Book Review
An overview of the book
This book was last published in 2013. Now, this is something that totally confused me, but there are two versions of this book. There is the Rough Guide to Girl Stuff and then there is Girl Stuff: Your full on guide to the teen years. The titles are different but the books are identical on the inside. I am assuming that this is because sometimes they rename a book because it will sell better in some countries, with a different name. In late 2016, Kaz Cooke released a younger version of this book – Girl Stuff 8-12. And hopefully, she will update this book sometime soon. Not a lot has changed in the last 4 years other than pornography is more of an issue with teens now than it was before. Plus sexting, selfies and online bullying has escalated as well.
What I love about Girl Stuff, is that Kaz Cooke takes a humorous (but still respectful) approach to puberty. I can’t exactly remember the author’s background, I think she is a journalist/author, but there are lots of simple drawings that are used throughout the book.
Each chapter includes cartoons, info, hints, facts, useful lists, hundreds of quotes from other real girls (from the thousands aged 12 to 18 who responded to a Girl Stuff website survey), and the latest advice from more than 70 medical and other experts.
What’s inside:
- friends
- body changes
- shopping
- clothes & make-up
- pimples (arrghh)
- clothes sizes
- hair
- embarrassment
- what to eat
- kissing
- moods
- smoking
- handling love and heartbreak
- why diets suck
- exercise
- guys
- school stress
- sex
- what to say to bullies and mean girls
- avoiding online and phone embarrassments
- drinking
- cheering up
- getting parents to take you seriously
- drugs
- how to earn money
- confidence
- being happy with your own true self.
So, as you can see, Girl Stuff covers a lot of different subjects that are very topical for teenage girls. It does include some brief discussion about same-sex attraction but I feel it takes a very heterosexual approach to growing up. Also, gender is not discussed at all ie trans/rainbow/intersex teenagers.
Girl Stuff is one of those books that is almost an ‘everything in one’ book ie it covers nearly everything that a teenage girl needs to know about. As your kids get older, they are less likely to come to you with their questions. So books like this are good, in that they provide accurate information. Which means that teens are less likely to google their question. Which means they are less like to stumble upon pornography or misinformation.
Girl Stuff by Kaz Cooke, is a puberty book for teenagers that covers a diverse range of topics. It is a big fat book that is visually easy to read and is backed up by the expertise of the many health professionals who were consulted during it’s writing.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 12 to 14 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Girl Stuff by Kaz Cooke from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription of the book review
Hey there! Let’s chat about the Kaz Cooke book Girl Stuff. So, there are actually two versions of this book: The Rough Guide to Girl Stuff, which came out in 2007, 2009, and 2013, and the Kaz Cooke Girl Stuff, which is like a phone book, super thick! But here’s the thing, both versions have the exact same content inside, just different branding. It’s kinda like a Lonely Planet Guide, you know?
I had to borrow both of them because I wanted to see if they were the same or different. Turns out, different markets have different colors and titles based on what works best in each country. The one I bought from Book Depository is in English, while the library book doesn’t specify the market it’s made for.
Now, Kaz Cooke also has a book for younger girls called Girl Stuff for eight to twelve year olds, which came out in late 2016. It’s the early version, so it might get updated soon, especially since issues like pornography and sexting are more relevant nowadays. However, the book doesn’t have much on those topics, just a page or two. We’re more aware of the risks associated with them now compared to three years ago.
But let me tell you, these books by Kaz Cooke are really good. She takes a humorous approach and adds funny drawings throughout. I can’t remember her background, but she’s an Australian journalist. The book is packed with information, covering everything from the body, skin, and body image to feelings, love, and yes, even sex. It’s got 40 pages on pregnancy alone!
And that’s not all. It also covers topics like school, work, clothes and makeup, getting a job, money, equality, and more. Seriously, there’s so much information in there that I can’t even begin to show you. But trust me, it’s a great resource for teenage girls.
As your kids grow older, they’ll naturally want more information, and they might not feel comfortable coming to you for it. That’s where books like this come in handy. They provide accurate and reliable information that your kids can turn to instead of relying on questionable stuff they find online. And let’s face it, not everything online aligns with the values and messages we want to share with our kids.
So, if you’re looking for a fantastic book to have on hand, I highly recommend Kaz Cooke’s Girl Stuff. It’s a great way to support your kids with the information they need in a fun and engaging way. Cheers!
