Why Won't My Boobs Grow... and Other Annoyances

by Rebecca Garner

I swear Connor looks over at me. My heart skips a beat again. I’m not quirky like Ruby, or confident like Cher—why would Connor like me anyways?

Emma Bishop is your typical 14-year-old girl. She’s got besties, a major crush, zits (don’t use the P-word), an annoying younger sister, an embarrassing mom, and no boobs. Luckily, her best friends Ruby and Cher are there to pull off fun sleepovers, try new makeup trends, deal with bullies, and survive embarrassing interactions with cute boys.

Things change for Emma when Connor finally notices her and wants to be her partner for a science project. As things get serious between Emma and Connor, Cher and Ruby don’t react in the way Emma expected or hoped. She never thought she would have to choose between her crush and her friends—all before puberty!

Why Won’t My Boobs Grow…and Other Annoyances is a contemporary young adult novel by Rebecca Garner that explores friendship, first love, and self-confidence. This book is a must read if you are wondering who you are (even before your boobs arrive) or if you’re a grown-up who loves the nostalgia of a coming-of-age story.

Genres: Young Adult

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2022

Reviews

[Karyn Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book for my 11 year old niece and decided to read it first. Glad I did! This book really took me back to the grade school struggles. Great writing by this author!

[Christina Holford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really could’ve done without the various mentions of grief in this book, but overall it’s definitely something that young girls should read. I appreciate that the story covered the realistic topics of how friendships change at a young age and how hormones rage in middle school, and the importance of knowing your worth.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh the feels!

This book is a trip back to middle school!

Highly recommend for the middle schooler or early high schooler in your life - or really for anyone who wants to relive the rush of a first crush, the theatrics of a friend group splitting apart, and the embarrassment of shopping for a new bra with your mom in a horribly lit department store :)

Just lovely.

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where was this book when I was 14?!

This book centers around Emma, who like most other 14 year old girls world revolves around friends, crushes and wondering why they are the only one without boobs. I found myself relating to Emma at so many moments during the book.

There’s a scene in the book where she is comparing herself to other models and girls on Instagram wondering why she isn’t like them and I can remember doing that exact thing at her age! Wishing I could be like those girls in the photos with their perfect hair and skin.

Rebecca tackles a lot of things we all struggled with as teenagers. Who doesn’t remember being worried that they haven’t been kissed yet or getting a giant zit right before a big presentation!

Even though I’m in my 30’s now this book instantly brought me back to those middle school days where I thought my life was over because my mom wouldn’t take me to Hollister. This is a book I think every teen girl needs to read to help them realize they aren’t alone and everyone goes through those tough awkward moments and have those crippling thoughts of self doubt.

[Keisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a nostalgic, comical and relatable read about being an awkward teenager, look no further.

Why Won’t My Boobs Grow… and Other Annoyances is a debut novel by Rebecca Garner told through the eyes of 14 year old Emma, who is navigating all the cringey things that come with adolescence.

Rebecca and I recently connected over our mutual love for the Traveling Pants series and I was thrilled when she gifted me an ARC of her book in exchange for an honest review. I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed it! I could of easily read it in one sitting, I was so curious as to what was going to happen next. Emma was such a relatable voice throughout and had me chuckling with her inner monologue. Rebecca really gave so much depth not only to Emma, but with her relationships between her friends and family. She really brought them to life and there is nothing like a vivid cast of characters to draw you in and keep you invested.

I would highly recommend this one to anyone who is 14 or anyone who has been 14 and is feeling nostalgic. Can’t wait for more from Rebecca Garner! 😍

[Danielle Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reached right into my soul and pulled my 14 year old self out and threw it all over the pages. I cannot believe how hilariously accurate this book was. The "french kissing", the "white fingernails", the awkward as heck first kisses.
THE ACNE. My gosh it makes me cringe and giggle at the same time.
I was laughing throughout Emma's entire journey, literally.
I could not stop laughing.
Rebecca Garner found a way to make us 30-something-year-olds feel like we were 14 again, while still weaving together a fun, sassy, and laugh out loud story that had me reliving all the embarrassing moments of middle school.
This is truly the modern day Judy Blume, and I cannot recommend it enough to anyone who has kids in their teens. Trust me it opened my eyes to a lot of the things I forgot about as a teenager, things my own teenager is going through now!
I cannot wait to get my hands on book two, and see what shenanigans Emma gets herself into as she navigates the highs and lows of high school.

[Krystal Sandoval · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh, what a cute book. Where was this when I was in middle school/early high school? My inner child could relate to Emma and her friends so much. Talk about making me nostalgic! It made me think of all the fun and embarrassing times as a young girl/adolescence! Rebecca did an amazing job pulling out youthful emotions from the characters and making them SO authentic.

