SECTION 1:  Talking to Adults 

Who is a trusted adult – Choosing trusted adults – Feelings about puberty 

SECTION 2: Puberty Basics

What is puberty? – When will it start? – What should I expect? – Stages of Puberty

SECTION 3: Hello Private Parts! 

The inside bits – The outside bits – More about the Vagina, Ovaries and Uterus

SECTION 4: Body Changes  

What changes will happen – Growth spurts – Breasts and nipples – Pubic hair – Even more hair – Curves –  New feelings – Menstrual cycle (and periods)

SECTION 5: More About Periods 

Your first period – About pads and tampons – Period tracking – The emergency period pack Handling leaks – Buying period essentials – Talking to dads about periods – Period pain and PMS – And more….

SECTION 6:  About Boys’ Bodies 

Basic changes boys go through – How to be a good friend to boys 

SECTION 7: Looking After You

How to care for your changing body – Facts about pimples – About sleep, exercise and play – Protecting your body – Tricky questions 

SECTION 8: Inside Your Brain 

Brain changes – What this means for you – How parents can help – New friends and ideas – Liking someone – Bad hair days 

SECTION 9: The Future 

More conversations – Becoming an adult you – Puberty to-do list

Your Puberty Vocabulary Guide

SOME OF MY FAVOURITE PAGES 

To help you get a feel for the tone of the book I have chosen the first few lines of some of my favourite pages. 

Page 7. Meet the Characters 

I’d like to introduce you to the characters that Steph, the AMAZING illustrator of this book, and I created for you. Flip the page to meet Olivia (who loves sneakers – she even wore a pair to bed once!), her cupcakes obsessed guinea pig called Sprinkles, the Puberty Fairy (the magic-dust throwing kind) and a bunch more. I hope they all bring a smile to your face, help you learn, and (most importantly) make talking to trusted adults a lot easier.

Page 16. Talking to the Right People About Puberty 

Talking to the right people about puberty and your body is really, really important. You don’t want to talk to just ANYONE about personal stuff. Imagine going up to a random person and saying, ‘Hey dude, what is puberty all about?’ That’s not a conversation for strangers or people who aren’t SUPER trustworthy.

Page 116.  Using Pads 

Wearing a pad might feel weird at first. You might feel like you have a brick sitting between your legs, but I PROMISE you will get used to it really quickly. The thinner the pad, the less you will feel it. And if you buy pads which are especially designed for younger girls, they will fit your body better.

Page 202. Brain Changes

They call this process brain pruning. Imagine it being like pruning a bush, but it’s your brain! The big question: How does your brain know what to prune and what not to?

Pruning withers away the neurons which you don’t use. It doesn’t get rid of anything important — just unnecessary stuff which is cluttering or slowing things down in there. It wants to work as effectively as possible. It also strengthens the neurons which you do use. Your brain will keep pruning until you are about twenty- four years old. After it has finished, your brain will be built around the things you like to do and are good at.

p 206. Your Parents 

It might help if you see your parents or carers (or any trusted adult for that matter) like a spare Pre-frontal Cortex that will kick into action every now and then (just like a spare tyre when the one on your car is flat). You can use their logic when yours isn’t around. When you are much older your own Pre-frontal Cortex will remind you to brush your teeth, pack your school bag and eat healthy food. In the meantime, your family is likely to do that.  They aren’t a bad asset to have on your side.