A book for teenage boys that will help them understand and accept the changes happening to them, and for parents to communicate those difficult (but necessary!) topics to their growing children in an accessible and fun way.
The teenage years are a challenging stage in any child's life. It's great when there are understanding adults nearby — parents and teachers — with whom one can discuss worries and anxieties, who can share their experience and offer support. But even in these cases, a teenager may not always feel comfortable asking directly about what truly interests them. They may be held back by shyness and fear of appearing "wrong" or "bad".
Karen Gravel, author of over 20 books for children and teens, reached out to two teenage boys for help and collected the questions they really want answers to:
What physical changes associated with growing up (not only for boys but also for girls) occur at this age;
Questions related to the emergence of sexual desire;
Appearance and mood swings;
Communication with the opposite sex and sexual self-identification;
Safe use of social media.
This book will serve as a reliable source of information for boys, which they can turn to without shame or awkwardness, and the knowledge gained will help them cope with the stresses of adolescence more easily. After reading the book, boys will feel much more confident and calm at this new stage of their life.
When writing the book, the author consulted with teenage boys.
From the author:
I am not a boy and cannot know for sure what boys go through during their teenage years. That's why I sought help from experts — thirteen-year-old Hava Castro and his eleven-year-old brother Nick. Hava and Nick take sex education classes at school, but they do not get answers to all their questions there. They were concerned about other things they didn't want to voice in front of everyone. So they thought it would be a good idea to write this book and helped me in its creation.
Hava Castro: "Working on the book was really cool, and I learned so much new! This book is very convenient to read alone, because I would never dare to ask such questions in class. Everyone would definitely laugh at me and then tease me!"
Nick Castro: "I enjoyed being involved in the book because not everything about the body is explained in sex education classes. I am lucky that my mom is a nurse, but while working on the book, I thought about things I forgot to ask her about, which occasionally worried me. Asking friends is not always the best solution. At least now I know that all boys go through this, not just me."
Who the book is for:
For teenage boys who want to understand what changes are happening with their bodies but are too shy to ask adults about what truly concerns them.
For parents who want to help their child navigate this challenging life stage and provide them with accurate information in an accessible form.