If you love the films: ‘Now and Then’ or ‘Are You There God? It’s me, Margaret.’ Then you’d love this! It’s a book about friendship, growing up (hello periods!), navigating all the changes that come with being a young girl, your first kiss and so much more! I LOVED IT.

I’ll be letting my daughter borrow this when she’s older. LOL

[Lauren Bartleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite pre-ordering the paperback, I bought the eBook as soon as it was available because I couldn’t wait for my copy to arrive. I’m so glad I did! I finished Emma’s story within 24 hours and enjoyed every second. The story took me straight back to middle school — to the friendships, boys, betrayals, zits, periods, and, yes, aching for my boobs to grow. Rebecca did an amazing job of bringing the characters to life, and I could picture each of the girls so clearly in my mind. I celebrated Emma, cheered for Ruby, and hugged Cher more times than I could count. I’m already itching to find out how Emma’s story — and the ultimate friendship — continues.

[Kerry Ewert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything I wanted it to be for this genre. Labeled as Young Adult Fiction it truly just brought me back to being this age in such a vivid way. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much second hand embarrassment reading a book before. Emma is sweet and sassy and relatable. While the characters are more socially aware than I ever was at this age, they’re also self obsessed and cosmetically driven like any other red blooded American girl (and maybe boy) at this age. The language flows easily, the text is set up in a unique timeline/schedule way (seriously…isn’t that how we live in middle school??) and the story was enjoyable and light. A quick read that’s great for a weekend away. I can’t wait to share it with my daughter one day when she rolls her eyes at me like Emma does at her mom.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great reminder of how hard and also great it is to be a teenage girl, it had me feeling giddy, embarrassed and anxious right along with Emma. I even found myself thinking about Emma and her friends when I wasn't reading the book. Why Wont My Boobs Grow... is such a realistic and enjoyable portrayal of life as a teen; I'm looking forward to the next one whenever Rebecca is ready! :)

[Amy Tackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a special book. 😭 I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more. Emma’s experiences were so real and relatable and had me reflecting on my own middle school years. Garner tackled issues that were nostalgic and timeless—things all women can relate to. I can’t wait for my daughter to read this when she’s older. 💓

[William Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being 14 is hard

This book isn't just for teenagers going through puberty it's for anyone that thought being 14 was hard. Puberty, navigating your first crush and kiss, friendship, and not having boobs when you so desperately want them. This book to me back 18 years and those feelings are still fresh. An easy but entertaining read.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a trip down memory lane! If you want to break out your middle school yearbooks and remember your first crush, the growing pains of friendship and everything in between this is the book for you!

[Carly Umlauf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. My only regret is that I didn’t take more time to savor it. I picked it up and didn’t stop until I finished it. I could not put this book down. I saw so much of my middle school self in Emma. I wanted to reach into the pages and hug her and tell her everything is going to be okay. The moments that feel like the end of the world turn into moments you can laugh and learn from. I wish I had this book to read when I was fourteen because I know I would’ve loved Emma like a friend. The relatableness of going on instagram and wondering why you don’t look like the girls you see there makes me sad for the girls who have to grow up with that pressure. It’s was refreshing to read about it and see that it’s not just me who thinks that way. I think that is something girls need to read about to see that they’re not alone. Books written like almost like diary entries were my favorite to read in middle school so that immediately pulled me in and made me feel a sense of nostalgia while reading.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so, I love reading - I can't deny it!
When I was younger, I devoured books just like this one and absolutely loved them!
So, I'm much (much) older now - but I still adore reading books about growing up and coming of age and all the trials and tribulations that come along with that!

When I still had children of this age, I'd get away with saying it's because I'm learning about their environment - that's not so plausible now.....but why can't I still read and love these books!? - I can!
And I'm over the moon that my daughter pointed me in the direction of this brilliant book and this brand new author to me - I'm hooked!

I completely fell in love with all of the characters right from the start.
We follow the story through Emma Bishop's point of view only, but there's lots of real time conversations and thoughts included throughout, so we can easily get a good view of everything that's going on.

Being 14 is tough and we see Emma and her friends experiencing changing friendships, changing bodies and all the worries that come along with this age group - such as zits, first boyfriends, loyalties, annoying siblings and more.

I can't really say too much about events that happened as it's no fun getting spoilers, but I loved that there was so much included in this story and that through all of the confusing feelings happening around this age, there was a really positive slant to it all.

This brought back so many memories (even now) of this episode of life and felt so relatable and believable.
With the addition of all of the pressures of modern life, this still showed the continued importance of friendship groups and good communication - and really just being sensible and kind to each other.

