Celebrate Your Body (and Its Changes, Too!): The Ultimate Puberty Book for Girls

by Sonya Renee Taylor

A body-positive guide to help girls ages 8 to 12 navigate the changes of puberty

Puberty can be a difficult time for a young girl―and it’s natural not to know who (or what) to ask. Celebrate Your Body is a reassuring entry into puberty books for girls that encourages girls to face puberty with excitement and empowerment. From period care to mysterious hair in new places, this age-appropriate sex education book has the answers you’re looking for―in a way you can relate to.

Covering everything from bras to braces, this body-positive top choice in books about puberty for girls offers friendly guidance and support when you need it most. In addition to tips on managing intense feelings, making friends, and more, you’ll get advice on what to eat and how to exercise so your body is healthy, happy, and ready for the changes ahead.

Puberty explained―Discover what happens, when it happens, and why your body (and mind) is amazing in every way.Social skills―Learn how to stand up to peer pressure, stay safe on social media, and keep the right kind of friends.Self-care tips―Choose the right foods, exercises, and sleep schedule to keep your changing body at its best with advice you won’t find in other puberty books for girls.

This inclusive option in puberty books for girls is the ultimate guide to facing puberty with confidence.

Genres: Childrens, Nonfiction, Parenting, Middle Grade, Health, Self Help, Sexuality

158 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2018

About the author

Sonya Renee Taylor is the Founder and Radical Executive Officer of The Body is Not An Apology, a digital media and education company promoting radical self-love and body empowerment as the foundational tool for social justice and global transformation. Sonya's work as a highly sought-after award-winning Performance Poet, activist, and transformational leader continues to have global reach. Sonya is a former National and International poetry slam champion, author of two books, including The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love (Berrett-Koehler Feb 2018), educator and thought leader who has enlightened and inspired organizations, audiences and individuals from board rooms to prisons, universities to homeless shelters, elementary schools to some of the biggest stages in the world.

Believing in the power of art is a vehicle for social change, Sonya has been widely recognized for her work as a change agent. She was named one of Planned Parenthood's 99 Dream Keepers in 2015 as well as a Planned Parenthood Generation Action's 2015 Outstanding Partner awardee. Bustle Magazine named her one of the 12 Women Who Paved the Way for Body Positivity and in September 2015, she was honored as a YBCA 100, an annual compilation of creative minds, makers, and pioneers who are asking the questions and making the provocations that will shape the future of American culture; an honor she shared alongside author Ta'Nahesi Coates, artist Kara Walker, filmmaker Ava Duvernay and many more. In 2016, she was named a Champion of Women's Health by Planned Parenthood and commissioned to write the official poem for Planned Parenthood's 100-year centennial celebration. In the same year, Sonya was also invited to the Obama White House to speak at their forum on the intersection of LGBTQIAA and Disability issues. In 2017, Sonya was awarded the Quixote Foundation's “Thank You Note, a $25,000 award for leaders and artists working in the field of reproductive justice. In the fall of 2017, Sonya was named one of 28 global changemakers selected into the inaugural cohort of the Edmund Hilary Fellowship, a 3-year international fellowship of world-leading entrepreneurs and investors, innovating purpose-driven global impact projects from New Zealand.

Sonya's work has been seen, heard, and read on HBO, BET, MTV, TV One, NPR, PBS, CNN, Oxygen Network, The New York Times, New York Magazine, MSNBC.com, Today.com, Huffington Post, USA Today, Vogue Australia, Shape.com, Ms. Magazine and many more. She is a regular collaborator and artist with organizations such as Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Advocates for Youth 1in3 Campaign, Association for Size Diversity and Health, Binge Eating Disorders Association (BEDA), Greater than AIDS Campaign, Yerba Buena Cultural Art Center and numerous others.

With a B.A. in Sociology and an M.S.A. in Organizational Management, Sonya continues to use her work to disrupt systems of inequity from an intersectional, radical self-love and global justice framework. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Split This Rock, an organization calling poets to a greater role in public life and fostering a national network of socially engaged poets. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors for SisterSong, a pioneering Women of Color reproductive justice collective. Sonya continues to be engaged in issues of racial justice, police brutality, mental health, reproductive rights and justice and much more.

