Book Review
An overview of the book
Ready, Set, Grow! book by Lynda Madaras is a puberty book that has been written with the younger girl in mind. Some girls are starting to show the signs of puberty from as young as eight. Which means that they require a book that isnât too overwhelming with information that is laid out in an age-appropriate way. And at a reading level that they can manage.
This book was released in 2003, which means that it is about 14 years old. The author has also published other books on puberty for older girls â My Body, My Self for Girls and The âWhatâs happening to my bodyâ book for girls.
Because this is a book that is designed for younger children, it doesnât talk about sex. A common theme in puberty books is to also talk about sex. Because puberty is all about the body being able o reproduce, it is logical to include information about sex. The problem though is that when you have a younger child starting to show signs of puberty, she is not really all that interested in learning about sex. So resources like this Ready, Set, Grow! book are important, especially with puberty happening earlier for some girls. They’re not ready to hear about all this sex stuff. They just want to know about the changes that will be happening to their bodies.
ââSo whenever you see a book that says it’s for younger girls, you can almost guarantee that there won’t be any mention about sex. So it talks about the fact that youâre becoming a woman, youâre changing to an adult body, but it doesnât give the nitty-gritty details about sex. The book is very age-appropriate. So when you actually look inside it, you can see that there are lots of different images inside and the text is broken up into small sections. Which means that is easy to read. This is a nice little thick book with about 120 pages, with an index at the back so that you can find information more easily.
Ready, Set, Grow! follows a similar format to the authorâs other books. It starts off with the fact that puberty is all about change ie changing from a child to an adult. It then goes onto breasts, talking about bras and all the stuff that happens there.
Next, we go onto hair, because these are the things that kids first notice. They notice that they’re getting hair down there and that they are growing breasts. Theyâre also growing taller as well. The book also talks about the fact that you also gain weight because the body is getting ready for child-bearing – which means wider hips.
It then talks about body odour and pimples. It also talks about some of the other things that can happen too. Like what changes happen with the private parts (genitals), both inside and outside. Then moving onto getting your period and also a little bit of safety stuff at the back in regards to sexual harassment, keeping yourself safe and all that sort of stuff. It also talks about the embarrassment of having a period, who to tell and the different products to use.
Ready, Set, Grow! has got a whole lot of information in it. It has a Q&A section at the end of each chapter. For example, things like âMy best friend is tall and skinny, it doesnât matter how much she eats. Sometimes I hate her. Why are some people born to be thin?â.
Ready, Set, Grow! by Lynda Madaras is a nice little puberty book for younger girls who are starting to show early signs of puberty. It keeps the content just to puberty, which means that sex isn’t talked about. Which means less overwhelm for younger girls.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 8 to 10 years.
Buy this book
â Buy a copy of Ready, Set, Grow! by Lynda Madaras from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! So, I came across this book called Ready, Set, Grow: What’s Happening to My Body for younger girls. It’s written by an American lady named Lynda Madaras, who’s actually a sex educator. She used to teach puberty and sex education in schools, so she knows her stuff.
Now, this book was published back in 2003, so it’s been around for about 13 years. I’m not sure if there have been any updates since then, but this is the latest edition I could find. The cool thing about this book is that it’s specifically designed for younger children, so it doesn’t dive into the topic of sex. Instead, it focuses on the changes that happen during puberty.
You see, sometimes parents are looking for resources to help their kids who are starting to experience puberty at a younger age, like around eight years old. These kids might not be ready to learn about all the sex stuff, drugs, and alcohol just yet. They simply want to understand the changes happening to their bodies. That’s why books like this one exist. They take a more innocent and naive approach, which is totally cool.
When you flip through the pages, you’ll see lots of images and words, all broken up into sections. It covers topics like puberty in general, breasts, hair growth, height changes, weight gain, body odor, zits, and even the private parts. It also talks about getting your period and touches on safety topics like sexual harassment.
One thing I really like about this book is that it includes a Q&A section after each chapter. It’s a great way to address any questions or concerns your child might have. For example, there’s a question from a girl who wonders why her best friend is tall and skinny, no matter how much she eats. It’s a relatable question, right?
Overall, this book is a gem. It’s thick, with about 120 pages, and it even has a handy index at the back so you can easily find specific topics. If you’re looking for a book that talks about puberty in a friendly and approachable way, this is definitely a good choice.
I hope this review helps you out! Cheers!
