Puberty + body changes
This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained, from pediatrician Dr. Cara Natterson and puberty educator Vanessa Kroll Bennett, provides science and guidance for how puberty has changed and how to talk about all of it with the kids in our lives. Ranging from acne to periods, from friendships to pornography, this book covers the wide range of topics involved in the now decade of puberty. Ages 12+
Recommended for ages 12+
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+
Dr. Cara wrote this follow up edition to provide more in-depth but still unintimidating information about female puberty.
Recommended for ages 8+
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+
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+
A new, gender-inclusive puberty book from the pediatrician founders of Girlology.
Recommended for 8+
A racially-inclusive, body positive book about puberty and body changes.
Recommended for 8+
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+
Rereleased and updated cult-classic on women’s health and sexuality from groundbreaking non-profit Boston Women’s Health Collective.
Recommended for 13+
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+.
Illuminating boys’ inner lives to teach parents how to effectively engage and support their adolescent sons.
Periods
An honest and funny guide to periods and other aspects of puberty. This is not your mother’s period book!
Recommended for 8+
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 kind of encyclopedia every college kid needds to keep themselves healthy and safe while away from home.
Recommended for 15+
A practical, compassionate guide that helps parents nurture their child’s healthy relationship with food and body image while preventing disordered eating by focusing on joy, balance, and well-being.
A teen-friendly workbook based on the evidence-based principles of Intuitive Eating, offering a non-diet approach to developing healthy habits by tuning into the body’s natural hunger and fullness cues.
This empowering workbook supports teens in building body positivity, balanced exercise, and connected eating by providing tools, strategies, and science-based guidance to navigate growth, nutrition, and the myths of dieting.
An animated video exposing the limitations of current research on weight and health.
An article that explores the 10 principles of Intuitive Eating, offering practical guidance on how to reject diet culture, honor hunger, and build a positive, sustainable relationship with food and body.
In 2020, Americans spent about $55 billion on dietary supplements—roughly half of all adults take them—but many may be wasting their money or even risking their health, according to an article from the Center for Science in the Public Interest on how the industry keeps consumers buying more.
Eating protein doesn’t equal big muscles. Instead, muscle growth is a complex process that relies on adequate consumption of protein and calories, hormones the body produces, including human growth hormone and testosterone, and a healthy dose of physical activity.
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s sport nutrition team is uniquely positioned to bring today’s best practices to the forefront.
Body image
A body-positive guide about male bodies written by psychologist and body image expert Dr. Charlotte Markey.
Recommended for 10+
A body-positive guide about females written by psychologist and body image expert Dr. Charlotte Markey.
Recommended for 10+
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+
An introduction to self-love and self-care to help build resilience, while representing and celebrating diverse bodies.
Ages 4-12
On a mission is to teach girls to navigate media messages and increase their body confidence, with helpful, evidence-based resources for parents, educators and mentors of adolescents.
A memoir by Harriet Brown about her daughter’s recovery from anorexia
Organization dedicated to eating disorder prevention, education, treatment, and research by expanding the global community of committed professionals.
Global support and education community of and for parents of those with eating disorders
Some people eat an extremely limited variety or volume of food. Written by 3 ARFID experts from Harvard Medical School, this book explains avoidant eating and offer strategies to overcome it.
A society which fosters dialogue and inspires solutions that help sport serve the public interest.
A platform for youth coaches includes resources for coaches to help female athletes develop positive body image.
Mental health
Dr. Cara’s primer for helping tween boys manage the emotional rollercoaster of puberty and adolescence.
Recommended for 8+
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+
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+
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers from clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour, is a research-informed explanation of the landscape of teens emotional reality, giving parents concrete and practical information for supporting teenagers through these bumpy years.
Recommended for 12+
Anxiety is often a normal part of childhood and adolescence, but there’s a difference between everyday worry and chronic anxiety. By understanding the distinctions, you can help your child manage their symptoms effectively.
Recommended for parents and caregivers
Fentanyl is dominating the drug landscape and causing record numbers of drug deaths in the US, particularly among our youth. Learn the facts about fentanyl and take empowered action to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Recommended for parents and caregivers
MindWise provides evidence-based mental health and suicide education programs for schools to help prevent and recover from suicide, traumatic events, and crises.
Representing Families Whose Kids Have Been Harmed by Social Media.
Sex and consent
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+
A modern, inclusive resource about bodies, gender and sexuality. This comic book style text is a great conversation starter.
Recommended 8+
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+
We often think about consent in a sexual context, but it actually lies at the heart of our daily life – in interactions with family and friends, and in the respect and empathy we show ourselves and others!
From the bestselling author of The Every Body Book, this lovingly illustrated guide introduces consent in all its many forms – in a way that is inclusive of orientation, neurodiversity, gender identity, faith and ethnicity. Delving into issues of body safety, verbal and nonverbal cues, boundaries, puberty and privacy, the correct terminology for body parts, developing a safe adult support system, and recognizing gut feelings – this will help children build confidence and shame-free knowledge. It will also offer ideas around consent nuances, like power dynamics, intellectual disabilities, pornography, sexism, and transphobia.
Recommended for 8+
A resource aimed at teens, covering sex education and gender identity. Their videos tackle complicated topics in simple yet excellent ways.
Recommended for 13+
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+
Comprehensive sex ed can improve school safety and reduce child abuse, gender-based violence, and LGBTQ+ bullying. It can prepare students to communicate well about complex and often difficult topics, and to have healthy, satisfying relationships for the rest of their lives. It can teach our kids to co-create a world where they are safe in their own bodies and identities, and respect the humanity of every one of their peers.
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.
A website offering sex education resources for families with in-depth guidance about fostering a culture of consent within a community.
Recommended for 13+
Watch it, and you’ll understand why it’s just about *everyone’s* favorite video teaching the concept of consent.
LGBTQIA+ and DEI
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+
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+
An organization providing information and advocacy for kids and adults around gender identity issues.
Children with cerebral palsy face unique obstacles as they start to reach adulthood. There are several ways parents can help their child prepare for the future.
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…
Illuminating boys’ inner lives to teach parents how to effectively engage and support their adolescent sons.
A veritable bible on caring for adolescent girls from renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour.
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.
Objective guidance on what’s truly safe! A reassuring and practical guide for modern parenting.
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.
A wonderful guide for discussions about race and identity and downstream, complex topics. Conversation strategies for adults raising kids of all ages.
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.
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.
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.
A frank exploration of the sexual reality of adolescent and young adult women from journalist Peggy Orenstein.
Journalist Peggy Prenstein’s eye-opening dive into the complex landscape of teenage male sexuality, including tricky topics like porn.
A must-read book about teen sexuality, particularly the nuances of consent, from one of our favorite sex educators ever, Shafia Zaloom.
A critical guide to managing middle schoolers from educator and writer Jessica Lahey. Spoiler alert: adults need to let kids fail.
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.
An approachable, clear, foundational book for the fast-evolving world of gender identity.
An excellent resource for families striving towards buidling a body positive home.
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.
An excellent website (and bonus newsletter for subscribers!) providing a deep-dive on sex education and current social trends.
A website filled with inclusive sex education materials for adults and older teenagers.