Books to help children and young teens understand growing up and puberty.
Browse all our recommended parenting books to help you discuss the big issues with your little ones.
It’s OK to Say No
Molly Potter
From PSHE expert and bestselling author of How Are You Feeling Today? comes an important and reassuring picture book, perfect for starting conversations with young children about consent.
Using child-friendly explanations and colourful illustrations by Sarah Jennings, this book helps you to teach children that it’s OK to say ‘no’ when they feel uncomfortable, and that they should respect when others say ‘no’ to them too.
A Kids Book About Love
Ziggy Marley
This is a kid’s book about love. Love is powerful. The truth of it is that love has the power to change the world for the better. By keeping love where it belongs-up front and centre-anger, misunderstanding, and division don’t stand a chance.
This book teaches children aged 5-9 about the power of love and its healing, compassionate, and kind nature. Open up a conversation about the simplicity and strength of love that can inspire and guide you each and every day.
Vamos falar sobre a origem dos bebês
Robie H. Harris
An updated edition of the classic guide for young children on babies, bodies, love, sex, reproduction and families.
This clear, lively information book about sex and reproduction covers all the main areas: babies, reproduction, bodies, chromosomes, genes, growing up, love, health and lots more.
The information is imparted simply and reassuringly with humorous commentary from an inquisitive bird and a squeamish bee and very friendly full-colour cartoon-strip illustrations.
My Body, My Rules
Nicki Esler Gill
Have you been tickled or tackled before? And then decided that you want no more?
You can tell others how they play with you. It’s your body, so it’s your rules too!
A fun and empowering picture book introducing young readers to consent and positive body boundaries.
É meu corpo!
Elise Gravel
Through her trademark quirky monster characters, author Elise Gravel illustrates ways that bodies can be different.
They have different shapes, different sizes, different colours, different hair, and can do different things. These differences make everybody’s bodies special, but all bodies should be respected.
Your body is YOURS, so give it a hug, but only if you want to. This important message of body positivity will both empower and entertain. The best body is the one that belongs to you!
A Kids Book About Pronouns
Courtney Wells
Pronouns are a meaningful part of identifying who we are. We can’t know someone’s pronouns just by looking at them or knowing their name, so it’s important to ask!
This book encourages kids AND grownups to get uncomfortable, learn new things, make mistakes, and choose to keep growing.
It’s not about always getting it right-it’s about being loving and continuous in our effort.
Como ser um menino e fazer do seu jeito!
Ranj Singh e David O'Connell
Do you ever pretend to like something you don’t, just to fit in? Is it sometimes hard to tell others how you’re feeling? Do you wish there was less pressure on you to ‘man up’?
Explore these questions and many more in this empowering and inclusive guide to masculinity for readers aged 10+ by the nation’s favourite doctor, Dr Ranj.
Você cresce, garota!
Zoe Williams
Growing up is exciting, but it can also be a strange and confusing time. This book will help you can ride your rollercoaster more smoothly.
Packed with easy-to-understand information, myth-busting advice and fun illustrations, this is the ultimate growing-up guide for girls aged 9+ who want to feel empowered, informed and positive about becoming the very best version of themselves.
Crescendo
Sam Baer
This is a clear and simple guide to growing up, and the changes you can expect during puberty. With cartoony artwork and diagrams, this book explains puberty in a simple, clear and friendly way.
Designed to help reassure readers that what they’re going through is normal, whether that’s coping with a changing body, mood swings, new emotions and even questions about their sexuality and identity.
The writing and art style, and the level of detail given in each topic, has been tailored to be suitable for kids aged 8-11, who most likely haven’t started puberty yet.
The Girls’ Guide to Growing Up Great: Changing Bodies, Periods, Relationships, Life Online
Sophie Elkan
Going through puberty? Thinking about puberty? Worried about growing up? Don’t worry! This book is for you.
Packed with facts and thoughtful advice, plus words of wisdom from older women and quotes and questions from girls who are also going through it, this newly updated book covers every aspect of going through puberty for girls (and even has a chapter on what’s going on with boys because knowledge is power, after all).
Periods: Everything You Need to Know
Emily MacDonagh
Dr Emily takes on periods.
This book won’t just focus on the week of your period – it will go into detail on what happens on each day of the cycle, how the hormones change across the month and how you can harness those hormones to work better for you.
Every body is hormonal, and that is actually a good thing.
Seguindo em frente
Rosie Jones
Navigate the perils of growing up in this hilarious and confidence-building guide to friendship, beating the bullies and overcoming cringe-worthy moments – by comedian and bestselling children’s writer, Rosie Jones.
