A Celebration of Becoming: Best Puberty Books for Girls

Buying Guide: Puberty Books for Girls

Body hair, pimples, mood swings, hormones, breasts, periods, and crushes; how do you discuss the world of puberty with your tween or teen girl? The help of a good book written specifically for young girls undergoing puberty in the digital age is just what you need. 

Although bodies change in the same way during puberty as when you were young, today’s tweens and teens may have some different questions and concerns than what you had at their age. Besides dealing with body transitions and navigating sex education, some of these books will also address cyberbullying, internet safety, and personal boundaries. This will not only help your tween, but it can also give you a better understanding of what they’re going through and how to support them in the right way. 

Here’s what to look for when choosing the most inspirational puberty book for girls 

Tone and Approachability

One of the most important things to look for in a good puberty book for girls is the tone in which the writer approaches the subject matter and the reader. This book is not a scientific report, but a kind, friendly, and approachable discussion with a trustworthy friend who understands. 

Although the book will not replace your role in providing a secure environment for your adolescent to raise concerns and ask questions, it should provide a safe space. The book should portray this life stage as something to celebrate and be enthusiastic about. Make sure the writer uses positive language that is always encouraging and uplifting. 

You may want to scan the book to ensure the writer does not approach any topics from a personal conviction, conformist, or biased point of view, but rather has an inclusive and accepting approach.

Readability

Puberty books for girls are targeted to tweens and teens. The information provided should be accurate and honest, but also light-hearted and easy for adolescents to understand. The author should use language that appeals to your tween as opposed to something that seems outdated or extremely complicated. This is especially important if they are reading the book by themselves.

Illustrations and Images

Images and illustrations make any puberty books for girls more appealing and fun to read. They make loads of boring text exciting and bring an uplifting feel by integrating colors and creativity. Illustrations also play an incredibly important role in facilitating understanding. 

Hormones, body changes, menstruation, sex, and even emotional topics can all be much more easily understood with the help of illustrations. In addition, images, graphs, diagrams, or infographics can help reinforce healthy self-care practices such as exercise and beneficial foods for healthy development.

Just as the text should be light-hearted, images and illustrations should be too. Again, the point is simply to facilitate an understanding of how their body is changing rather than an in-depth scientific explanation. The latter is not necessary and will be too overwhelming.

Age-Appropriateness

Some puberty books for girls come in a series of two editions. The first is an introduction for younger pre-adolescents, while the second book deals with more in-depth questions and topics that teenagers may be curious about. 

Children undergo puberty at different ages, some a little younger than others. Choose a book that is age appropriate for your child both in the topics it tackles as well as the level of language used. 

Although the book will provide a target age range on the cover, everyone is different. Reading the book first is the most ideal way to ascertain whether it’s age appropriate for your child and where they are at.

Topics Covered

While most puberty books for girls cover body changes that occur during adolescence, some include a much wider range of topics than others. The book should at least cover an understanding of biological changes such as body hair, skin breakouts, breast development, menstruation, and personal care. They should also touch on emotional well-being, how hormones can affect moods, and spread body positivity. Some books go a step further to cover topics such as internet safety, cyberbullying, boundaries, stress management, and sex education.

Puberty books for girls also vary greatly in the amount of detail they go into regarding boys’ and girls’ anatomy, menstruation, and sex. Younger children often find too much detail overwhelming, so make sure to read through the book yourself first. There are many books that offer great explanations for younger kids without going into too much detail. These books are often a good starting point and an introduction to possibly uncomfortable topics, until your child is a little older.