The Care & Keeping of You 1: The Body Book for Younger Girls by Valorie Lee Schaefer

★★★★★

This book is fantastic. It's not just about the breasts and bras and period part of puberty. There are sections on braces, acne, and underarms, as well as nutrition, sleep, fitness, and hair care. There are even sections on dental hygiene and using sun screen. By presenting the "things that will change about you" topics alongside the "things that you probably already know about your body" topics, the former topics come across as perfectly normal and nothing to be ashamed or scared about.

I think it helps, too, that this is an "American Girl" book. Whether or not you're an American Girl fan, the branding helps to give the book a familiar, non-threatening feel.

Both Isabelle and I read this book - separately - in basically one sitting. It's a quick and easy read, consisting of short paragraphs and plenty of colorful text and illustrations. Maybe some potential readers would find it important to know that the illustrations do include drawings of what breasts might look like at various stages of development, as well drawings that depict "How to Use a Pad". Is that TMI? Some people might balk or be shocked at those illustrations, however, I found them to be in good taste, and their matter-of-fact existence helps take away any sense of mystery around those topics.

I liked that the book presented options without judgement. For example, on page 42, it says this about underarm hair: "Some girls don't like it. Others aren't bothered by it one little bit. Whether you want to remove it or leave it there is a very personal decision."

Also, the book is good about promoting healthy attitudes towards all body shapes and sizes. On page 54, it says, "No one body type is better or worse than another. All can be fit, healthy, and beautiful."

Finally, both Isabelle and I liked that each chapter ended with a Q & A formatted like an advice column. There are questions addressing specific concerns, and most answers involve some amount of, "What you're feeling is perfectly normal. Be sure to talk about your concerns with a parent or other trusted adult."

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who is not sure how to start talking about puberty with their young daughter!