In 2011, Sonya founded The Body is Not An Apology, as an online community to cultivate radical self-love and body empowerment. TBINAA quickly became a movement and leading framework for the budding body positivity movement. In 2015, The Body is Not An Apology developed a digital magazine, education and community building platform to connect global issues of radical self-love and intersectional social justice. Today, TBINAA is a digital media enterprise reaching nearly 1 million people per m

Reviews

[Rebecca Enslein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes I’m counting this toward my reading goal 🤣 because I did read it before giving it to my nine year old daughter.

I think this is a great book to inform your daughters about all that awaits them during puberty. This book handles what can definitely be a cringeworthy topic with ease and without being awkward.

I really liked the body positive aspect of the book- it is very inclusive of all shapes, sizes, and colors of girls. I feel like some of the older books on this subject (I’m looking at you, American Girl) can have a fat-shaming element to them, which is not the message I’m trying to convey during a time already fraught with difficulty and emotion.

I gave it to her today and she’s been reading it ever since. I asked her to come to me if she has any questions. The book does a thorough job explaining all the bodily changes.

It does not deal with sex AT ALL, so if you’re worried about that, don’t be.

It does deal with consent, which I loved. It’s more in the context of unwanted hugs from family members or unwelcome attention from others.

Great, modern book for young girls. I’m so glad I bought it!

[Jenn "JR" · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeously illustrated, upbeat and body positive user's guide to the pubescent female body written by poet & activist Sonya Renee Taylor delivers a comprehensive overview of the changes girls 8-11 can expect. I even learned a few things that I didn't know!

The information is solid -- it covers physical development, emotional well being, nutrition and offers practical advice such as preparing a kit with tampons/pads/wipes "just in case." I do wish that the author included more information about non-disposables (cups, sponges) as I desperately wish those options had been disclosed to me (instead of the Proctor & Gamble brochure about pads and tampons).

While the book has beautiful illustrations throughout - it's more text-heavy than I expected. In this age of mobile devices and Tweets, I wonder how it will be received by girls who have had access to so much short form reading. There's a great list about friendship, for example, but not as many sidebar lists or "take-aways" as I might have expected given the target audience.

Overall -- it's a lovely, sweet and helpful book. I love the repeated references to "trusted adults" -- and hope that my neighbor (who is 11) enjoys this book since I bought it for her.

[Dani Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading with my almost 10 year old daughter to hopefully help ease some of the awkwardness of puberty. She HATES the pictures. 😂

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished The Body Is Not An Apology and got a lot out of it. I saw SRT had written this and got it as a supplement to AG's Care and Keeping, which my daughter has been poring over. As others have noted...it's the same as when we were growing up, which means it hasn't changed in *cough* years.

I loved the inclusivity and body positivity in this. I think it's a more advanced read than the AG one (more words, less pictures) but I will definitely be giving it to her soon. I asked if she wanted to just read it after me, or if I could underline some things I thought were important. She said I could underline, which I did, and also noted some "trusted adults" she could go to if she didn't want to talk to me or her Dad.

[Sara Heijerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really great, easy to read, body positive book about puberty that I will happily pass along to my daughter.

[Serch · Rating 4 out of 5]

“La pubertad puede hacer que tu cuerpo cambie mucho, pero no debería cambiar tu idea de que eres un ser humano espectacular” – Sonya Renee Taylor

Este libro me ha caído como anillo al dedo porque tengo una sobrina que esta a punto de entrar a la pubertad, así que estoy seguro que será una lectura de mucho provecho para ella y sus padres. Es importante que este tipo de libros sean leídos por los adultos antes de que lleguen a manos de los menores para que sepan la información que se aborda y puedan hablar al respecto con sus hijas; sin miedos ni tabúes. Recuerden que la comunicación es de suma importancia durante la adolescencia y es mejor que reciban una asesoría de una fuente confiable y no dejarle la tarea al internet o a los amigos.

