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ljrinaldi's review against another edition
5.0
As a post menopausal woman, you would think that all the things brought up in this book would be a distant memory, but being a teenager, and going through puberty is not something you easily forget. Having said this, this book would have been perfect for me to have had when I would have needed it.
The author has a good sense of humor, and well informed, straight-forward way of presenting information that every teenage girl needs to know. The chapters are broken out into sections, from periods, hair, dating and sex, with advice thrown in throughout. This also does not assume that all girls are straight, nor does it assume that all girls will follow the crowd, or even should. When she gets to the section on hair and shaving, she actually says:
Cute illustrations throughout.
I think this should be a handbook handled to all girls as they reach puberty.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
The author has a good sense of humor, and well informed, straight-forward way of presenting information that every teenage girl needs to know. The chapters are broken out into sections, from periods, hair, dating and sex, with advice thrown in throughout. This also does not assume that all girls are straight, nor does it assume that all girls will follow the crowd, or even should. When she gets to the section on hair and shaving, she actually says:
Choose your battles wisely. Your right to have hair under your arms may seem like a big, important issue, or it may not. But let those tufts be seen in public and I can pretty much guarantee that it'll be a big deal to some other snarky people. If that this doesn't faze you and you want to fight for your right to be hairy, good luck-I salute you. Of you go now and wait for me at the next chapter.
Cute illustrations throughout.
I think this should be a handbook handled to all girls as they reach puberty.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
irayred's review
3.0
3.5/5
This book sums up different topics of how girls come in all sized and shapes, and how becoming a woman is not a big deal (though in some ways it is).
Aside from the fact that this was targeted to a middle grade audience, as a grown woman I wish I had read this when I was a teenager. I’ve always felt different about a lot of things and I wish I had someone to tell me that everything I was going through was pretty normal.
I’ve learned through experience all the things that are put in here, but that doesn’t mean we cannot learn from younger generations. Fortunately, the world is changing, slowly but surely, and it is important to encourage young women to go fight for their dreams, to take care of their bodies as well as their mental health, and most important of all, that they’re not alone. That all the crazy things they’re feeling are actually quite normal.
To me this was a light and entertaining reading, and I’m glad I gave it a try. If you happen to know a teenager, show this book to her, I’m sure it will help her in ways that she would be grateful for later.
This book sums up different topics of how girls come in all sized and shapes, and how becoming a woman is not a big deal (though in some ways it is).
Aside from the fact that this was targeted to a middle grade audience, as a grown woman I wish I had read this when I was a teenager. I’ve always felt different about a lot of things and I wish I had someone to tell me that everything I was going through was pretty normal.
I’ve learned through experience all the things that are put in here, but that doesn’t mean we cannot learn from younger generations. Fortunately, the world is changing, slowly but surely, and it is important to encourage young women to go fight for their dreams, to take care of their bodies as well as their mental health, and most important of all, that they’re not alone. That all the crazy things they’re feeling are actually quite normal.
To me this was a light and entertaining reading, and I’m glad I gave it a try. If you happen to know a teenager, show this book to her, I’m sure it will help her in ways that she would be grateful for later.
darkclouds's review against another edition
3.0
Truly entertaining and a great insight on what it's like to be a girl. The artwork was great and it was a short and sweet non-fic but very informative! Covers a lot topics. Every girl should read this. Boys need it as a guide.
rebe_shelton's review against another edition
3.0
I read this on recommendation from a library training I took. Since I work with teens I am all the time searching for material that they will like and relate to.
This will definitely be a book that I recommend not only to the teens I work with but my own daughter when she grows up. There was a need for an updated "puberty book" in my opinion. I feel like all the ones out there are from the 90's or early 2000's when things like selfies and cyber-bullying didn't exist. This book did a fantastic job of touching on subjects that girls really need to know and understand. Although repetitive, I also loved that the author said how every girl is different. It may have been said over and over and over, but it's needed, especially in today's society.
This will definitely be a book that I recommend not only to the teens I work with but my own daughter when she grows up. There was a need for an updated "puberty book" in my opinion. I feel like all the ones out there are from the 90's or early 2000's when things like selfies and cyber-bullying didn't exist. This book did a fantastic job of touching on subjects that girls really need to know and understand. Although repetitive, I also loved that the author said how every girl is different. It may have been said over and over and over, but it's needed, especially in today's society.
bibirod's review against another edition
5.0
Where was this when I was a teenager?!! It's perfect!! Witty, and so informative. Topics such as gender equality, periods, sex, etc. discussed in a way that made it easy to relate to and understand. The illustrations by Gemma Correll were awesome as always. I'm glad to have found this gem of a book and will be purchasing for the female teenagers in my life.
