Book Review
A short overview of this book
Muslim Girl, Growing Up: A Guide to Puberty by Natalia Nabil is a lovely book about puberty for girls who follow Islam. The author wrote this book as she found that Muslim girls needed to know more about the religious implications of this stage in life.
Now, I have looked at this book from the perspective of a sex educator, so I can only comment on whether the information is factual or not.
The book is factual and it provides accurate information about what changes will happen as your daughter grows up, while integrating it into relevant aspects from the Islamic religion. This book includes what puberty is and it’s stages, hygiene tips, religious duties to perform and which ones to stay away from. Periods are talked about but there is no explanation as to why puberty happens. Fertility, reproduction and sex are not discussed.
You can learn more on this page, about how to talk to kids about sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 10 to 14 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Muslim Girl, Growing Up: A Guide to Puberty by Natalia Nabil from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, and welcome to Sex Ed Rescue. Today, I want to talk about a book that’s specifically for Muslim girls going through puberty and growing up. It’s called Muslim Girl: Growing Up – A Guide to Puberty by Natalia Nabil, with illustrations by Melani Putri. Now, bear with me because my dog might make an appearance in the background. She’s probably hungry, hence the bad lighting. The struggle is real, my friends!
So, let’s dive into this tiny little book. The reason I’m reviewing it, along with a couple of others, is because I recently had a mom reach out to me from the Middle East. She was having a hard time finding resources that respect her family’s beliefs when it comes to talking about puberty. So, I ordered this book and a few others to help her out. Now, I want to be clear that I’m a white Australian woman, so I don’t have personal experience with Islam. However, as a sex educator, I can assess the factual accuracy of the information provided.
The book is divided into six chapters: What’s puberty, stages of puberty, menstruation, hygiene, and privacy. First off, I noticed that it doesn’t explain the reasons behind puberty, like how it relates to fertility or the ability to have babies. It also doesn’t mention anything about sex. Instead, it simply describes puberty as the time when you transition from childhood to adolescence.
The book includes little quotes throughout, like this one: The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said that cleanliness is a symbol of faith. It emphasizes the importance of health, cleanliness, and hygiene in Islam. Then it goes into the stages of puberty, with beautifully diverse illustrations showcasing different skin tones and body types. It covers topics like pubic hair, breast development, and changes in body shape.
Next, it tackles menstruation. The book acknowledges it as a natural phenomenon and includes another quote from the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, saying that it’s something prescribed to all of Adam’s female children. It explains what periods are, the supplies you need, how to change pads, the different colors of blood, and how long you might bleed. It even provides steps for a certain type of cleansing ritual called ghusl (I hope I’m pronouncing it right!).
The book also discusses what you need to know or do during your period. It mentions that prayer is not accepted without purification and talks about the things you should avoid when you’re experiencing your period. It touches on topics like praying, fasting, the Quran, managing PMS, hygiene (including underarms, hair, ears, and mouth), and the importance of privacy.
At the end, it encourages girls to be good role models as Muslim girls, both at school and with friends and family. Overall, this little book is a great resource. It may be small, but it’s often recommended on Amazon. As a sex educator, I find the information to be accurate and factual. It may not cover topics like sex and fertility, but it does a solid job of addressing the changes that come with growing up.
I hope this review was helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Cheers!