The writing style was light and fun but also dealt with some tough topics sensitively.

The audio book was amazing and I love that it was narrated by the author themself!
All of the different character voices and personalities really shone through and I honestly couldn't stop listening to it - I raced through this in only 2 sittings!

This is the first book in this series and I already cannot wait to see what book 2 will bring and to be back with Emma, Ruby and Cher for more adventures.

[Rebecca Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story of friendship and life in general as a 14 year-old girl. As a former 14yo turned middle school teacher Rebecca has really captured what it's like to be that age. Although having said that I am going to contradict myself by saying that I'm so glad my teenage experiences weren't like poor Emma's! Boy trouble and first kisses at 14? No thanks! I had my first kiss at 18 lol! But I do know enough to know that Rebecca's captured it perfectly!
I really fell in love with Emma and her family and friends. She was funny and smart and shy and awkward. I definitely related to that the most haha! That and the not being able to sleep because she keeps thinking.) I loved her family, and her friends and drama were so accurate! I loved Ruby as her bestie in particular of course, she was so supportive!
The way the story was written with the timestamps I thought was absolutely genius. Some times only needing a sentence or even a few words just to show her rapidly changing thoughts and fixations. The whole thing was absolutely hilarious and I loved every page. I can't wait to see what comes next for Emma!

[Kate Kucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down! It reminded me so much of myself growing up in Junior High/High School. For some reason, I also thought having boobs meant that you were "cool". I remember my mom gifting me a "magic" (as Emma calls it) push up bra before hanging out with some of my girl friends and I instantly felt 10x cooler/grown up. I also found myself relating to her zit drama. I once cried on the way home from school due to a massive zit on my chin. I laugh at it now, but just like Emma... I thought it was the end of the world at the time.
This book is perfect for young girls to show them that all the feelings they experience are 100% normal! Growing up is hard. People at school can be mean, boys are frustrating, and friendships can be difficult. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone in their teenage years. I hope there will be more books to see how Emma grows up and navigates through high school.

[kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma is a 14 year old girl who is starting to go through puberty. She wakes up with noticeable pimples and while her friends have gotten their periods and have boobs, she does not. She wants to play catch up so badly.

She has a huge crush on a boy named Connor and even though she is being made fun of for having a pimple on her nose, Connor doesn't make fun of her. Could this mean he has a crush on her? Her best friend Ruby thinks so, but her other best friend Cher tells Emma not to get her hopes up.

This book was absolutely fun to read and brings you back to when you were in grade school. For me, it was such an awkward stage in my life and I try not to look back, but this book brought back that feeling of being in grade school and having great friends and creating memories. This book had such a positive vibe for such an uncomfortable stage in many people's lives. It was nice to read it and think about that weird stage in a better light.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why Won't My Boobs Grow ... And Other Annoyances by Rebecca Garner centers around 14-year-old Emma Bishop, her family, her two best friends, and the boy she likes: Connor. Garner beautifully composes a coming-of-age story of what it's like to be a not-so-popular middle schooler with self-esteem issues.

One day before school, Emma wakes up to a huge zit on the tip of her nose! She panics, tries to cover it up, and then a feeling of dread creeps into her stomach - she has a presentation at school and has to stand up in front of her whole class! What if someone notices? What if Connor notices? Her mom forces her to go to school, and when Emma stands up in front of everyone, they start rubbing their noses! How mortifying! But then Emma notices ... Connor didn't rub his nose or make fun of her. What could this mean? Could he actually like her?

This book was a roller-coaster of emotions. I was immediately drawn to Emma because of how much I related to her thoughts and feelings. I was laughing, I was cringing... I wanted to see her succeed! It was almost as if Garner was a fly on the wall during my middle school days. Between crushing on boys, fighting with best friends, and starting your period after everyone else and not having any sort of boobs to write home about, I truly felt like I was reading about myself.

This book is highly recommended to anyone wanting to relive their middle-school days, or for the middle-schooler in your life.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[P.L. Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 14 year old memories all came rushing back to me in technicolor high definition reading about the adventures of Emma, a 14 year old middle schooler navigating first loves and friendship drama, how do to her eye make up, and why her boobs won’t grow.

This was such a wholesome story that felt a little like walking around in an episode of Lizzie McGuire, or walking around in your 14 year old memories. Rebecca Garner captures it all so perfectly, giving us the opportunity to relieve it safely from a distance; with the benefit of hindsight in our pockets.

