For Parents -

The What's Happening to My Body? Book for Girls by Lynda Madaras - Although it says it's for girls, I didn't think it was appropriate for my ten-year old. There's some information about sex (sexual arousal and orgasm for a start) that I just wasn't quite ready for Kathryn to be exposed to. However, it was good for me to see what kinds of things girls might be (or will be) thinking about and to start gearing my mind around that.

Ten Talks Parents Must Have With Their Children About Sex and Character by Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D, and Dominic Cappello - This book covers in detail conversations parents should have, not just about sex, but about safety, character, peer pressure, ethics, and other important topics. With sample questions and quizzes, it's a great reference.

For Kids -

Ready, Set, Grow by Lynda Madaras - This is the precursor to the What's Happening to My Body? Book for Girls, and it's absolutely excellent. If you only buy one book, buy this one. It has great, funny illustrations that help alleviate any embarrassing moments, and it really covers the information in a way that young girls can understand.

The Care & Keeping of You - the Body Book for Girls (American Girls) - Kathryn thought it was amusing that this book was published by American Girls. "What does American Girls have to do with my period?" she asked. However, despite the potential for riding on the coattails of a famous product, the book does a good job of covering all parts of a girl's body: face, hair, teeth, ears, and the like.

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