THE CARE AND KEEPING OF YOU
The Body Book for Younger Girls, Rev. Ed.
by Valorie Schaefer ; illustrated by Josée Masse
Head-to-toe advice for preteen girls.
This cheerful discussion of the changes puberty brings combines friendly, conversational advice from the author with signed comments and questions, perhaps from preteens. Opening with general “Body Basics,” the text is organized by body part much like an exercise program. There are chapters on heads, breasts, bellies, the pubic area and legs. Within chapters, each spread covers a different topic. Braces, bra choice, acne, sports safety and sleep troubles are just a few examples. In some areas, the advice is quite specific: There are illustrated how-to instructions for shaving legs and using a menstrual pad. The girls shown represent considerable diversity in skin tones, hair and clothing. Lively design adds to the appeal of this growing-up guide, a revision of a popular title first published in 1998. The new illustrations are similar but feature darker skin shades, a greater range of pubescent girls and slightly more modern clothing. There are sporadic changes in the text that reflect new approaches to the use of sunscreen and new nutrition and sleep guidelines. Instructions for tampon insertion and definitions of eating disorders have been moved to the companion book for older girls, The Care and Keeping of You 2 (2012).