Book Review
A short overview of this book
Girl Talk by Lizzie Cox is a simple book that provides girls with everything that they need to know about puberty and being a teenager.
The book talks about all the changes that happen during puberty, including important things like managing social media, keeping fit, eating healthy food, depression and much more. It also talks about sexual intercourse (very simply) and liking boys (or girls). It also talks about what changes happen to boys.
Sexual intercourse is talked about in this book.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 12 to 14 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Girl Talk by Lizzie Cox from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak from Sex Ed Rescue, and I wanted to chat with you about this awesome book I came across called Growing Up Girl Talk by Lizzie Cox. It’s an English book that I absolutely love!
So, what’s inside this book? Well, I got it from the library because, you know, I always like to borrow before I buy. But let me tell you, it’s not a bad book at all. In fact, if my bookcase wasn’t already overflowing, I would seriously consider buying it.
Why do I like it? Well, the author writes in such a nice, simple, and common-sense way. It covers all the usual stuff about puberty, like what it is, the changes that happen to boys and girls, and all that good information. I especially appreciate how she talks about hormones and breasts. There are even a few fun questions and a bit of silliness, but not too much.
And here’s the best part: the book doesn’t make puberty seem negative. Some authors try to be funny but end up giving off a negative vibe about puberty. But hey, our kids already get enough of that from everywhere else, right? So it’s refreshing to see a positive approach.
Now, I should mention that the book does touch on sex, but it does so in a simple and straightforward way. It explains that when a man and a woman like each other, they have sexual intercourse or sex for short. It briefly talks about erections and ejaculation, but that’s about as detailed as it gets. So it’s a pretty basic description, nothing too overwhelming.
One thing I’m not entirely clear about is the target age group for this book. It seems great for 11 or 12-year-olds, but it also has some information that’s more suitable for older kids. It’s like a book that caters to a range of ages. They touch on contraception and knowing when you’re ready for sex, which might be more relevant for older children. But hey, you can start talking about these things when they’re younger too, so it’s up to you.
Personally, I prefer books that either don’t talk about sex at all or provide just a little bit of information. This book falls somewhere in between, offering a bit more advanced stuff. That might be a downside for some, but it’s all about personal preference.
When it comes to other topics, the book doesn’t cover porn or sexting, so it’s pretty safe in that regard. However, it does talk about body shaming, social media, phones, and cyberbullying. If you’re going to discuss when it’s okay to have sex and contraception, it’s important to touch on sexting and pornography too.
Oh, and the book also addresses gender, sexism, and diversity of families. I think that’s fantastic! It’s not going to overwhelm your child with too much information, but it presents everything in a fun and engaging way. Plus, there’s even a version for boys, so that’s something to check out too.
Just to give you an idea, it’s not a big book. It was published in 2017 and has a simple layout with lots of pictures and easy-to-read words. I find that smaller books like this work well for younger kids.
So those are my thoughts on Growing Up Girl Talk. Take a look and see what you think. Cheers!