El libro se compone de 8 capítulos muy interesantes, desde los cambios del cuerpo hasta el primer período. Los temas son desarrollados de una forma fresca y amigable para las chicas lectoras. Encontrarán sencillas ilustraciones y un diseño muy colorido, pero lo más importante es que van a leer sobre todos los cambios que se están presentando durante esta etapa de su vida llamada pubertad.

Uno de mis capítulos favoritos es el que habla sobre las emociones, los amigos y la familia. Recordemos que durante la adolescencia uno suele aislarse o refugiarse en amistades que posiblemente no sean las mejores. La autora, Sonya Renee Taylor, ofrece un par de tips muy buenos para identificar a una buena amiga. Es conveniente que toda adolescente cuente con una. Y muy impotante, acercarse a un adulto de confianza con el que pueda tener toda la libertad de hablar sobre cualquier tema. En Secretos de chicas, Sonya Renee Taylor explica qué pasa durante la pubertad, ayuda a las chicas a sentirse orgullosas de su cuerpo, que sean seguras de sí mismas y que estén listas para los cambios que vienen.

Definitivamente este libro será de bastante ayuda para todas las chicas. Como dijo Deb Hauster, “es una lectura obligada para todas las preadoslecentes en todas nuestras vidas” y tiene mucha razón.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to introduce puberty conversations to your tween, without diving deep into sex education and reproductive health. I wanted something to help my smart, anxious, overthinking 10 year old girl learn about what to expect as puberty unfolds, and this is perfect. The book is also inclusive and very body positive, which is important to me.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my 10 year old. I loved the body positive approach to talking about the changes that are coming for her. In reading it together, we were able to have great conversations about all the topics.

[Resilient Writer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Ultimate Puberty Book for Girls" provides a wonderful overview of the body and how it changes during puberty.

It is inclusive of varying gender identities but not preachy. The beginning of the book mentions that some people with female body parts may not feel like girls and validates that it is okay- but does not cover anything else related to gender identity beyond the intro. I would have enjoyed another chapter on gender identity, but there are plenty of books out there if a child has questions and wants more information or support.

I bought this book for a 12 year old sibling and read it first to make sure it had accurate and affirming information in it, which it did. Much of the language focuses on validating all body types and changes. It talks about being kind and highlights how unnecessary it is to comment on the body of someone else.

Chapters include information on loving oneself, how the body changes during puberty (hair, height, chest growth, etc), bras, periods and the region below the belt, nutrition, sleep, fitness emotions, friendship, family, and trusted adults. All topics are very briefly covered but provide good talking points for a child to reach out to a trusted adult with more involved questions or concerns.

I wish I had a book like this as a teen. There were pieces of information in it that I had to find out as I grew older. Reading this could do a wonderful job of alleviating some anxiety teenagers and pre-teens with uteruses may feel.

The language is straight-forward and easy to comprehend. Illustrations are diverse and helpful/instructive. A 10 year old with a developmentally appropriate reading level could get through this book in a week easily. It does include a lot of words so it could be intimidating to a child who does not love to read.

Overall, this book delivered on all important points! 5/5

[Lea Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a sex-positive parenting activist, I was thrilled with almost everything about this book. One of the first passages in the book is clear to explain that although the word "girl" is used to describe the reader, "girl" might not be the word that fits them, and that's okay. It tells these kids that they should insert whatever language feels comfortable, and then check out the GNC resources in the back, and if possible, talk about them with a trusted adult. It's fabulous.

It includes diagrams and illustrations showing the diversity of pubescent bodies, as well as VERY useful diagrams and instructions for things like how to use a maxi pad, what period blood might look like, how hormones work, what a uterus and vulva and vagina and ovaries are. It is FABULOUS.

My only criticism is that it doesn't cover sex, at all. Not even to explain to children what might be happening to them if they're being sexually abused. Beautifully inclusive and comprehensive with puberty and biology and gender identity, but not a thing about sex. And the idea that a twelve-year-old going through puberty doesn't NEED to know this information is, I strongly believe, wrong.

