Ready, Set, Grow!

Young girls before the onset of puberty have a curiosity about their soon-to-be changing bodies that needs addressing in a simpler way than for their older sisters. In the proven, trustworthy, Madaras-friendly voice and style, this entirely new book now brings them the same kind of thoughtful, down-to-earth information?but at a reading and understanding level that's just right for them. Responding throughout to real-life questions and observations from younger girls, Madaras explores the strange and thrilling changes that are happening, or about to happen, to them, including: the development of breasts, body hair, and body fat; the changes in their reproductive organs, both inside and out; their first period and all the complex feelings surrounding it; the unwelcome appearance of acne and new body odors; and, perhaps most important, how to respect and celebrate their unique bodies, even when the outside world is not always so accepting. Lively cartoon drawings throughout make the book not only helpful, but fun to read, too. Reviews "Offering worlds full of advice and a warm, empathetic understanding...On a level that is very much right where readers are...Girls who have read this book will feel like they have a grown-up friend sitting right beside them, helping them weave their way through puberty...Clever and realistic cartoons are generously doled out among the pages, providing chuckles along with practical information." Denise Mallas, ForeWord Magazine, Sept/Oct 2003 40 colour illustrations