneous junk. Though serious young researchers may be disappointed to find the “Private Parts” pages blacked out, a full index follows to provide ready access to any references to poo, pus, farts, drool, “sneeze-powered missiles” and like essentials.

Occasionally clever—fifth-grade boys will love it. (Humor. 10-12)