by Karen Gravelle & Jennifer Gravelle, $8.95, paperback
"Everything you don't want to ask (but need to know)." This book offers good advice in an easy format, covering the emotional and social aspects of reaching puberty as well as the physical. The author points out that families should have many, ongoing conversations about the issues surrounding growing up rather than "The Talk." This book will help girls be more comfortable in those conversationss, or reassure them if the conversations don't occur.
by Sara Shandler, $ 12.95, pb, less 20% = $10.36
Sara, still a high school student when she began this project, was inspired by Mary Pipher's book, Reviving Ophelia, to get adolescent girls to speak for themselves about the obstacles they face on the road to a strong sense of self. Sara's chapter introductions hold the diverse pieces from many contributors together as she tells us how this topic fits into the overall scheme of the book and tells us her own thoughts on or experiences with the topic. Young women throughout the country sent her their stories, in both prose and poetry. The result is a powerful and complex representation of becoming women in the United States today.
by Philip Pullman, 4.99, pb
This adventure story for older children is the first in the Sally Lockhart trilogy. Set in 19th century London with a plot and characters worthy of Dickens, the sixteen-year-old heroine learns about her past, finds some great new friends, declares her independence and dispatches villains and thwarts evil plots. The book does stand alone, but you might as well buy "Shadow in the North" and "Tiger in the Well" because these stories are too exciting to have to wait for, and the endings leave several loose threads which beg to be followed. The language is rich and expressive, evoking the period without being encumbered by a dated style. Parents should note that the action includes slices from the seamy side of life, but neither trivializes nor sensationalizes them.