- Very thorough and upfront
- Leaves nothing out
- Special sections for parents and additional resources
- Information concerning girls and puberty also included
- A bit technical at times
- Helpful
- Fun, at times
- Understanding and non-judgmental
- May be more information than some boys are looking for
Lynda Madaras knows a thing or two about puberty. The author of What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys taught puberty and health education for more than 25 years in California schools. She also helped her own daughter, and coauthor, Area Madaras, navigate through the wonderful world of puberty.
Madaras successfully creates a tone of excitement, rather than dread, of impending puberty for parents and their sons. She also leaves nothing out in this book. Masturbation, sexual harassment from peers, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, rape, and hygiene are all discussed in detail. The book leaves the reader with few questions unanswered, if any. There's even a section that helps boys with shaving and offers up tips on what to look for in a good razor.
The easygoing style of Madaras's writing allows readers to trust her with some of the more difficult and embarrassing questions of puberty and growing up. She lightens each chapter with situations or questions posed by boys or grown men remembering their own puberty.
The transition from childhood to adulthood isn't an easy one, but Madaras sees to it that boys and their parents have all the information they need to troubleshoot the difficult times while embracing the rest.
