Book recommendation needed for 10 yo dd about growing up, relationships etc

[Chimchar]

Dd is 10 (year 5 if it matters)

She has a lovely book about periods and that side of it, and has taken it all very much in her stride. She knows about babies and how they come out etc, so it's not so much the physical side, but more the emotional side of growing up.

She has confessed in being curious about kissing and boyfriends and I wondered if there were any good books to help to to understand what she is feeling is completely normal. Anything too that mentions friendships would be useful....

I have a few books which my ds (13) has, but they are way too old for her.

I have spoken to her, and will obviously continue to do so, but I fancied a book too that she can read at her leisure and refer back to if needed.

Any ideas?!

Many Thanks.

Bump

Interesting question - sorry to say I don't know of any specific reference books.

But from memory and experience - don't you think she might get just as much, if not more, from her fiction reading?

Not just contemporary "teen" fiction, an amazing amount of classic or 20th century literature deals very thoughtfully and carefully with teenage life. Think of Romeo and Juliet!

Could she cope with George Eliot or Thomas Hardy? I know it's not an obvious choice but I'd argue that the very much more restrained and decorous relationships imposed on 19th century adults allowed for a wonderfully detailed consideration of peoples' motivation and ethics - which is what one wants in books for teens and pre-teens nowadays.

Otherwise I'd suggest "I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith.

Meg Rosoff paints brilliant portraits of teen life - you may prefer to wait till she's a year or two older though.

Yes, fiction!

Do you mean friendships? As for the kissing side is she not too young? My 13 year old is still going yuck at that kinda thing? Sorry by no means am I being rude to you just understanding your question a bit more!

Hi. Thanks both.

I mean relationships in general, with friends, with boys (not in terms of boyfriends, but maybe how boys grow up in a different way) and about feelings in general.

She IS too young for kissing, but she's tried to look on YouTube for it. Has seen it on tele and on books maybe and is thinking about how it all works etc.

I posted this days ago and had no response so I bought two books from amazon recommendations. They came yesterday. They seem quite nice. Very gentle!

I don't think that she would read such a 'grown up' fiction book at the minute, she still loves tom gates etc. might get her some Judy bloom ones... I loved those when I was a kid!

Appreciate your answers.

I really recommend 'The Care and Keeping of You' - it deals with puberty, friendships, keeping healthy etc in a very age appropriate way.

The smart girls guide to growing up is really nicely done and covers periods, boys and puberty, they also do a smart girls guide to friendship which is also very good for when they have those little fall outs with friends.

Agree with Dotty - I got The Smart Girl's Guide to Growing up for my dd - got it mainly for the periods side of things but it covers a lot more.

Have to laugh at the thought of how my 11 yr old would react at being presented with Thomas Hardy or George Eliot though - even I Capture the Castle would be way beyond her!

But bunny how have you managed to keep her from "Hunger Games" and "Noughts and Crosses"? I've found current teen literature much harder going than gentle 19th century dalliance.

(There's an "active" thread at the moment about the suitability of Dickens for 11 year olds...)

But I appreciate that every child is different.

I didn't realise this was still going!

Great minds eh? The books I actually bought were The Smart Girl's Guide to Growing up and I got the friendship one too.

dd has read them and really enjoyed...they are easy to read and in a nice chatty style.

many thanks everyone.