I am so grateful to be able to give this book to my kids. It's not quite enough, there is a lot more we will have to talk about on our own, but what an excellent resource for a deeply confusing time.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book that speaks to girls about puberty in a friendly and very body-positive way. It did a good job of communicating basic information about puberty for girls ages 8 and up. I didn’t agree with everything the author wrote (like that braces “can be fun.” I guess a lot of kids probably get Invisalign these days, which is probably easier to deal with, but I can say from personal experience that in no way are braces “fun.”), but I did agree with all of her major points and how she described important concepts. Would definitely recommend this book to preteen girls.

[ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As my daughter started changing, I wanted to help her by being there more than anyone was when I was going through it. This book is amazing &gave positive feedback and questions from my daughter, she is no longer nervous or scared I am glad we got to read this book for free thanks to Amazon its amazing😊

[Claire Perko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book on puberty for girls. I wanted to read it before I gave it to my daughter. This is a great resource for her and way better than the books I had growing up. Sonya Renee Taylor did an amazing job with this!

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I found this really helpful it feels like someone is speaking to you not you reading a book 5 out of 5

[Rae M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really informative, down to earth, and inclusive book. I just read it with my daughter and highly recommend for any parents of young girls.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my typical read, but if you don't know, I have an almost 9 year old daughter. I am trying to ensure an open door of communication and help her feel welcome to ask me anything and everything! She has had a lot of questions recently about puberty and periods and such so I found this book to help us have good conversations. I read it today in preparation for giving it to her on her upcoming birthday.
I love the positivity and honesty in this book. You will see a lot of... "Your body was made to do awesome things!" "Whenever your body changes is the perfect time for your body!" "No one has the right to talk about your body!" Etc. I like how it talks about food being fuel, what makes a good friend, ways to work through your feelings, while always adding, "but if you feel uncomfortable or think something is wrong talk to a trusted adult." And even goes into who a trusted adult is! There is a lot of good in this book and I look forward to reading it with my daughter and helping her understand some upcoming changes in her life!
For those who may be interested or concerned, there is one paragraph in the introduction about the author using "girl" throughout the book and how that may not be how the reader feels, however girl is the most accurate pronoun for people who go through these specific changes, and resources for more information is provided in the back. And one of the small examples is from a girl who didn't want to grow breasts and tried to wrap them up. I plan to use these parts of the book to again have needed discussions with my daughter.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read online reviews of almost a dozen books about puberty before I chose this one for my kid. I think it is really well done- honest, inclusive, and body positive. It focuses on changing bodies, but not sex, in case you haven’t had that convo with your kid yet. I read it myself before giving it to my daughter, which I think is a good idea for any of these books, because the messages can be confusing (read the reviews for “Care and Keeping of You,” for example). A side note: it feels like I was just reading potty training books, and now here we are 😭😭 That’s parenthood!

[Oksana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Гарно та інформативно про період статевого дозрівання - і про зміни в тілі, і про емоції, менструацію та міфи довкола неї, про піклування про себе, про приватність та безпеку в інтернеті. Загалом атмосфера книжечки дуже позитивна та довірлива, з легким дотепом та цікавими фактами, з поясненням, що всі ті зміни у тілі, що відбуваються є нормальними, і будь-яке тіло - красиве.
Єдиний мінус - список додаткових ресурсів - гарно було б знайти якісь українські відповідники .

[Stephanie Bolton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taylor's Celebrate Your Body is a body-positive guide to puberty. Taylor emphasizes that all bodies are unique, special, and on their own timeline-- be patient and celebrate your body. Beyond the more traditional topics (anatomy, menstruation, timelines, hygiene) Taylor takes time to discuss changing frienships, nutrition, managing your mood, and finding a "trusted adult" with which to have further conversations. While this isn't a gender-neutral book, in the introduction Taylor acknowledges that maybe not everyone reading this book feels like the word "girl" is right for them and provides some trans resources in the back of the book. I do wish there was a little more discussion and normalizing of gender non-conformity.

Last year (in the before times), one of our LS students approached me looking for a puberty book and everything I had to offer her was from the last century. After some research, I bought this and just got around to reading it myself. Overall, I loved it. Great body-positive messages, easy to understand, useful information. There's absolutely no mention of sex in this book. I'm excited to check out the next in the series for older folx. I would recommend this to any of our LS students and maybe a 7th grader if it was all I had, but I think by MS you've probably aged out of this.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read before giving to my daughter... hopefully my kid gets the wonderful messaging the author put in this book among all the body info I'm currently fielding questions about.

