Girling Up: How to be Strong, Smart and Spectacular by Mayim Bialik

Pages: 171

Intended Audience: Tweens and Teens

Genre: Non-fiction

Notes for Parents: There’s frank talk about puberty (with illustrations), sex, relationships, and more

The Inside Cover

Growing up as a girl in today’s world is no easy task. Juggling family, friends, romantic relationships, social interest, and school…sometimes it feels like you might need to be a superhero to get through it all! But really, all you need is a little information.

Want to know why your stomach does a flip-flop when you run into your crush in the hallway? Or how the food you put in your body now will affect you in the future? What about the best ways to stop freaking out about your next math test?

Using scientific facts, personal anecdotes, and wisdom gained from the world around us, Mayim Bialik, the star of The Big Bang Theory, shares what she learned from her life and her PhD in neuroscience to tell you how you grow from a girl to a woman biologically, psychologically, and sociologically.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Bialik has written two other books, one with pediatrician Jay Gordon called Beyond the Sling. The other is Mayim’s Vegan Table with over a hundred vegan recipes written by Bialik. In August 2015, Bialik launched her own lifestyle website, GrokNation, which caters to women and includes wide-ranging topics such as religion, popular culture, parenting, and Hollywood. She’s also a founding member of the Shamayim V'Aretz Institute, a Jewish organization that advocates for the ethical treatment of animals.

What’s good?

This is an honest, straight-forward introduction for young girls to puberty, growth, relationships, stress, and much more. It’s easy-to-understand information, dosed with science, and infused with humor and personal anecdotes. The categories are well-organized and relevant. The science is kept at a basic level, and serves to strengthen the understanding of each topic. The author offers a balanced, objective, and positive explanation of many issues facing pre-teens and teens today. The entire book is under 200 pages, making it a quick read, touching lightly on most of the subjects so as not to be overwhelming.

Best Part: The tone – it’s light, encouraging, and informative.

What isn’t good?

There were three things that bothered me:

1) There was no mention of homosexuality. She talks about masturbation, transgenderism, and gender roles, but nothing about lesbianism. It felt like a glaring oversight.

2) She explains why boys can’t help staring at boobs, but misses out on an opportunity to remind girls that they are not objects for boys to ogle.

3) The overall tone is simplistic and many subjects lack depth. However, this may not be a bad thing, as more details may have made some of the information too complex for the target age group.

Worst part: Nothing.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

I was the kind of girl who would really have benefitted from this kind of book when I was 12. It’s not for everyone, and it’s not all-inclusive, but it’s an excellent starting point for girls who like to learn from books. It’s a valuable conversation starter for girls and their parents to begin talking about pre-teen and teen issues. It’s geared to 10 to 14-year-olds. Younger girls may be overwhelmed by the information, while older girls may find it a bit condescending, but there’s important information to be learned for all ages. Highly recommended.

Bialik, Mayim. Girling Up: How to be Strong, Smart, and Spectacular. New York: Philomel Books, 2017.