It's Great to Be a Girl!: A Guide to Your Changing Body

by Dannah Gresh, Suzy Weibel

Help Your Daughter Celebrate and Care for Her Changing Body
 
Your tween daughter (age 8-12) will be going through a physical and emotional transformation in the coming years. Prepare her for what’s ahead with this fun and informative user’s manual to the body God created especially for her. 
 
It’s Great to Be a Girl! tells your daughter everything she needs to know, in kid-friendly terms, about the many changes she can expect during puberty and how to handle them, including tips on hygiene, hair care, makeup, nutrition, exercise, and more.
 
Best of all, your daughter will learn that her body was made for a purpose—to honor and glorify God. This truth is the basis for a lifetime of positive self-image and a rich, vibrant faith.
 
Help your daughter recognize the beauty of her changing body as she agrees with her Creator that “it’s great to be a girl!”  
 
 

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2015

About the author

Dannah Gresh, a mother/daughter communication coach, has sold well over three quarters of a million copies of her books—including And the Bride Wore White and 2008's best-selling CBA youth book, Lies Young Women Believe (coauthored with Nancy Leigh DeMoss)—making her one of the most successful Christian authors targeting teens and preteens. With the belief that today's culture has been seeking to rob little girls of their innocence, Dannah has been fighting on the front lines to protect them. Her fun line of Secret Keeper Girl mom/preteen daughter connecting resources and live events that tour the country provide moms with just the right tools to fight back. She has long been at the forefront of the movement to encourage both tweens and teens to pursue purity and is often called upon to defend the conservative position of abstinence in national news media like USA Today, Time, Chicago Tribune, and Women's Wear Daily. She is also a frequent contributor to FamilyLife Today, Midday Connection, and Focus on the Family. Dannah lives in State College, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bob, and their children, Robby, Lexi, and Autumn, whom the family adopted from China in 2007. She and her husband founded Grace Prep, a new model in Christian high school education, which Bob administrates. She is shamelessly in love with her labradoodle, Stormie. (DannahGresh.com)

Reviews

[Jurene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more. I wanted it to be an easy choice for me to go through with my two girls. If only. Puberty, health, and the needs of each child are so different. I can imagine it's hard to write such a general book. For transparency, I haven't read the adult paired book.

My favorite parts:

The ABCs of becoming a Christian

It's written in a study format where mothers or caregivers and daughters can go through it together.

It has a pretty solid biblical foundation.

They discuss all things in moderation which can be helpful.

They focus on avoiding legalism and seeking the heart of the issue.

Some topics they say, "ask your mother/caregiver more about this topic."

They're inclusive to foster and adopted kids.

They include girls all across the melanin spectrum.

What I can't get over:

For more natural-minded families, there aren't really suggestions aside from over the counter western products and medicines.

There is a little bit of shaming and not wiggle room for personal discretion over certain hygiene topics. Shaving - not everyone needs to or wants to do that. Bathing every day, that's outdated information and has proven to be harmful to hair and bodies. They mention second-hand clothing as a form of lack of hygiene or good care.

The biggest issue: I don't think they should discuss diet and weight as in-depth as they do. It's a huge RED FLAG to me when there is a mention of charting food. This might be important information for some girls, but can plant eating disorder seeds for others. If your daughter is prone to or at risk for eating disorders, I'd skip this book.They attempt to cover it well, but I don't think it's successful.

Overall, I loved the foundation and format of this book. It is written well and in a way that seeks to connect with young girls on their level. However, because of the westernized healthcare, and the diet and weight issue, I'm going to be passing on this book.

[Kristen Rosener · Rating 5 out of 5]

My eldest daughter and I finished going through “It’s Great to be a Girl” and I couldn’t recommend this book more! She and I had a precious time sipping tea and coffee and nibbling on cookies, while discussing how God made our bodies, and how to use them for his glory.

This book is recommended for ages 8 to 12 and would be a great choice for any woman to go through with her daughter, granddaughter, niece or younger sister.

[Alexis Rogers-Esparcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter loves this book!

It's adorable and helped her to understand all the changes she's going through without being embarrassing.

[Maddison H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a book 🤯. If you have a pre-teen a teenager or you work with teenagers read this book. It has so many great thoughts to help these young ladies turn into beautiful young women. One of the great things about it is the way it explains that our greatest achievement we could ever have with our bodies is to give it to the Lord and glorify Him with it!

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for research purposes. 1.5, rounded up.

[Cynthia Marcano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book....

Read my full review at Christian Children's Book Review

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't actually finish this. Just skimmed it. It's really meant for a tween girl to read, I just wanted to check it out. :) It's good! And I can imagine that a tween would really like it.