About.com Rating
The Bottom Line
Puberty is a tough subject for most parents to talk to their teens about. The first conversation is always the hardest! That is where this book can help. While it may have too much information for your preteen, there is quite a bit in there that he needs to know from you, before he learns it somewhere else.
Pros
- Frank discussions on serious issues.
- Two teenage boys were used as consultants.
Cons
- Very detailed and may be too much information for some preteen boys maturity level.
Description
- Covers physical changes, sexual intercourse, peer pressure, and pregnancy and birth.
- An emphasis on the psychological changes occurring.
- The book has comic illustrations that serve to ease the serious themes.
Guide Review - What's Going on Down There? Answers to Questions Boys Find Hard to Ask
From the Book Description:
Why is my voice making such weird sounds? When will I be able to start shaving? Why do I keep getting pimples? What is a wet dream?
Your body has been behaving very strangely lately. You hardly know what to expect from one day to the next. Karen Gravelle, with some help from her two young advisors, Nick and Chava Castro, has written a down-to-earth and practical book that will help guide you through this confusing time in your life. What's Going On Down There? answers any questions you might have about puberty, from what it is and what it feels like, to what puberty is like for girls, to how to handle the sexual feelings you may be starting to experience.
Robert Leighton's funny and informative cartoons ease the confusion and exasperation you might feel.
Part manual, part older brother, What's Going On Down There? will give you the facts you need to feel comfortable and confident about this new phase of your life.
Denise's Thoughts:
All teens are not created equal. There is a lot of detailed information in this book about sex, homosexuality and pregnancy that you may feel your preteen or teen is not ready for. I feel it will not be the first time your teen has heard of these issues -at school, on television, etc. - and reading the facts and having them reinforced by you - the loving parent who is his foundation - would be a positive experience. Bite the bullet, buy the book and use it.
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