RESOURCES WE ❤️
People ask us for recommendations all the time... so here are some of our favorite books and websites
Puberty + body changes
The Care and Keeping of You 1: The Body Book for Younger Girls (book)
Back in 2015, our very own Dr. Cara updated this cult-classic book originally written by Valorie Schaefer. Kids and parents around the world rely on it as a gentle entry point to conversations about female puberty.
Recommended for ages 8+
The Care and Keeping of You 2: The Body Book for Older Girls (book)
Dr. Cara wrote this follow up edition to provide more in-depth but still unintimidating information about female puberty.
Recommended for ages 8+
Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys (book)
Dr. Cara's answer to The Care and Keeping, this time for male puberty. Chock full of accessible and fundamental information that kids need.
Recommended for ages 8+
The What's Happening to my Body Book for Boys (book)
One of the very first boy body books, and it holds up! An inclusive book complete with anatomical drawings, references to studies, and even a section on female puberty to emphasize that all genders should learn about one another's body changes.
Recommended for 13+
You-ology: A Puberty Guide for Every Body (book)
A new, gender-inclusive puberty book from the pediatrician founders of Girlology.
Recommended for 8+
Celebrate Your Body (book)
A racially-inclusive, body positive book about puberty and body changes.
Recommended for 8+
It's Perfectly Normal (book)
A groundbreaking illustrated book about changing bodies from beloved author Robie Harris. Lots of drawings of naked people, which may not be appreciated by every kid!
Recommended for 8+
Our Bodies Ourselves (book)
Rereleased and updated cult-classic on women's health and sexuality from groundbreaking non-profit Boston Women's Health Collective.
Recommended for 13+
Ultimate Kids' Guide to Being Super Healthy (book)
An excellent resource for kids to understand the science behind how our bodies work, how the world affects our bodies, and how our bodies affect the world around us. Recommended for ages 8+.
Periods
Hello Flo: The Guide, Period (book)
An honest and funny guide to periods and other aspects of puberty. This is not your mother's period book!
Recommended for 8+
A Girl's Guide to Puberty & Periods (book)
Lots of information on periods and puberty, with graphics and minimal text. This book includes first person narratives from diverse perspectives.
Recommended for 8+
Nutrition / exercise / wellness
The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook (book)
The kind of encyclopedia every college kid needds to keep themselves healthy and safe while away from home.
Recommended for 15+
Body image
Being You: The Body Image Book for Boys (book)
A body-positive guide about male bodies written by psychologist and body image expert Dr. Charlotte Markey.
Recommended for 10+
The Body Image Book for Girls (book)
A body-positive guide about females written by psychologist and body image expert Dr. Charlotte Markey.
Recommended for 10+
National Eating Disorders Association (website)
A website packed with clear information and update data about eating disorders. This particular link dives into the physical and emotional impacts of body image, with numerous resources supporting positive body image.
Recommended for 14+
Mental health
Guy Stuff Feelings (book)
Dr. Cara's primer for helping tween boys manage the emotional rollercoaster of puberty and adolescence.
Recommended for 8+
The Feelings Book (book)
This beloved book is the introduction to feelings and mental health that runs parallel to American Girl's body series: The Care and Keeping of You. It offers kids guidance about anticipating and handling the emotional ups and downs of puberty.
Recommended for 10+
Goodbye Anxiety: A Guided Journal (book)
A journal filled with prompts, designed for tweens and teens to help manage their stress and anxiety. Written by CBT expert Dr. Terri Bacow.
Recommended for 12+
Sex and consent
Let's Talk About Sex (book)
Another Robie Harris cartoon classic, this book offers detailed information about sex, sexuality, and a bunch of adjacent issues from pregnancy to STIs/STDs, and sexual harassment to abuse. It's rated for 10 and up, which feels right to us if it will be used as a conversation starter... but if it's being handed over as a resource with no intended conversation to go along with it, some of the topics are big for 10 year olds to handle.
Recommended for 10+
Sex is a Funny Word (book)
A modern, inclusive resource about bodies, gender and sexuality. This comic book style text is a great conversation starter.
Recommended 8+
S.E.X. (book)
The subtitle says it all: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties. This book covers it all, described by some (like Peggy Orenstein!) as a high school and college "bible."