**I received a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
**I received a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
kitkatscanread's review against another edition
5.0
"this book was crying out to be owned by you"
And read it I did.
Gosh I loved this book.
It was hilarious and I wish I'd have read this when I was younger.
Instead I worked through things on my own without a guide.
Recommended if you need a good laugh, or have a good sense of humour.
But be warned: contains peroids and faffing with your foof.
Hayley is awesome. So read this book now!
And read it I did.
Gosh I loved this book.
It was hilarious and I wish I'd have read this when I was younger.
Instead I worked through things on my own without a guide.
Recommended if you need a good laugh, or have a good sense of humour.
But be warned: contains peroids and faffing with your foof.
Hayley is awesome. So read this book now!
bellesbooknook's review
4.0
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review:
Being a girl can be the coolest thing ever! But it’s not always perfect, because us girls have to put up with a lot, between periods, beauty expectations, and ultimately living in a man’s world. Still, that doesn’t mean we have to go through it alone!
This was honestly such a cute read. Being a Girl is a comprehensive guide for any girl in their teens--and even older!--that covers a wide range of topics, from beauty to peer pressure to dating and more. Hayley Long's voice is full of humor and all the girl-supporting vibes as she guides the reader through all of these different aspects of girlhood, while Gemma Correll provides charming and quirky illustrations. But there’s also an inner feminist strength in this book as Hayley frequently brings up the fact that society is so often to blame for the pressures and expectations placed on us...and she reminds us that we don’t have to put up with it if we really don’t want to! (*fist pump* Yeah!) She also encourages her readers to find their inner lioness to stand up and be a good example for women--that is, being a good person, showing confidence, and being above cattiness and being mean to other women. As a feminist myself, I really appreciated this, along with the section at the beginning of this book titled “Herstory,” which goes into more detail on women’s history and the not-so-great realities of living in a man’s world: AKA: the patriarchy. Also, I loved the chapter that lists different types of girls as different types of cats. Super amusing, and we definitely need more content like this.
While overall I found this such a fun read and I really appreciate that there's a graphic novel completely dedicated to girls, a lot of this book felt very much like a typical teen magazine/self-help guide to puberty. That’s what I get for being overly excited and not reading the full description, I guess! I was hoping this would be about celebrating girlhood overall, filled with lots of female empowerment and positivity. Not that it doesn’t still include some of that! Still, it wasn’t even just that this book was heavy on the girly-girl and puberty aspect. There were moments where I felt it was a bit too squeaky clean and lecture-y. It started on the talk about peer pressure when the author started laying on the anti-drugs and alcohol talk a little too thick, listing a thousand reasons why you shouldn’t smoke and how anyone who smokes is insane and how drinking until you puke isn’t cool. I don’t personally drink or smoke either, but this still made me feel like I was back in my 7th grade health class. It’s totally fine to try to dissuade teens from drinking and smoking as much as you can, to an extent, but it should also be said that that’s sometimes just a part of peoples’ lifestyle. Is it healthy or glamorous? No. But it is what it is, and it definitely does not make you the better person by putting down others who like to have fun and go out drinking. That’s the opposite of supporting women!
I think it was pretty much after that point that my interest gradually waned as I was bombarded with more judgements, like:
Telling girls what to wear:
You’re saying I can’t wear a too-large sweater? Um, excuse me, maybe I like wearing oversized sweaters. FIGHT ME. No, but really, when did this book suddenly become the fashion police, telling girls that they can’t wear a bunch of different colors at once, or fashion mistakes they “may” come to regret later, or something so stupid as wearing a black bra under a white shirt, or no bra all together? (The last two smell a bit suspiciously of slut shaming). The whole point of feminism is to allow women the freedom to wear what they want, despite society's criticism.
Skinny = Unhealthy?
Maybe this one was just a touchy subject for me, having a crazy-fast metabolism and being told many times throughout my life that my size isn't healthy. But still, I don't think it's very positive to make instant judgements about models and assume that all of them are unhealthy, or that being skinny automatically means you're unhealthy. News flash: some girls are just naturally skinny! And yes, some of them really are as thin as many fashion models, and they're still perfectly healthy! I obviously think that there is more than one body type, but doing the ol' anti-skinny scare tactic isn't the answer either.
I can't shave my arms?!