No one knows quite as much about friendship fails, dealing with bullies and being TOTALLY embarrassed, then Rosie Jones. You name a completely awkward situation, and she’s been there, got the t-shirt and probably done it all again. Rosie knows just how hard growing up can be, but she also knows that you can overcome the difficult and embarrassing moments with the help of good friends and a good sense of humour.
So, sit back, grab a packet of crisps and crunch your way through this super handy guide to navigating all the tricky growing up stuff (and styling out of all the totally cringe moments life throws your way).
Social Situation Survival Guide
Michelle Schusterman
As you grow up, you’ll be presented with all kinds of exciting opportunities: making friends, discovering what you love to do, and learning new things. But sometimes these joyful milestones come with challenges.
Certain social situations can feel like navigating a maze. How do you strike up a conversation with someone new at school or camp? What should you do when you see someone being bullied? How do you help a friend who is going through a tough time?
Through quizzes, advice from experts, and stories from real girls, you’ll learn exactly what to do and say when you’re the new kid at school, camp, science club – you name it! With this book, you’ll feel ready to handle whatever comes your way!
Growing Up Powerful
Nona Willis Aronowitz
Between the ages of 8 and 14, girls experience a major drop in confidence.
Rebel Girls is on a mission to change that, by sharing the inside scoop on dealing with irritating body changes, totally understandable social anxiety, sticky friendship dilemmas, and a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming.
All the while celebrating how incredible our bodies, minds, and communities can be.
What’s Happening To Me?: The Boy One
Alex Frith
This totally revised edition of the bestselling ‘What’s Happening to Me?’ guide comes with all-new artwork, and 16 more pages. Written with male readers in mind, it explains puberty in a simple, clear and friendly way, with cartoony artwork and diagrams.
Designed to help reassure readers that what they’re going through is normal, whether that’s coping with a changing body, mood swings, new emotions and even questions about their sexuality and identity.
The writing and art style, and the level of detail given in each topic has been tailored to be suitable for kids aged 10 and up, who most likely haven’t started puberty yet.
Topics covered include: growing taller, getting hairier, shaving, all about penises, sex, sexuality, love, relationships, friendships, hormones, girls, looking after yourself, staying safe, keeping healthy.
What’s Happening To Me?: The Girl One
Micaela Tapsell
The go-to book for children to learn the facts of life. Aimed primarily at female readers, the book includes discussion of sex and gender identity, and sexuality.
Using frank but clear and friendly language and pictures, this book explains all the changes that people with female bodies can expect to experience as they enter puberty.
This ranges from physical body changes and new experiences such as what periods are and how to handle them, all the way to mental and emotional challenges that come with growing older and becoming more independent.
Facing Mighty Fears About Being Apart From Parents
Dawn Huebner
Many children worry about doing things on their own, with fears escalating to the point of not being able to leave their parents’ side.
But staying with a parent isn’t always possible, and doing things independently is an important part of growing up.
This book teaches 3 steps to manage oversize fears.
Tomar emprestado Facing Mighty Fears About Being Apart From Parents →
All You Need to Know About Puberty For Boys
Tim Collins
Get ready for puberty and all its thrills and spills with this handy guide!
The core scientific information is balanced with plenty of guidance on how to take the best care of yourself during puberty, both physically and emotionally, and includes fun features and activities, including mini-quizzes, ‘It’s not just you!’ facts and true or false panels.
Funny, cartoon-style illustration keeps the mood and message of the books light and positive, and is complimented by a clever design with bold typography.
Tomar emprestado All You Need to Know About Puberty For Boys →
All You Need to Know About Puberty For Girls
Olivia Key
Get ready for puberty and all its thrills and spills with this handy guide!
The core scientific information is balanced with plenty of guidance on how to take the best care of yourself during puberty, both physically and emotionally, and includes fun features and activities, including mini-quizzes, ‘It’s not just you!’ facts and true or false panels.
Funny, cartoon-style illustration keeps the mood and message of the books light and positive, and is complimented by a clever design with bold typography.
Tomar emprestado All You Need to Know About Puberty For Girls →
The Every Body Book of Consent
Rachel E. Simon
We often think about consent in a sexual context, but it actually lies at the heart of our daily life – in interactions with family and friends, and in the respect and empathy we show ourselves and others!
From the author of ‘The Every Body Book’, this lovingly illustrated guide introduces consent in all its many forms – in a way that is inclusive of orientation, neurodiversity, gender identity, faith and ethnicity.
Delving into issues of body safety, verbal and nonverbal cues, boundaries, puberty and privacy, the correct terminology for body parts, developing a safe adult support system, and recognizing gut feelings – this will help children build confidence and shame-free knowledge.
