Book Review
A short overview of this book
I’m a Girl: My Changing Body by Shelley Metten from Anatomy for Kids is a book for girls that provides them with factual information about puberty and their reproductive parts.
This is a series of 5 books, of which this is the second book. This book focuses on the early signs of puberty and the reproductive organs and genitals. The information is age-appropriate, the illustrations are amazing, and overall the presentation is very sensitive and not at all confronting.
The first book, I’m a Girl: Special Me is for 5-7 year olds, the third book, I’m a Girl: Hormones is for 11-13 year olds, the fourth book, I’m a Girl, How are Boys Different, is for kids aged 13+ and the fifth book, I’m a Girl, Sexual Maturity is for kids aged 15+.
Sexual intercourse is NOT talked about in this book.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 8 to 10 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of I’m a Girl: My Changing Body by Shelley Metten 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 today I want to chat with you about a fantastic book for eight to nine year old girls that explains puberty. It’s called I’m A Girl My Changing Body by Dr. Shelley Mehan, an amazing anatomist from the United States. Dr. Mehan also runs a website called Anatomy for Kids where she blogs about puberty, shares awesome videos, and even hosts workshops. She’s got some really helpful information!
So, this book is part of a series of six books that gradually build on each other. It’s all about giving girls more information as they grow older. In this particular book, the girls have started noticing some early signs of puberty, like changes in their breasts and new hair growth in their armpits and vulva. They’re a little older now than in the previous book, and they’re curious about puberty. So, they decide to visit Doctor M to get some answers.
Doctor M explains that puberty is the time when our bodies start changing. She talks about how long it lasts and how it can begin at different times for different people. She also dives into the reproductive organs because they play a big role in puberty. After all, puberty is when we transition into adulthood, and our reproductive organs are maturing to prepare for their future purpose of reproduction.
Doctor M goes into detail about the different parts of the reproductive system, like the egg, fallopian tubes, and uterus. She even talks about periods and why they happen. She also covers the urinary bladder and the vulva. You see, as puberty progresses, girls will notice hair growing in that area too. It’s important for girls to understand their bodies and know that it’s not just a matter of looking down and seeing a penis. Our vulva, vagina, and all our bits are a bit trickier to see, so Doctor M explains what each part is and provides helpful diagrams.
She also mentions that when it comes to having a baby, the baby comes out through the vagina. But don’t worry, we won’t go into too much detail here.
Next, Doctor M talks about hormones. These little guys are responsible for all the changes happening in our bodies. She explains that hair will also start growing in the armpits and on the lower legs. And of course, she covers the topic of breasts. As they grow, girls may eventually need to wear a bra. Doctor M provides diagrams to help girls understand the different stages of breast development.
Overall, this book is a great introduction to the early changes of puberty. It’s wrapped up in a story format, making it engaging and relatable for girls. It not only covers the external changes but also provides information about the internal reproductive organs and their functions. If you have a curious child who wants lots of information or if you simply want to start talking about these topics with your daughter, this book is a fantastic resource.
I hope this review helps! Cheers!
