Girl to Girl: Honest Talk About Growing Up and Your Changing Body

200 Pages·2013·8.39 MB·English

by  Sarah O'Leary Burningham

For my sisters: Annie, Katie, and Jennie. Thanks for always being there—
before, during, and after puberty.
And for my daughter, Leigh. I will always be here for you.
—S. B.
Note: Names have been changed to protect girls who shared their stories.
Text © 2014 by Sarah O’Leary Burningham.
Illustrations © 2014 by Alli Arnold.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without written permission from the publisher.
ISBN 978-1-45211625-9
The Library of Congress has catalogued the previous edition as follows:
Burningham, Sarah O’Leary.
Girl to girl : honest talk about growing up and your changing body / by Sarah O’Leary
Burningham ; illustrated by Alli Arnold.
pages cm
Audience: 8-12.
Audience: Grade 4 to 6.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-4521-0242-9 (alk. paper) 1. Girls—Health and hygiene—Juvenile literature. 2.
Teenage girls—Health and hygiene—
Juvenile literature. 3. Beauty, Personal—Juvenile literature. 4. Grooming for girls—Juvenile
literature. I. Arnold, Alli, illustrator. II. Title.
RA777.25.B87 2014
613’.04242—dc23
2013008427
Design by Jennifer Tolo Pierce.
Typeset in Adelle, Galaxie Polaris, Girard Script, and Prater Block One.
The illustrations in this book were rendered in pen, ink, and digital color.
Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street, San Francisco, California 94107
Chronicle Books—we see things differently. Become part of our community
at www.chroniclekids.com.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
Girl Talk
First Things First: Your Body’s Time
Is the Right Time
CHAPTER ONE
Let’s Start at the Top!: Everything from Skin
to Glasses, Hair, and Your Happy Smile
CHAPTER TWO
Body Basics: Growth Spurts, Body Odor, Sprouting Hair,
and Other Changes Happening on the Outside
CHAPTER THREE
Bust-ed!: Buds, Breasts, and Bras
CHAPTER FOUR
Let’s Talk, Period: What You Need to Know About
Menstruation
CHAPTER FIVE
Be Good to Your Body: All About Healthy Habits
CHAPTER SIX
You Are Still You!: Dealing with the Emotional Parts
of Puberty
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INDEX

INTRODUCTION
Girl Talk
As the oldest of four girls, I had plenty of girl talk while I was growing
up. I was the first of us to develop, which means my sisters came to me
with lots of questions. We talked about everything, from shaving our
legs to wearing bras. Since then, I’ve written a few books for girls, and
I’ve had the chance to interview thousands of teens. I’ve gotten
countless questions—and real-life stories—from girls like you about
what it’s like to grow up. So, while you read this book and go through
puberty, think of me as a big sister. I’ve been there, and I’m going to
share everything I know.
I remember the day in fifth grade when I officially learned about
puberty. The boys left the classroom with the gym coach, and the girls
stayed with our teacher. She drew the shades and turned on an
animated video about our bodies. It was hard not to giggle at the
cartoon character on the screen, especially when she clutched her
stomach and said, “I have cramps!” All of us were laughing nervously.
Sure, it looked funny in the movie, but were cramps really going to be
that bad? And what about all the other stuff—like wearing deodorant
and actually getting my period?
That night, my mom sat me down and asked if I had any
questions. I’d had so many while I was sitting in class, but I was
nervous—even with my own mom!—and the entire video was jumbled
in my brain. My mom told me I would probably have lots of questions
during the next few years. And I did! There’s no way I could’ve figured
out the answer to every single thing in that one night. With every
change, whether it was shaving my armpits or using tampons, I had
new questions. And you will, too.