Books all about puberty
Puberty is a confusing time. These helpful books not only explain the changes that happen to children’s bodies and emotions, but can also empower them as they grow into teenagers and beyond. Encompassing mental health, friendship issues, navigating the online world, and much much more, we hope these books will be a comfort and a support.
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Boys Will be Human
Author: Justin Baldoni
Publisher: HarperCollins
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 10+An excellent all-encompassing guide to being a boy, covering essential topics in a conversational tone. Sensible, sensitive and searingly honest.
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We Need to Talk About Vaginas
Author: Dr Allison K Rodgers Illustrator: Anika Le Large
Publisher: Neon Squid
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+A comprehensive guide to vaginas and the changes, experiences and feelings that go with them.
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Friendship Survival Guide
Author: Caroline Young Illustrator: The Boy Fitz Hammond and Helen Lang
Publisher: Usborne
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 9+A warm, practical book offering tips for what to do when friendships have problems, while celebrating all that is great about good friends.
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You Are Awesome
Author: Matthew Syed Illustrator: Toby Triumph
Publisher: Wren & Rook
Interest age: 10-16
Reading age: 9+An accessible, funny self-help manual for pre-teens and teenagers, based on Carol Dweck’s growth mindset theory: how to train your mind and take a more positive, proactive attitude to life.
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How to Grow Up and feel amazing!
Author: Dr Ranj Singh Illustrator: David O’Connell
Publisher: Wren and Rook
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+An all-encompassing guide to puberty, including body changes, family and friendship issues and navigating the online world. Warm, practical and useful.
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Clicks: How to be your Best Self Online
Author: Natasha Devon Illustrator: Rubyetc
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 10+Friendly and practical, this guide to navigating online life and its joys and perils is a must-have for secondary pupils.
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Ten Ways to Build a Brilliant Brain
Author: Nicola Morgan Illustrator: Risa Rodil
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9-11We all have a brain, but it’s likely that, ironically, we very rarely ever think about what it’s doing for us all day long (and at night). But it’s doing some pretty amazing things: keeping us breathing, giving us dreams, regulating our blood pressure and all manner of other complicated things.
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A Different Sort of Normal
Author: Abigail Balfe
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 9-13
Reading age: 8+Abigail, the author and illustrator of this exceptional non-fiction book, spent most of her life not knowing she was autistic. Insightful, accessible and easy to navigate, this is an essential book for autistic and allistic (non-autistic) readers of all ages, including adults.
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Love Your Body
Author: Jessica Sanders Illustrator: Carol Rossetti
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Interest age: 7-13
Reading age: 7+Written specifically for girls and full of lovely, diverse illustrations, this reassuring, inclusive book has a message for all about self-acceptance and body positivity - that building a loving bond with oneself is the most important relationship we will ever have, and, when we can be kind to ourselves, we can also be kind to others who are also learning to…
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You Grow Girl!
Author: Dr Zoe Williams Illustrator: Luna Valentine
Publisher: Wren and Rook
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+An all-encompassing guide to puberty, including periods, healthy eating and navigating the online world.
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A Better Day: Your Positive Mental Health Handbook
Author: Dr Alex George Illustrator: The Boy Fitz Hammond
Publisher: Wren & Rook
Interest age: 9-11
An upbeat and positive book which feels perfectly pitched at lower secondary school kids and will no doubt be hugely helpful for many.