It will also offer ideas around consent nuances, like power dynamics, intellectual disabilities, pornography, sexism, and transphobia.
Honesto: Tudo o que não te contam sobre sexo, relacionamentos e corpos
Milly Evans e Lucia Picerno
Being a teen is tough enough without having to navigate the minefields of discovering sex, love and bodies. And let’s be real: sex education at school doesn’t always cut it.
Sex educator and journalist Milly Evans is here to help – as a young adult who is still figuring life out, she knows exactly what teens are going through.
And she’s here with answers to all those questions that aren’t in their school textbooks.
Tomar emprestado Honesto: Tudo o que não te contam sobre sexo, relacionamentos e corpos →
Podemos falar sobre consentimento?
Justin Hancock
'Podemos falar sobre consentimento?' aborda o tema de relacionamentos e respeito de uma forma nova, franca e elegante, proporcionando uma compreensão essencial para leitores com 14 anos ou mais.
Bem-vindo ao Your Boobs!
Yumi Stynes e Melissa Kang
Whether we’re ready for them or not, nearly everyone, of every gender, gets some boob growth when they hit puberty. It can be a really scary and confusing time – but it doesn’t have to be like that!
With a mixture of informative case studies, first person accounts, and reassuring advice from myth-busting experts, this is a must-have book for every teen.
Bem-vindo ao Consentimento!
Yumi Stynes e Melissa Kang
Repleto de conselhos reconfortantes sobre como dizer não, quando dizer sim e tudo o mais, este livro familiariza os leitores com o conceito de consentimento: desde como ele funciona na vida cotidiana e nos relacionamentos, até as leis que o cercam, até a compreensão de como respeitar os limites das pessoas e também definir os seus próprios.
Como crescer e se sentir incrível
Ranj Sing e David O'Connell
The nation’s favourite doctor, Dr Ranj, is here to explain everything you ever wanted to know about puberty – plus lots more.
What does it mean to be a boy? And I’m not just talking about what you have between your legs, but what life is really like for boys.
Growing up is a real minefield! A great twenty-first century guide to being a boy.
Como dizer não
Michelle Elman e Sara Tomate
Author, life coach and activist, Michelle Elman, is here to show you how to take control.
Saying ‘No’ makes you strong. ‘No’ makes you confident. ‘No’ makes you realise your worth and what you deserve.
From setting boundaries with friendships, phones, family, your body and much more, this empowering book is a one-stop guide to creating the life you want.
Rapazes: Um Guia para Respeito e Consentimento
Alan Bissett
Have you ever been in a situation where there’s a loud guy making inappropriate comments, cracking jokes that only he thinks are funny or leering at the girls in the room?
This is a book about how not to be that guy. It’s a book about getting comfortable calling out bad behaviour. And it’s a book that will help you feel confident navigating the modern minefield of relationships and interacting with girls, while being the guy that makes girls feel safe, heard and respected.
Tomar emprestado Rapazes: Um Guia para Respeito e Consentimento →
Crescendo
Rachel Greener
Growing up is a natural part of life, and every child deserves to understand the different ways their body may change as they grow older.
While puberty happens to everyone, every child’s journey from childhood to being a grown-up will be as unique as they are!
In this honest, accessible illustrated guide to puberty, young readers can find out exactly what may happen as they grow from being a child to becoming a grown-up.
Perfeitamente estranho, perfeitamente você
Camila Pang
Did you know that: finding your confidence is a lot like programming a computer? Understanding photosynthesis can teach you about following your passions? Peer pressure and Isaac Newton have more in common than you might think?
Well, welcome to Dr Camilla Pang’s scientific survival guide to growing up! As a child Camilla loved patterns and putting things in order. She was obsessed with Stephen Hawking. And the only language she really understood was science. Diagnosed with autism age 8, Camilla saw the world very differently.
But with science as her sidekick, she was able to translate ideas she could understand (like gravity, photosynthesis and algorithms) onto things she couldn’t (like peer pressure, emotions and finding your voice).
Tomar emprestado Perfeitamente estranho, perfeitamente você →
Sendo você: o livro sobre a imagem corporal para meninos
Charlotte Markey e Daniel Hart
What can we tell our boys to help them feel happy and confident simply being themselves? ‘Being You’ has the answers!
It’s an easy-to-read, evidence-based guide to developing a positive body image for boys aged 12+. It covers all the facts on puberty, diet, exercise, self-care, mental health, social media, and everything in-between. Boys will find answers to the questions most on their mind, the truth behind many diet and exercise myths, and real-life stories from other boys.
Armed with this book, they will understand that muscles don’t make a man – it’s enough simply being you!
Tomar emprestado Sendo você: o livro sobre a imagem corporal para meninos →
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