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Moms' Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl World

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Today's mom is faced with the task of helping her 8-to-12-year-old daughter grow up in a society that compels her little girl to grow up too fast. Moms' Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl Years gives mothers practical advice and spiritual inspiration that will enable them to see their mini-women into adolescence strong, confident, authentic, and God-centered, even in a morally challenged society--without losing their childhoods before they're ready.

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 9, 2010

23 people are currently reading
155 people want to read

About the author

Nancy N. Rue

225 books289 followers
Nancy Rue is the author of over 100 books for adults and teens, including the Christy Award-winning The Reluctant Prophet, Unexpected Dismounts and Healing Waters (with Steve Arterburn), which was the 2009 Women of Faith Novel of the Year. She travels extensively—at times on the back of a Harley—speaking to and teaching groups of women of all ages. Nancy lives on a lake in Tennessee with her Harley-ridin’ husband, Jim, and their two yellow Labs (without whom writing would be difficult).

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5 stars
28 (23%)
4 stars
47 (38%)
3 stars
35 (28%)
2 stars
8 (6%)
1 star
3 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Brandi Barnes.
136 reviews7 followers
March 20, 2011
If I had rated this book half way in, my rating would not have been nearly as high. To that point I didn't feel the author had given me any information I did not already know. The last 3 chapters alone make the book worth reading. I feel much more prepared to guide my girls through the changes that will occur in my girls lives in the next few years. The chapters on bullying are also very good. What to do and not to do if you daughter is being bullied or even if she is a bully herself. I recommend this to all my friends who have daughters.
Profile Image for Danielle Rothleutner.
7 reviews
May 27, 2020
It was a good book for parents wanting to prepare themselves for what to say and maybe how to respond to their tween. It comes from a Christian based perspective but there is a lot of info that would help anyone who is not Christian as well.
Profile Image for Shelly Walker.
1,027 reviews4 followers
March 9, 2023
Helpful to think about these topics. But I didn’t love some of the authors suggestions for how to deal with some of the stuff.
Profile Image for Lori Twichell.
292 reviews7 followers
September 19, 2013
Do you have a teenage girl? Or a tween girl? If you do, then you probably understand the frustration of entering this completely new phase of life with your daughter. I mean for me, I just felt like I could finally figure out what might come next and then hormones hit. (And honestly I believed for YEARS that the rapture was going to happen before I became the parent of a teenager. That pretty much defined my entire ‘parenting teens’ philosophy.) So I was pretty happy to get this book!

Seriously though, I’ve read a lot of parenting books (either for review or for my own edification) and this one touched on a variety of concerns, issues and thoughts that I hadn’t previously considered. With the benefit of wisdom and years of teaching, parenting and working with teens and tweens, Nancy Rue has been far more than a casual observer! Thankfully she puts her immense knowledge into this tome for parents and I loved it!

What grabbed me first about this book was a spot on description of Generation X, the Baby Boomers, and the very clear reasons that kids today are the way they are. Long story short, Nancy explains how Baby Boomers spent a great deal of time trying to ‘find themselves’ and ‘define their generation’ which left those of us who are their kids trying to break molds and define ourselves. Because many of the people in my generation were latchkey kids, now that they are parents, they are highly involved in their kids’ lives. That’s why we tend to shower our kids with affection and activities and ‘stuff.’ Talk about a light bulb!!!! In just a few pages, Nancy had nailed several major issues that I’ve been working on in my own life.
But not only does she give this insight, she helps us understand how to help build into our girls what they need. Not just self-esteem, but how to erect confidence and to also understand how the world is different for our daughters – far different actually – than it was for us.

This isn’t your typical parenting book. There’s no guilt here and no worries that we’re constantly messing up our kids. (I hate that! The second you become a mom there are a million people telling you what you should and shouldn’t be doing and how it will have repercussions for the rest of your child’s life!) Instead, with humor, grace and what feels like an offer of friendship, Nancy comes alongside you, gives you that hope you’ve been looking for and tells you that everything’s going to be okay.

If tween-dom is on the horizon for you or if you already have teens or tweens, this book will be an incredible blessing for you. If you work with teens, you don’t want to miss this one either.

Two thumbs way up for this wonderful, encouraging book!

This is a book written for and targeted specifically toward adult women. Though younger people might find some insight in it, it’s really more for parents.

Review copy provided by the author. Thank you!
Profile Image for Gina Hott.
742 reviews70 followers
September 18, 2014
Hott Synopsis:

Moms' Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl World

You’ve been waiting for years. Ever since that bundle of joy was put into your waiting arms. You’ve known it was coming and, even though you’ve been through it, have had no idea how to prepare or what to do.
Not to worry, Nancy Rue has come to the rescue, again! The Moms’ Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl World is a wonderful resource for everyone who has a tween girl in their life.