[Devin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend for anyone who has a girl going through puberty snd for girls going through puberty. Very body positive and science-based. It also discusses friends and safely using social media.

[Liz Dzwonczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great primer for girls starting puberty. It helped answer a lot of questions my daughter had and served as a great starting reference.

[Emily Pool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellie and I read a chapter a night together and had some great talks about this next phase of life. 😭❤️

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in preparation to give to my daughter who is about to turn 11. It explains things so well and I really appreciated how she normalizes puberty and some of the changes that can seem scary to young girls. I was raised very conservative. My parents signed me out of the sex education portion taught in 7th grade and I just learned not to ask questions or talk about any of this. I don't think that's the answer and I want to be prepared when my daughter hits puberty. I would much rather her understand what's going on, than be fearful, embarrassed or ashamed. I love how throughout the book Taylor suggests talking to a trusted adult and even goes on to explain characteristics of a trusted adult. I'm not sure whether my daughter will talk to me about any of this right away or ever, but I love that she'll have a resource (this book!) to help her understand things better than I did. I also love that this opens the door to those conversations if and when she wants to have them.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember the anxiety, confusion, and curiosity that I felt about getting my period when I was a younger. I have been casually discussing it with my children since they were toddlers, but I was looking for something to really start explaining menstruation to my 8 1/2 year old daughter. We read this book together and she was absolutely taken with it. This is a wonderful book that explains puberty and menstruation thoroughly and opens up the lines of communication.

This is the first book of this kind that I have seen that is written by a woman of color and the illustrations reflect the diversity in our own community (and the larger world), which is important to us.

We will keep this book on our shelf and refer back to it in the coming years. I also plan to read it to both my younger daughter and son when the time is right. I wish there were a "boy" equivalent.

This book is positive and engaging and I highly recommend it.

[Nicole Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book for my middle school health library. Many of my students read below grade level. The first day I put it out, a 7th grader was already asking to borrow it. It has a great mix of pictures and text. It is written simply and beautifully so even weaker readers can appreciate it, but not in a way that makes my stronger readers turned off.

This book made me feel more body positive about myself! I plan on exploring other books by this author. If this book happens to walk away from my library, I will repurchase happily.

While this book is targeted at “girls”, the author does a great job at making it more inclusive by saying not everyone who reads the book may feel like a girl and that’s okay. I appreciated the resource guide in the back. Overall, this is a great book for any adult or child wanting to learn more about the changing body.

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is a body positive resource for helping girls understand the changes they will undergo during puberty. The presentation is just excellent. The book is beautifully inclusive and involves zero shaming language which is incredibly important. It takes topics that can be difficult and addresses them in a factual way using easy to understand language for girls. In other words, it doesn’t read like a medical textbook. It also covers a lot of additional topics such as: braces, vision, nutrition, sleep, consent, friendships, and staying safe online. There’s also no discussions about sex involved here. Which I appreciate because so many resources dump a lot of information on girls, when frankly, puberty is enough to try and digest at one time. It was just nice to see such a well put together body positive book for girls.

[Angie Gazdziak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this before I gave it to my daughter. I liked this and wish this was a book I had available when I went through puberty (vs. the man-written books given to me that basically said ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ as a general answer to all puberty-related topics addressed within.)

This is a good intro book and I liked how inclusive it is; it is "for girls" and uses "girls" often within, but makes a statement up front that you might not feel like a girl, or you might only sometimes feel like a girl. There are a number of resources available in the back for additional reading.

It's a really quick read so it didn't take me long, but it's a good book for growing kids to keep around and refer back to as needed.

[Cade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I need to get this back in time to 10 year old me! Taylor does a fantastic job of covering the basics of early girlhood in language that both informs and does not talk down to kids. So many books on the topic talk to them like they have no idea about anything that's going on, when in reality, they've been talking about this stuff for ages by the time it happens. She provides a good structure for understanding the changes but also makes very clear that there is no one "normal." I will be buying this for my 12-year-old goddaughter as well as any other girls I can think of.