The Boys Body Book: Fourth Edition: Everything You Need to Know for Growing Up YOU! (Boys & Girls Body Books) Paperback – July 4, 2017

We bought three books about puberty for our 11 year old son. I will post this comment under all three books. The books are The Boy’s Body Book, Third Edition: Everything You Need to Know for Growing up YOU by Kelli Dunham, RN; The “What’s Happening to My Body?” Book for Boys. Revised Edition by Lynda Madaras with Area Madaras and It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health (The Family Library) by Robie H. Harris.My son read all three books, so I asked him for his feedback on each book and this is what he said.He found the It’s Perfectly Normal book to be “more comic’y and less squeamish.” He found the Bird and the Bee characters thru-out the book to be “really funny.” It’s Perfectly Normal contained the most information about sexual intercourse whereas The Boy’s Body Book and What’s Happening to My Body have more about health.The What’s Happening to My Body book contained “more anatomically correct drawings.” It also has a section about being uncircumcized and how to take care of your foreskin.The Boy’s Body Book is “fine,” but “it doesn’t really talk about sex and genital changes.” It doesn’t go into as much detail as the other two books. It does however have more content on older teens, curfew, chores, siblings and divorce. It also has a brief section on what to do if someone tries to touch you inappropriately.The Boy’s Body Book also doesn’t have a section about girls’ bodies, but both What’s Happening to My Body and It’s Perfectly Normal do have sections about girls.Overall, if parents want a book that is more about emotions, then he recommends the Boy’s Body Book; and if parents want a book that is more detailed about sex and genital changes, then he recommends What’s Happening to My Body or It’s Perfectly Normal.

I bought this book (the e-book version) a few months ago for my 11-year-old son. I am very happy with the information about puberty that it presented in a way that wasn't embarrassing, goofy, or inaccurate. Topics covered include:-the physical changes a boy goes through during puberty-the emotional ups and downs-hygiene and nutrition-relationships with parents, siblings, and friendsIt even covers things like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs and acne - things that my son doesn't deal with but might sometime down the road.The book includes funny little cartoons that give a humorous slant to things, sometimes making a serious subject less embarrassing. There's at least one drawing of the male anatomy, but since boys had seen their own a thousand times, this shouldn't really be objectionable to anyone.All in all, this book answered my needs perfectly. I wanted a book to prepare my son for the changes of puberty, and that's exactly what The Boy's Body Book did. I read through it and then gave it to my son. He's a voracious reader anyway, but he read it cover-to-cover within a day or two and has read parts of it again several times since.Of course, my husband and I are always available to answer any of his questions, but I love having a book that he can turn to when he'd rather not talk to us about something.

I bought this for my 8 year old who already has stinky pits and the occasional pimple. We've gone over most of the first three chapters together. What I like:- HE likes it. It is funny and engaging for him. Did I mention we went over the first three chapters in one sitting, at his request?- It is pretty thorough.- It is illustrated, has quotes from kids etc which makes it more interesting.What I don't like:- It could be more body positive. It talks about weight concerns and does say that fad diets etc are bad, but I would like to see something about different body shapes and types, and that being chubby doesn't necessarily always mean you are unhealthy, or unattractive.- It is based on very traditional views of gender, as evidenced by the book title. My son does self identify as a boy, so it'll work, but I would like to see something more inclusive, or at least a section mentioning transsexualism etc. Where is the book for the kid with boy parts who feels like a girl, or feels genderless? I would like a book that talks about physical bodies without needing to constantly say things about "boys growing into men" because that isn't everyone's experience.

Highly recommend this book. Covers a large variety of topics such as shaving, body and foot odor, voice changes, emotions. I had bought the girl's version for my daughter about 6-7 years ago and she really used it. My husband is a very private person and he won't discuss these things with our son so I bought this for him. I looked through it to get an idea of the quality of information. It covers topics that I would not have thought of much less known how to answer. My son and I have a candid relationship, but there may come a time that he will be embarrassed to talk to me about such things. This book will provide answers. Another reason this is a useful "tool" is because sometimes we don't ask questions because we don't want to sound stupid. The book will answer questions as well as giving the child confidence to ask.