What Girls Today Need to Know

Several books are available to help teenagers deal with their changing bodies. However, recent research indicates that girls are beginning puberty earlier and are thinking about their changing bodies well before age 13. On the negative side, this can lead to poor eating habits, dieting and self-image problems. But parents can also use the preadolescent years to promote a smart strategy toward personal health. Several new books from the Pleasant Co.’s AmericanGirl Library can assist with that goal. The company is best known for its wonderful girls’ books and a range of character dolls. Its new book, “The Care & Keeping of You,” shows that the company understands girls ages 8 through 12. The book is geared toward an easy reading level and contains many colorful charts and illustrations about such topics as menstruation, acne, braces, nutrition, breasts, sleep, fitness and feelings. It’s a valuable gift to a girl.

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There are many memoirs on recovering from illness. What makes this one special is the writing by the fabulous American author Jane Lazarre. Lazarre is the author of “The Mother Knot” and “Beyond the Whiteness of Whiteness.” And anyone who is familiar with her work will want to read this just to experience the language she uses to describe yet another of life’s travails. In this book, Lazarre writes about her bout with breast cancer and the impact that the illness had on her life. She puts into words the small tragedies that are not unfamiliar to women with breast cancer, such as health professions that describe “the breast” instead of “your breast” but say “your cancer” instead of “the cancer.” Lazarre’s story is commonplace. The way she describes the feelings that go with this adventure is not.