Growing Up: An Inclusive Guide to Puberty and Your Changing Body

by Rachel Greener, Clare Owen (illustrator)

Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 6, 2024

Reviews

[Katie Spaulding · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you want your child to not just be taught simple anatomy and emotional intelligence, but you want them to question if they are a they/them and more, then give them this book! Glad I read this before I gave it to my child. Kids are confused enough in this world.

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 3 out of 5]

An open and frank guide to the years of puberty. Carefully worded and pretty clear, but works to avoided gendered conversation. Touches on lots of aspects of growing up, including friends, consent, hygiene, changes, etc. Backmatter touches a very little on gender identity, but mostly teaches about biological sex in very open terms. The illustrations are well-done and feature hair, moles, and more. They do show some private areas, but in a tasteful fashion.

Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

Due to sensitive materials laws passed in the state of Utah, this could not be approved in our school libraries, because some of the scenes show more than half of the areola on the women. By state standards, this book would contain sensitive materials. I would argue against that definition, due to the non-sexual nature of the content (on my mind, as I serve on a library book committee and a district curriculum review committee).

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The publisher indicates this book is for elementary age, and it's true that kids as young as 8-9, especially girls, may begin the changes of puberty. The text is very simple and straightforward, informative about the anatomy and physiology of puberty and after, but also about the various aspects of self-care, hygiene, and body image.
The characters are pictured in wonderfully matter-of-fact situations and reflect a culturally and physically diverse range of humanity.
This is a very valuable book and I encourage you to check it out. It seems, to me, best suited for early middle grade, other than with guided discussion or instruction for younger readers.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked the matter-0f-fact style and the inclusion of online safety