Okay, this one kind of just bugs me, because so often there's so much false information about shaving your arms, like that you should NEVER shave there, or else your hair will NEVER grow the same way again and you'll be stuck with gross, prickly arms forever! Tell that to my own arms, which, in my opinion, are smoother than a baby's bottom. Shaving your arms is just as fine as shaving any other part of your body! Don't believe that old wive's tale about the hair growing back thicker and darker than before. It's all lies, and discouraging girls from shaving their arms isn't great, especially if they're hairier there than the average girl. Let girls shave (not shave) where they want!
Stay classy, Don't Have Hickeys?
Since when does it make a girl not "classy" if she has a hickey? For me, this is getting into dangerous territory of "slut-shaming" and "don't be likeothergirls."
* * *
For the most part, Being a Girl is a fun, lighthearted read, filled with helpful information and advice, and complemented with adorable illustrations and flow charts to help its readers navigate the waters of being a girl. And maybe with the few concerns I've mentioned I'm just overly sensitive. Maybe I'm being too much of a feminist and this book is only meant to be a gentle beginner's guide for those just entering girlhood. Still, I think it's important to be aware of these criticisms and to not take necessarily everything in this book to heart. Because while the author makes disclaimers like, Of course, you can technically do what you want there are still moments where she seems to contradict herself, and judgements are passed. For all it's worth, I think this is a pretty swell guide to girlhood, but I still think it's worth saying that there is more than one way to be a girl: whether you're a girl who likes to go out for a drink and a smoke or a girl who likes staying inside reading; whether you're a girl who likes slim sweaters and leggings or a girl who rocks it out in short skirts and crop tops. Whatever your style, whatever your grace, it's cool to be a girl, and we all gotta stick together!
Being a girl can be the coolest thing ever! But it’s not always perfect, because us girls have to put up with a lot, between periods, beauty expectations, and ultimately living in a man’s world. Still, that doesn’t mean we have to go through it alone!
This was honestly such a cute read. Being a Girl is a comprehensive guide for any girl in their teens--and even older!--that covers a wide range of topics, from beauty to peer pressure to dating and more. Hayley Long's voice is full of humor and all the girl-supporting vibes as she guides the reader through all of these different aspects of girlhood, while Gemma Correll provides charming and quirky illustrations. But there’s also an inner feminist strength in this book as Hayley frequently brings up the fact that society is so often to blame for the pressures and expectations placed on us...and she reminds us that we don’t have to put up with it if we really don’t want to! (*fist pump* Yeah!) She also encourages her readers to find their inner lioness to stand up and be a good example for women--that is, being a good person, showing confidence, and being above cattiness and being mean to other women. As a feminist myself, I really appreciated this, along with the section at the beginning of this book titled “Herstory,” which goes into more detail on women’s history and the not-so-great realities of living in a man’s world: AKA: the patriarchy. Also, I loved the chapter that lists different types of girls as different types of cats. Super amusing, and we definitely need more content like this.
While overall I found this such a fun read and I really appreciate that there's a graphic novel completely dedicated to girls, a lot of this book felt very much like a typical teen magazine/self-help guide to puberty. That’s what I get for being overly excited and not reading the full description, I guess! I was hoping this would be about celebrating girlhood overall, filled with lots of female empowerment and positivity. Not that it doesn’t still include some of that! Still, it wasn’t even just that this book was heavy on the girly-girl and puberty aspect. There were moments where I felt it was a bit too squeaky clean and lecture-y. It started on the talk about peer pressure when the author started laying on the anti-drugs and alcohol talk a little too thick, listing a thousand reasons why you shouldn’t smoke and how anyone who smokes is insane and how drinking until you puke isn’t cool. I don’t personally drink or smoke either, but this still made me feel like I was back in my 7th grade health class. It’s totally fine to try to dissuade teens from drinking and smoking as much as you can, to an extent, but it should also be said that that’s sometimes just a part of peoples’ lifestyle. Is it healthy or glamorous? No. But it is what it is, and it definitely does not make you the better person by putting down others who like to have fun and go out drinking. That’s the opposite of supporting women!
I think it was pretty much after that point that my interest gradually waned as I was bombarded with more judgements, like:
Telling girls what to wear:
You’re saying I can’t wear a too-large sweater? Um, excuse me, maybe I like wearing oversized sweaters. FIGHT ME. No, but really, when did this book suddenly become the fashion police, telling girls that they can’t wear a bunch of different colors at once, or fashion mistakes they “may” come to regret later, or something so stupid as wearing a black bra under a white shirt, or no bra all together? (The last two smell a bit suspiciously of slut shaming). The whole point of feminism is to allow women the freedom to wear what they want, despite society's criticism.
