Inside: 10 puberty books that will help you to prepare your child for the changes that will be happening to them. UPDATED August 2023.
One of the most natural ways to start a conversation with your child about puberty is with a book. It means that you can sit down with your child and read the book together. And talk about the changes that will soon be happening to them.
But there are a lot of puberty books out there, which means that working out which is the best book for your child can be a challenge.
So the 10 puberty books that I love (and regularly recommend) have been written by people who work in the area of sexuality and education, have worked with kids (and their parents) around puberty and have sought the opinion of other professionals.
I have chosen puberty books that focus just on puberty and don’t go too much into the next stage of adolescence – the stage where things heat up and really becomes sexual! Some of them will use gendered language, whereas others will be inclusive for non-binary and transgender children.
The age guides are just a guide, as each child develops at their own rate, so you may have a 10 year old girl who still plays with dolls and another who is already talking about dating.
10 puberty books (that even parents will enjoy!)
Hair in Funny Places
by Babette Cole (5-10 yo)
This is a first book that you can use to start introducing the subject of puberty, for kids between the ages of 5-10. And yes, even a 5 year old is curious about puberty, and if they have an older brother or sister, they will be even more interested as they see their body changing!
Hair in Funny Places by Babette Cole is a highly entertaining and light-hearted look at the fact that one day your child’s body will start to change to that of an adults. I love how it turns puberty into an adventure to look forward to! And sexual intercourse (or the different ways to make a baby) is not discussed.
So this is more of a fun read that is also educational. And because it is an older book, it isn’t inclusive and the characters are cishet ie based on cisgender heterosexual people. But you can always adapt the words to suit the messages that you want to share.
You can find a video review here and buy a copy of Hair in Funny Places from Amazon.
Growing Up
by Rachel Greener (6-12 yo)
This would have to be my new favourite picture book about puberty. First of all, I absolutely love the cover and the illustrations inside it. But more importantly, I really, really do like the information it shares as it is educational but also gentle. The book is also inclusive of diversity in bodies, ability and gender (so it is perfect for gender-diverse children). So this is a good book for younger children, especially if you want a book that is inclusive.
You can find a video review here and buy a copy of Growing Up from Amazon.
My Body’s Changing (Boys & Girls book)
by Anita Ganeri (7-12 yo)
This is another puberty book that surprised me, as it is perfect for those children that are starting to outgrow picture books. And even though there’s already lots of puberty books available, there isn’t much available for the early tween age group.
The book is fully illustrated, but it has a lot more text (or words) than you would usually expect to see in a picture book. The tone is gentle and sexual intercourse is not discussed in the book. The book is targeting girls, but in the section about crushes, it does mention that they may like someone of the same or of a different sex.
You can watch a video review of My Body’s Changing: A Boy’s Guide to Growing Up and buy a copy from Amazon.
You can watch a video review and buy a copy of My Body’s Changing: A Girl’s Guide to Growing Up from Amazon.
The American Girl Books
by Cara Natterson (8-12 yo)
The American Girl books on puberty are very popular with both parents and kids. They provide a comfortable overview of what puberty and growing up is about.
They talk about nearly everything a kid needs to know about growing up but they are very conservative. This means they don’t talk about sexual intercourse or sexual feelings, which makes them more suitable for younger children, from the age of 8. They are also perfect for kids who may be feeling overwhelmed by puberty, as it gives them one less thing to worry about (sex).
You can watch a video review of The Care and Keeping of You 1 (American Girl) by Cara Natterson, and buy a copy from Amazon.
You can watch a video review of The Care and Keeping of You 2 (American Girl) by Cara Natterson from Amazon.
You can watch a video review of Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys (American Girl) by Cara Natterson from Amazon.
Puberty is Gross But Also Really Awesome
by Gina Loveless (9-12 yo)
This would have to be one of my favourite puberty books and it is one that I am ALWAYS recommending to parents. I love that it’s inclusive for transgender and non-binary kids and that it’s written in an entertaining (yet educational) manner. It is perfect for 9 to 12 year olds, and is perfect for parents who are looking for a puberty book that excludes sex. And even if you wanted a puberty book that included sex, I’d still be encouraging you to grab this one! As it is that good!
You can find a video review of this book here and buy a copy from Amazon.
Does This Happen to Everyone?
by Jan Von Holleben and Antje Helms (11-14 yo)
This European book is older but I really do like it. Does This Happen to Everyone by Jan Von Holleben and Antje Helms is a Q&A book with answers to 70 of the most common questions that kids ask about growing up. And the age-appropriate answers are honest and straight-forward. This book would be good for kids aged 11 and older. Especially if you want a puberty book that also talks about sex.
It talks about all the usual stuff that you would expect in a puberty book ie the physical changes that happen as well as periods, wet dreams, erections, pimples, bras, etc. Plus it also talks about porn, falling in love, having sex, like a boy or a girl (or both), having a boy or girlfriend, condoms, contraception, pregnancy, birthing, masturbation and much more.
I really like this book, and the photos inside the book are a lot of fun!
You can find a video review of the book here and you can buy a copy of this book from Amazon.
Help your kids with growing up
by DK (12-14 yo)
This is a puberty book that is good for those kids who like facts. I liken it to those factual books that are all on one topic, like dinosaurs or playing soccer. So it is filled with lots of interesting facts. It is also comprehensive and covers a lot of issues that are relevant for youth today eg porn, sexting, consent and gender.
So if you have a kid who geeks out on books with facts, then this book may be perfect for them! It would also be a good book to have on your shelf as it means that your kids (and you) can turn to it for information and not the internet.
You can watch a video review and buy a copy of Help Your Kids With Growing Up from Amazon. This book also has another title – Help Your Kids With Adolescence – but it is the exact same book on the inside.