Is This Normal: Answered by the Editors of of the Care & Keeping of You

by Amer Girl

Overview

More than two million girls have read The Care & Keeping of You, and many of them wrote to American Girl with concerns about their own changing bodies. In this follow-up book, Is This Normal?, girls can read some of those letters, along with responses that may answer some of their own questions. The book isn't meant to be a substitute for conversations with parents. In fact, the last chapter of the book gives girls tips for talking with parents about puberty and other touchy topics. Armed with the information in this book, girls will feel ready for and excited about the changes ahead.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781593694838
Publisher:	American Girl Publishing
Publication date:	02/05/2009
Series:	American Girl Series
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	447,814
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	810L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

Editorial Reviews

The editors of The Care & Keeping of You respond to girls' letters with topics ranging from hair care to bodily changes to embarrassing situations. The lighthearted tone (the letters are accompanied by illustrations of cartoon girls) treats common dilemmas with rationality and ease: "Remind yourself... that pads and periods are a normal part of life," reads one response to a mortified girl's letter. While girls with more complex emotional, psychological or health problems may not find the answers they need (concerning eating disorders, the editors recommend getting help from a parent or professional), the assurance of being "normal" should put many worried minds to rest. Ages 8-up. (Mar.)

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Publishers Weekly

Most mothers will, at some point, say to their daughters, "You can ask me anything." Most teenage daughters, though, never ask. Especially if what they want to know is embarrassing, like information about breast size, weight, or menstruation. This book is designed to get teenage girls the answers they need when they are too shy to ask. It is organized in an easy-to-read question-and-answer format, with the questions being grouped by body part or issue. The advice is straightforward and easy to understand. The author's tone is friendly, not lecturing. Throughout the book are sidebars of advice from real teens. One of the best features of the book answers questions addresses how to talk to friends about hard issues. For example, one question deals with how to tell a friend she smells bad. It also has advice on how to talk to parents and how to initiate the discussion. The book is geared towards girls just starting puberty and, while not all-encompassing, contains plenty of great advice for girls that they just might take. Reviewer: Heather Robertson Mason

Children's Literature - Heather Robertson Mason

Gr 3-6–Created as a companion to The Care & Keeping of YOU (American Girl, 2009), this set of questions and answers has been adapted from American Girl magazine’s column. Topics range from body hair and shaving to menstruation and breast development to talking to a trusted adult about puberty. While the advice covers familiar ground, the tone of the book is comforting. After reading what the experts say, there is commentary from real girls as well. The colorful cartoon illustrations mirror the style of the text.–Elaine Baran Black, Georgia Public Library Service, Atlanta

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