Recommended for 15+
Amaze (website)
A resource aimed at teens, covering sex education and gender identity. Their videos tackle complicated topics in simple yet excellent ways.
Recommended for 13+
American Sexual Health Association (website)
A website that provides all the resources needed to learn about sex, self image, STIs/STDs, and relationships. It also offers resources for parents, teachers, and healthcare providers.
Recommended for 13+
OneLove Foundation (website)
This national non-profit organization is commited to ending relationship abuse by empowering young people with the tools and resources they need to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships.
Sex Positive Families (website)
A website offering sex education resources for families with in-depth guidance about fostering a culture of consent within a community.
Recommended for 13+
Tea and Consent (video)
Watch it, and you'll understand why it's just about *everyone's* favorite video teaching the concept of consent.
LGBTQIA+ and DEI
The Trevor Project (website)
An extremely well known organization established in 1998, The Trevor Project's goal is to create a more accepting and safer world for all LGBTQIA+ people, but teens in particular. The link here points to content about gender identity: what it is; what it means; how it differs from person to person; and what resources are available (yes, they have a great list!).
Recommended for 13+
Gender and Sexuality Alliance (website)
This nationwide student-run organization is active on many high school and college campuses. They make their mark by funding campaigns, helping to organize national movements, and providing resources to those struggling with their gender identity or sexual oreintation.
Recommended for 12+
Gender Spectrum (website)
An organization providing information and advocacy for kids and adults around gender identity issues.
Demystifying Disability (book)
An approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally to disabled people, with actionable steps for what to say and do (and what not to do) and how you can help make the world a more accessible, inclusive place.
Written by disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant, Emily Ladau.
For people raising tweens and teens…
Untangled (book)
A veritable bible on caring for adolescent girls from renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour.
Under Pressure (book)
An in-depth look at the stress and anxiety among American adolescents from Dr. Lisa Damour. Packed with practical guidance for help coping with these feelings.
This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids (book)
This approachable book about caring for LGBTQ+ kids provides clear and accessible explanations. It covers a variety of complex topics while still maintaining a sense of levity.
Bringing Up Race (book)
A wonderful guide for discussions about race and identity and downstream, complex topics. Conversation strategies for adults raising kids of all ages.
The New Puberty (book)
A critical book for those hoping to understand the changing landscape of puberty. Written by renowned pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Louise Greenspan and clinical psychologist + researcher Julianna Deardorff.
Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen (book)
Journalist Michelle Icard's tribute to the new normal, not one talk but many, many talks over many years. She shares the rationale for why communication is so important, and gets into the nitty-gritty about how to do it.
Girls on the Brink (book)
A snapshot about why tween and teen girls are struggling, particularly with their mental health. This book is a phenomenal combination of science, storytelling, and actionable advice.
Girls and Sex (book)
A frank exploration of the sexual reality of adolescent and young adult women from journalist Peggy Orenstein.
Boys and Sex (book)
Journalist Peggy Prenstein's eye-opening dive into the complex landscape of teenage male sexuality, including tricky topics like porn.
Sex, Teens, & Everything in Between (book)
A must-read book about teen sexuality, particularly the nuances of consent, from one of our favorite sex educators ever, Shafia Zaloom.
The Gift of Failure (book)
A critical guide to managing middle schoolers from educator and writer Jessica Lahey. Spoiler alert: adults need to let kids fail.
How to Raise an Adult (book)
Former Stanford Dean of Students, Julie Lythcott-Haims, draws on first hand experience in this eye-opening, game-changing book. As a result, she has written an honest parenting guidebook with wide-ranging interviews, a must-read for adults raising kids into adults.
The Transgender Child (book)
An approachable, clear, foundational book for the fast-evolving world of gender identity.
The Full Bloom Project (website)
An excellent resource for families striving towards buidling a body positive home.
Talk To Me First (book)
From renouned sex educator Deborah Roffman, this book's subtitle says it all: Everything you need to know to become your kid's go-to person about sex.
Outspoken Sex Ed (website)
An excellent website (and bonus newsletter for subscribers!) providing a deep-dive on sex education and current social trends.
Planned Parenthood (website)
A website filled with inclusive sex education materials for adults and older teenagers.