Book Nook: Will Puberty Last My Whole Life?

It's hard to find a good book about puberty for kids. I recently had the chance to review Will Puberty Last My Whole Life?, a book that's written in a Q&A style for kids getting into puberty. There were several features about this book that I really appreciated.

First of all, it has a boys' side and a girls' side. This is actually really nice to either help your child understand what the opposite gender is going through, or to refrain, depending on your child's maturity. Secondly, the questions and answers are written in matter-of-fact, adolescent-friendly language that is educational, direct, and respectful, yet not overly wordy or boring. Finally, the book has a very adept handling of sex, including same-sex topics. It clearly defines rape, has brief but accurate answers about sex, and mentions same-sex attraction without offering judgment one way or another.

Julie Metzger is a registered nurse with a master's degree in pediatric nursing. She has worked extensively in the fields of parent education on adolescent development, sexuality, parenting, and communication between parent and child, and is a favorite speaker to a wide array of community groups and schools on all aspects of preteen health issues. She also, along with coauthor Dr. Robert Lehman, founded the Great Conversations speaking series.

Dr. Robert Lehman is an adolescent health specialist with a clinical faculty position at the University of Washington. In addition to teaching Great Conversations classes, he has devoted his career to providing direct health care services to youth, teaching health care professionals about the special needs of adolescents, and addressing teen health issues and policies on local, regional, and national levels. The author lives in Seattle, WA.