[rainbowmum]

My elder daughters are 9 and 11 and while I think they know a bit about menstruation I would like to get them a couple of books they could read at their own discretion. Does anyone have advice on favourite ones? I don't mind humour and want the books to explain about the changes, the rudiments of sex etc. Do you think they should read about the changes to boys too? I do kinda find it hard to discuss as my Mum didn't....just said boys are after one thing only!!! but if they have questions I hope they would come to me <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/redface.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Embarrassment">) <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love">

 

[Jenne]

For my 12th birthday I got 2 books...I loved the "What's Happening to My Body Book for Girls" which I really liked the other I don't even remember the name of. What I liked about the one was that it was normal "book" size while the other was big and bulky. Also, it talked about girls development and boys it talked about all the different ways (including if I remember correctly the keeper and reuseable pads...) to care for yourself during that special time. It encouraged you to color in the various anatomical parts. (It is real hoot to flip through the book now because I don't actually remember coloring in the pictures but the anatomical male with the striped scrotum and the plaid penis is quite hilarious <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"> ...). I liked that although my mom told me if I had any questions we would talk about it that she didn't sit me down. Instead I read the books at my own interest/curiousity level in private. I really liked the lack of embarassment surrounding everything and although I wouldn't be a bit embarassed now, at 12 I would have felt like I wanted to die <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> Oh, and along with the books she got me like 5 different kinds of pads and 4 differernt types of tampons, different kinds of face wash, and different kinds of deodorant/antipersperant.<br><br>
Could I tell a funny story real quick? When I was teaching it came the year that it was my turn to teach "Human Growth and Development" to our 6th-12th graders. I came up with the materials and called the local health department to see if they would send a nurse to do a morning long class. (Heh, heh I thought I was so smart to delegate this out.) So the day of the class arrives and about 25 boys crowd into my room and the nurse starts talking. She is probably in her 40s-50s. She starts off by talking about getting older and changing. She then makes a joke about having to dye her hair red due to all the grays but that they don't make dye for the other gray hair and grabs her crouch!!! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/yikes2.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="yikes">:<br>
Every one of the boys scoots back away from the front of the room with these horrified looks on their faces. That was probably the "Worst Moment in Sex Ed. Ever"...I'm sure you'll have better luck!<br><br>
Happy Holidays,<br><br>
Jenne

 

[sohj]

When I was ten (I think, but it may have been just when I turned 11...I got my first period for my 10th b'day), my mother got me a copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Women's Health Collective.<br><br>
I'd vote for that. It has been updated.<br><br>
It goes into a LOT of detail, but forewarned is forearmed. (There is, I believe, a teen version of this now, but I haven't looked for it.)<br><br>
And, yes, it is a good idea for any child to know about what happens to the other sex.

 

[girlndocs]

Seconding Our Bodies, Ourselves, and the version for teens (Changing Bodies, Changing Lives? I'm not sure.) Really great books.

 

[traixa2]

My 13 yo really likes The Period Book.

 

[Persephone]

I like "The Care and Keeping of YOU"

 

[Alkenny]

The Period Book (the "boy equivelant" is What's Going on Down There?) and It's So Amazing! are both really good ones.

 

[homemademomma]

Our bodies, ourselves is great, and so is Whats happening to my body, book for girls. thats what i got when i was a kid, and i loved it. it talks about reusable menstrual products. its great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the only thing i dont like about our bodies ourselves is they dont take a stand against circ in their section about birth. other than that, its awesome.

 

[Dar]

"It's A Girl Thing" by Mavis Jukes. Awesome book. Very casual tone, and the author gives a lot of examples of things she thought and did when she was a that age (some of which are funny), but also lots of good info on everything from breast buds to bras to periods to unwanted attention from guys.<br><br>
I got it when Rain was 8 or 9 and gave it to her. I know she's referred to it frequently since then, as her body has changed - she was actually just reading it a week or so ago.<br><br>
She also had "Care and Keeping of You", which is an American Girls book. That was written at a much easier level - more pictures, less in-depth stuff, etc. - and maybe better for the 9 year old?<br><br>
dar

 

[aniT]

I second "It's a Girl's Thing." I bought this for Dd when she was 9 or 10. She is 11 now. While she hasn't started her period yet she does know what to expect. She also tries to explain away her behavior as "but its just my hormones." As the book discusses how your hormones can affect your behavior. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> It also gives tips on bras, and hygine, and lots of other usefull information.

 

[Bluegrass]

I second the nomination of "The Care and Keeping of You". I got it for dd (at 10) and several of her friends (with their parents' permission), and they all have really liked it, in fact read it cover to cover when they first got it (all of them!). It talks about periods, but not sex. It's an American Girl book, my dd loves all of those.

 

[3girls1boy]

I also have a book called "It's Perfectly Normal" talks a bit more about sex than the others we have (the aforementiontioned Period Book and The Care and Keeping of You)<br><br>
My 9 yr old has read this one avidly while the 12 yr. old seems to want nothing to do with it (or not that I have seen anyway).

 

[Audreysmama]

I just gave my step dd The Care and Keeping of You for Christmas. She is 11. Well the other day I got up and noticed she had been playing on the net...googling pictures key word "sex". Yikes! I guess she has been reading this book and we have a book (Usborne) on sex, but I have no idea what she was looking for! I like this book though and may get her one of the other recoomended books also.

 

[Still_Snarky]

Another <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"> for "Our Bodies Ourselves." I even referred to my copy while I was pregnant and right after my daughter was born. <i>Invaluable!</i>

 

[Ruthla]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Jenne</strong></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">(It is real hoot to flip through the book now because I don't actually remember coloring in the pictures but the anatomical male with the striped scrotum and the plaid penis is quite hilarious <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"> ...).</div>
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<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/ROTFLMAO.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="rotflmao">

 

[mirlow]

I like Growing Up by Susan Meredith. It's an Usbone Facts of Life book. It's for girls and boys. I like the fact that it's an English book and the boys are uncut.