Do you remember what it was like to discover so many exciting and terrifying things about yourself all at once? This book takes you there in the loveliest way. Absolutely would recommend, both for the 14 year olds inside of us, and the ones we actually know IRL. Cheers Rebecca! This was such a fun read!

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brought me right back to being a pre-teen/teenager and along with a ton of nostalgia, it was a great reminder of how HARD being a kid is! Rebecca did a great job breaking down the life of a school-aged kid and how much of an impact 15 minutes of the day, a presentation, a look/ glance, or even a pimple can make in a kids life.

It’s been a while since a book gave me a bit of anxiety the way this one did, and it had me flashing back to some of my own uncomfortable memories (funny how the bad ones stand out more than the good!!) but I still enjoyed the journey and the break from my usual reading genres.

Would recommend it to pre-teens and teenagers, adults looking for a bit of nostalgia, and adults looking for a glimpse into the life of their teenager for a helpful, visceral reminder of the experience.

[Haley F · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the cutest books I have read in a long time. Emma is a 14 year old whose story is told through her diary. When I read about Emma being nervous for presentations, how her face got red & being at a loss for words when talking to boys, and being a late bloomer, I couldn’t help but think “Did the author write this about me??” I think everyone can find this story of the high and lows of being a young teen very relatable. It definitely gave me lots of flashbacks! I would recommend to preteens and teens to help them feel less alone while navigating their teen years.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jen Thiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know a book is good when you lose track of time while reading it so you have to set a timer on your phone because otherwise you’d miss out on all of your personal/work appointments! Loved this book SO much! It was a combination of Lizzie Mcguire, She’s All That, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and 13 Going on 30. If you took the elements from those movies of middle school growing pains, first loves, female friendship, and just an overall feeling of coziness and knowing that you’re not the only one who went through an awkward phase - that is what this book is, and you need to read it if those things resonate for you!

[Madeleine Berges · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not my typical book genre, but I was gifted an audiobook by the author in exchange for a review!

I am honestly glad I did audio on this one! The author did a great job with it!

This was if you were listening to a story about yourself at 13—insecure, a bit unsure, “ugh parents”, liking boys, and figuring out friendships! Our main character, Emma, was so relatable, and I felt uncomfortably 13 again right there with Emma.

It was sweet and endearing! I think it would be a great read for middle school/young HS age or anyone just wanting to reminisce on that time frame!

**I will die on the hill that pimple is a better word than zit!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was super cute and relatable! Rebecca really nailed what it’s like to be 13/14 and going through all sorts of changes. The angst and hormones, the pimples (excuse me, zits! 😉), first kisses and first periods, plus the ever changing (and confusing) social landscape. The trio of friends is all one can hope for at that age as well, even when they fight.

This isn’t my normal genre (I’m in my 30s, after all) but I would highly recommend for pre-teens and teenagers, or those older adults who just want to take a walk down memory lane and remember when.

[Rachel Thome · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would describe the book as a feel-good story about a middle school girl navigating her first crush and how that affects her female friendships. It brings you back to the days when everything felt monumental and you just wanted everyone to think you were cool, even if you didn't feel it.

I would 100% recommend it to and tween/teen girl in my life - and adults who want to feel their middle schools feels again haha

[Julia Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! It was such a fun read that transported me right back to middle school. Emma is so real and perfectly captured the awkwardness of being a young teen. I found myself dying to know what was going on with Emma and her beauties, Ruby and Cher. This is the perfect book for an adult wanting to reminisce or a teen girl who needs to know she isn’t alone and everything is going to be okay.

[Sarah Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

For what this book was, it was well done. It’s obviously more of a young adult/teen girl book but as an adult woman it was enjoyable, relatable (oh god the memories of teen emotions 😩), and kept me interested. I think this would be an excellent read for any teen or preteen to see how emotions and overthinking and jealousy etc are all just part of life and coming of age and MAYBE be able to process their emotions better because of it.

[Stephanie Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m pretty sure I’m a 30 year old teenager.
Saying that, reading this book made me remember things I went through, that one day my daughters may go through. It helped me remember how I felt at the ages 13 and 14 and has helped prepare me in a way for my girls. - The book was beautifully written, enough detail without being over the top, nailed this whole situation perfectly. I have nothing but praises for this book. Thank you.

[Lori Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best way I can describe this book is "a blast from the past". This book is about the girl in grade school who wanted boobs, a clear face, and the cutest boy in the class. I feel like I took a trip down memory lane with this book. My heart was racing at the parts with Connor and I needed to know what was going to happen next. This really brought me back to 8th grade and had me reliving feelings that I completely forgot about as an adult. In the end I felt like this is a story for the girls who had a hard time in grade school but can say that "hey I made it alive and everything's going to be okay"