Skinny = Unhealthy?
Maybe this one was just a touchy subject for me, having a crazy-fast metabolism and being told many times throughout my life that my size isn't healthy. But still, I don't think it's very positive to make instant judgements about models and assume that all of them are unhealthy, or that being skinny automatically means you're unhealthy. News flash: some girls are just naturally skinny! And yes, some of them really are as thin as many fashion models, and they're still perfectly healthy! I obviously think that there is more than one body type, but doing the ol' anti-skinny scare tactic isn't the answer either.
I can't shave my arms?!
Okay, this one kind of just bugs me, because so often there's so much false information about shaving your arms, like that you should NEVER shave there, or else your hair will NEVER grow the same way again and you'll be stuck with gross, prickly arms forever! Tell that to my own arms, which, in my opinion, are smoother than a baby's bottom. Shaving your arms is just as fine as shaving any other part of your body! Don't believe that old wive's tale about the hair growing back thicker and darker than before. It's all lies, and discouraging girls from shaving their arms isn't great, especially if they're hairier there than the average girl. Let girls shave (not shave) where they want!
Stay classy, Don't Have Hickeys?
Since when does it make a girl not "classy" if she has a hickey? For me, this is getting into dangerous territory of "slut-shaming" and "don't be likeothergirls."
* * *
For the most part, Being a Girl is a fun, lighthearted read, filled with helpful information and advice, and complemented with adorable illustrations and flow charts to help its readers navigate the waters of being a girl. And maybe with the few concerns I've mentioned I'm just overly sensitive. Maybe I'm being too much of a feminist and this book is only meant to be a gentle beginner's guide for those just entering girlhood. Still, I think it's important to be aware of these criticisms and to not take necessarily everything in this book to heart. Because while the author makes disclaimers like, Of course, you can technically do what you want there are still moments where she seems to contradict herself, and judgements are passed. For all it's worth, I think this is a pretty swell guide to girlhood, but I still think it's worth saying that there is more than one way to be a girl: whether you're a girl who likes to go out for a drink and a smoke or a girl who likes staying inside reading; whether you're a girl who likes slim sweaters and leggings or a girl who rocks it out in short skirts and crop tops. Whatever your style, whatever your grace, it's cool to be a girl, and we all gotta stick together!
marziesreads's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for a fair review.
I have to admit that this book says things that I'd never want to tell my daughter. No, silly not the sex and puberty things! Things like "it's a man's world and you better prepare yourself for that reality." Things like a girl has to be careful and to not create the wrong kind of reputation. Things like how to identify early signs of bullying or abusive relationships. All things that we want to spare our daughters from ever having to deal with. But... these things are real. We can see just how real when we look no farther than our current 2016 election cycle in the USA to see grabby men and women being accused of being fascinated by sex because they feel a sharp focus on the sexist and misogynistic way women and girls are treated is both merited and newsworthy. Sigh.
With all that said, this book has a lot of great and pragmatic advice for tween and younger teen girls. About life, about puberty, about their body being theirs. Advice about hygiene and about friends and boys and being straight or lesbian or unsure or embarrassed not to even know how to express some of their feelings about who they are. Hayley Long handles these subjects with panache. We can only hope that our daughters will read this book if it's given them. The graphic illustrations may appeal to girls who like comics and graphic novels. And a lot of this book is simply riotously funny. It's certainly a book I would have devoured at age thirteen.
I have to admit that this book says things that I'd never want to tell my daughter. No, silly not the sex and puberty things! Things like "it's a man's world and you better prepare yourself for that reality." Things like a girl has to be careful and to not create the wrong kind of reputation. Things like how to identify early signs of bullying or abusive relationships. All things that we want to spare our daughters from ever having to deal with. But... these things are real. We can see just how real when we look no farther than our current 2016 election cycle in the USA to see grabby men and women being accused of being fascinated by sex because they feel a sharp focus on the sexist and misogynistic way women and girls are treated is both merited and newsworthy. Sigh.
With all that said, this book has a lot of great and pragmatic advice for tween and younger teen girls. About life, about puberty, about their body being theirs. Advice about hygiene and about friends and boys and being straight or lesbian or unsure or embarrassed not to even know how to express some of their feelings about who they are. Hayley Long handles these subjects with panache. We can only hope that our daughters will read this book if it's given them. The graphic illustrations may appeal to girls who like comics and graphic novels. And a lot of this book is simply riotously funny. It's certainly a book I would have devoured at age thirteen.