Like many young women, I wondered if I was normal during my adolescence, I worried about many things, and I had countless questions about my body and the changes that were occurring. Instead of asking my mother all sorts of embarrassing questions, I learned a lot about myself by reading Our Bodies, Ourselves. Now I have two daughters, and while I try to be open and honest with them, it's difficult to discuss certain things with them. I felt relieved to find a new book which could help in this arena. Published in 2009, The Body Scoop for Girls: A Straight-Talk Guide to a Healthy, Beautiful You is a new book by Dr. Jennifer Ashton, M.D. with Christine Larson. Dr. Ashton is a board-certified ob-gyn who specializes in adolescent gynecology and is also a news medical correspondent with CBS. Friendly yet informative, The Body Scoop for Girls is a comprehensive reference book written for young adults, geared toward the special health concerns of young women, with answers to questions girls may ask and information about periods, breasts, hormones, moods, sex, and other health issues. I like that this book provides young women with the facts they need to make educated, informed decisions which will impact their future health. I think girls and their mothers will feel comfortable reading this book, together or separately, and will learn a great deal from it. The Body Scoop for Girls is easy to read and divided into three sections, What to Expect When You're Adolescent, Straight Talk on Sex, and Your Body's Lifetime Warranty: Staying Healthy for Life. After reading this book, I shared it with my daughters and asked them what they thought of it.Angela (age 12): This book has some really great information in it. Some of it is a little old for me, but still, it's a good book to have. It's also great to look something up in it instead of asking someone or asking the internet. This author really tells you a lot about herself, and makes you feel like she is your own personal doctor. She makes you feel very comfortable! :)
Jasmine (age 17): The Body Scoop for Girls contains a lot of good information on basically everything and anything any girl could have while growing up (as well as valuable information for anyone who is curious). The book itself is written in a very casual, straightforward way which makes it more accessible, less embarrassing, and easy to understand for the target age group (14-18?). From information on STDs to mood disorders and everything in between, I found this to be an interesting and impactful read. It is an excellent source of solid, medical information regarding the "forbidden" topics that most teens dread and avoid asking adults about.
Thank you, Angela and Jasmine, for sharing your opinions. I think this book is suitable for girls 13 years and older. Although I'm always available to answer any questions, I hope my daughters will also use this book as a resource whenever they have questions or concerns.
Special thanks to Lisa from TLC for including me on this tour, and to the Penguin Group for sending me the book. For more reviews of this book, please visit the other stops on The Body Scoop for Girls book tour.The Body Scoop for Girls counts toward the Women Unbound Reading Challenge, because it empowers women with the knowledge and information which lead to better health.
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