It’s packed full of practical advice and tips to help you mentor and love these girls in a way that is guiding but not pushy — we want them to want to grow into fine God-honoring Christians not force them into a mold God didn’t intend for them.

Use this tremendous resource to help our girls be the woman God wants them to be!

Hott Review of Moms’ Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl World:

Thank you, Nancy Rue!! This is a great book that I won’t stop reading. The helpful advice and guiding philosophies you included have already helped me in my relationship with my tween and I know in the coming years I’m going to use this frequently!!

More…

Author: Nancy Rue
Source: Kindle Free Read on March 7, 2011
Grade: A
Profile Image for Lyn.
Author 5 books4 followers
August 6, 2013
Picked this up from the Logos Hope, and found it surprisingly relevant, even though my little girls are (thankfully) still some ways away from tween-hood! It's written in a light-hearted yet deep way, that really speaks straight to a Christian mother's heart.

I love the various sections in every chapter, especially the section on self-reflection by the mum. And the section that includes a prayer to the Ultimate Parent, our heavenly Father.

For a fifty-seven year old (book was published in 2010), she's extremely plugged into the tween world of Facebook, tweeting etc. Some of the references are quite Americanised, including the intense pressures of middle school, cheer-leading, various sports and acronymns (DUI - driving under the influence [of alcohol]), but most of it still translates well.
Profile Image for Casey.
351 reviews6 followers
March 19, 2011
I found this book an amazing, uplifting guide to girls in that lovely (yet sometimes awkward) stage called "tweendom". Not quite a teen, not quite a very-little girl, girls this age are changing before our eyes. It is a faith-based book, but I didn't find it overwhelmingly so-- more like a chat with a gentle pastor who is also a Mom. It looks unflinchingly at the obstacles and challenges that girls this age face-- from RMGs (Really Mean Girls) and ALCs (Absurd Little Creeps), to bullies, weight issues, development (or lack thereof) and attitudes.

I highly recommend this book to any Mom of a daughter between age 8 and 12.
Profile Image for Cassie.
46 reviews
August 17, 2012


This book was a good insight into what my daughter may be feeling as a 'tween', it's good to be reminded. The author had some good suggestions on bonding with your daughter and trying to understand her. There's an excellent section on bullying, whether your daughter is the one being bullied, doing the bullying or standing by watching. There's a lot of information about helping your daughter find out who she is and how you can help her be her 'true self'. She has a religious point of view, which I liked.
Profile Image for Melissa’s Bookshelf.
2,539 reviews177 followers
June 22, 2012
I got this book for free on Amazon for my Kindle. It has really been helpful in understanding and trying to guide/help my tween daughter. Consequently, I hate the term tween, but for lack of a better term... The writer is Christian and writes from this prospective which was really nice. There are chapters on helping your daughter take care of her body, self-esteem, and bullying, just to name a few. I thought that the author addressed issues unique to this group of girls in a humorous and engaging way. For a free book, it was really good!
Profile Image for Melissa Fletcher.
42 reviews1 follower
August 6, 2013
Even though this is a Christian book citing Scripture, I found her approach to be the opposite of the typical rule-based and punitive mindset of other Christian parenting books. Very love and relationship oriented. Highly recommend! Even if you don't buy into anything Biblical, the concepts can be universally applied.
Profile Image for Amanda.
Author 3 books20 followers
May 21, 2012
Amazing insight into the world of a "tween" girl! I got so much out of this, and can already see the results and benefits at work in my relationship with my daughter. Nancy Rue clearly has a heart for both God and young girls, and I cannot express enough how thankful I am to have found this book :)
Profile Image for Katy.
70 reviews4 followers
Read
June 29, 2011
I am really enjoying this. It has very practical advise that really makes sense.
Profile Image for Patty.
258 reviews3 followers
December 9, 2011
Good resource to remind us how we were as tweens and help us not turn into our moms when we try to solve problems with the hindsight we have now.
Profile Image for LeaAnn.
139 reviews2 followers
May 24, 2015
Not just a bunch of scary statistics. Real, helpful ideas on how to connect without controlling through the challenges of the tween years.
256 reviews
January 6, 2014
2.5 stars
Some good insights, but found it a little cumbersome to get through at times. Personally speaking, a little too much of a Christian slant for me made it a slow read.
2 reviews
July 26, 2011
helps me remember what it was like, and thoughts to keep in mind
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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