For most girls, the word "puberty" causes eyes to roll and sounds like the beginning of a very embarrassing talk with a parent or a sex-ed teacher. Puberty can be confusing,
embarrassing, and exciting all at once but one thing is for sure: The more girls learn about their bodies and how they work, the less embarrassing the transition will
be. Authors Trish Hutchison and Melisa Holmes should know. The two are mothers of preteen and teen girls, physicians who treat girls with normal and abnormal puberty issues,
and speakers who present sold-out Girlology seminars across the southeast.
In Girlology's Something's New About You, they explain puberty in a fun, entertaining way based on current medical knowledge and clinical experience, with a touch of
mom-knowledge and sensititivity. Unlike some other books, Something's New About You is factual, reassuring, and devoid of "appearances" advice, since most girls are already
inundated with how they should look, fix their hair, paint their nails, and present themselves to others. So that girls can relate to the issues in a non-threatening way, the book
includes a cast of five characters and the encounters they face everyday on the way to growing up. The cast includes:
Lily, an Asian-American girl, gets along with everyone. She is attractive and smart, and feels pressure to be perfect. Claire, a blonde, brown-eyed girl, is slow to
develop. While her friends are developing, she still looks like a kid and is paranoid because of it. Riley, a tomboy, has always loved and excelled at sports. Until recently, she was
more likely to be found playing soccer at recess than in a huddle, gabbing with the girls. She is confused about the changes happening to her body. Brianna is much taller
than the other girls--and some boys for that matter. She feels like a freak but tries not to let on.
Readers can follow the Girlology crew as they face new situations: Brianna goes bra shopping for the first time; Claire is mortified when she gets her first period at
her dad's house; Brianna doesn't know what to say when the boys tell her she has a "nice rack"; Lily is fuming when one of her friends texts mean things about her behind her
back; and Riley is more worried about whether her tampon will stay in than how she will rank at the swim meet.
