What People Are Saying
“The overall message is that puberty and menstruation are perfectly natural and normal.
The relaxed, friendly tone will help allay young people’s worries even when it comes to anxious scenarios: “If a leak stains your clothing, don’t worry, it happens to everyone! Tie a shirt around your waist to cover the stain until you can change.” The book often advises asking an adult for help, but readers will most likely be especially interested in the gamut of personal-experience narratives, which can vary quite a bit; for example, some girls know what’s happening to them, while others think they’re terribly ill. Debut illustrator Scheffler enlivens the book with a cheerful, cartoon-art style depicting diverse characters.
A great intro to periods with clear explanations, a reassuring tone, and relatable stories.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Going above and beyond the standard information covered in most puberty books, this illustrated guide explains female puberty in a fresh and inclusive voice. The authors of A Girl's Guide to Puberty & Periods are experts in the field of public health, and it shows.
Filled with graphic-novel-style illustrations and language perfectly suited to pre- and early-teens, this is a book parents can leave out and feel confident that the girls in their life will willingly pick it up. Everything from wings vs. no-wings pads and how to wash period underwear to "the ABCs of bra sizes" and healthy sleep habits are discussed. Girls and women of many cultures and abilities are represented in both the stories and illustrations. Instead of focusing on embarrassment, the period stories emphasize how adults in each girl's life helped and provide the reader with encouraging tidbits of advice. The sum effect is a comprehensive and inviting reference that normalizes puberty and empowers young women.”
— Common Sense Media
“The authors break down the intimidating process of puberty for girls in this cheerful and educational guide.
Developed to ease anxieties and explain natural processes, and paired with input from adolescent girls from across the United States, this inviting volume teaches girls the ins and outs of menstruation, what changes to expect during puberty, and how to appreciate their bodies. The authors address with welcome clarity topics that can often be difficult for young readers, and their supportive, gently humorous approach makes the material as engaging as it is informative.”
— Book Life
“What makes a young adult novel that deals honestly with puberty endure across generations of women?
“In theory, everybody thinks parents are talking about [puberty] with their kids, but they’re really not,” says Marni Sommer, an adolescent health expert at Columbia University who has conducted research on three continents and co-authored “A Girl’s Guide to Puberty & Periods.” Ms. Blume’s writing talks about a sensitive topic “in a way that is confidence-building, and makes a young person feel normal,” Dr. Sommer adds.”
— The Christian Science Monitor
Parent-Focused Media Publications
A Girl’s Guide To Puberty & Periods Is The Book We Wish We Had As Kids
“Marni Sommer has written books helping girls understand puberty and periods all over the world. Cambodia, Tanzania, Pakistan. Until recently, the United States wasn’t really on her radar. But when she and her team at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health began exploring the issue of how and what girls were learning about their own bodies, they soon realized it was time to reconsider. The researchers learned that only half of all states require any kind of sex education, and that even in places with mandatory puberty education, girls still felt unprepared and underinformed…”
“A Girls Guide to Puberty and Periods” is a body-positive illustrated book that helps girls understand what to expect about puberty and everything that goes with it.
An important point of differentiation from other popular puberty books is that this new offering provides “my first period” stories and advice from diverse girls across the U.S. to help young women understand that everything they’re going through is normal. Parents will appreciate that the book incorporates factual health content and practical tips developed by adolescent health experts at Columbia University. The goal is to empower girls to feel more confident and knowledgeable about their changing bodies.”
A Girl’s Guide to Puberty: Columbia University Professor Addresses Stigma
“In Tanzania in 2004, Columbia University professor Dr. Marni Sommer was looking into the issue of menstruation and puberty for girls as a part of her doctoral dissertation research. She expected to find large gaps of knowledge and resources for these young girls in lower-income countries and areas, and decided to write a book that was composed of facts and tips, as well as first-hand accounts from older girls about their own puberties. After the great success this received, she turned her gaze onto the youth of America…”
— Lila Waterfield, The Toledo Area Parent News
“When you are unsure what to say to your teen (or tween), these books can help”
This puberty book for girls is unique in that it provides not only the medical/health information from professionals but also real-life “my first period” stories from girls all over the U.S. Very approachable but still packed with answers to girls’ questions.
Podcasts
EPISODE: Hair, Hair Everywhere
“Everything you ever wanted to know about when and where hair grows as kids’ bodies change, the social and emotional implications of sprouting on different parts of the body, and how to handle conversations about keeping vs. getting rid of all this new hair.
Episode 301: Big feelings, changes & body positivity: a girl’s puberty talk with Dr. Marni Sommer
The time has come… for the dreaded puberty talk! Our guest Dr. Marni Sommer, professor at Columbia University and co-author of “A Girl's Guide to Puberty and Periods” sits down to share how parents shouldn’t be embarrassed to talk to their kids about growing up. She explains the secret to talking to your daughters about their bodily changes is by being a source of safe, factual information. Dr. Marni also shares tips on handling big feelings, surprise periods and reassurance that these changes are normal. We’re taking all the notes for the changes awaiting us with our daughters!
Episode 54: Pubertal Changes Most Girls Experience
After sharing her background, Dr. Marni Sommer reminds us of the importance for being body positive, including the need to teach our young people about how to do this. Her discussion with the Puberty Prof, Dr. Lori Reichel, then covers basic body changes children experience, changes most girls experience including getting periods, typical emotional experiences, and the importance of young people having a trusted adult to speak with.