The Ultimate Girls' Body Book

February 15, 2012
"Dr. Walt" offers advice with a Christian perspective for boys wondering about their bodies as they enter puberty. More specifically, this is a volume aimed at Christian fathers of boys ages 10 to 13, so fathers can be ready with answers to sometimes tricky questions. Topics are covered through 30 questions on how boys' bodies change, how much sleep is necessary, what if friends try alcohol, how to avoid pornography, what's wrong with tattoos and body piercings and even three questions about testicles. It's purportedly information readers can trust, presented "through the lens of a biblical worldview," all reviewed by the Christian Medical Association. God is the common denominator behind all answers here. Differences in penis size? It's "the way God designed each one of us." Masturbation? "Sexual fantasies are forbidden for Christians." In Larimore's perspective, "God invented sex," but only "to be experienced between a husband and a wife in marriage." Parents wanting to stay within the confines of Christian doctrine will find this volume informative. Other readers may want to go elsewhere to find a guide more open to a more encompassing worldview. A useful guide for readers wanting a Christian look at boys' physical and sexual development. (note to parents, appendices, afterword) (Nonfiction. 10-13)

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May 1, 2012

Gr 6-8-Prescribed by the author as a "resource for Christian parents, especially the dads of young men ages ten to thirteen," Body Book is meant to serve in any of three ways: as a guide for parents about how to address their sons' questions regarding puberty, as a book that a father and son can study together, or simply as a handbook parents can choose to present to a boy as he faces the changes of adolescence. Bible passages pepper the text and the importance of sexual abstinence until marriage, sobriety, and avoidance of temptation is stressed throughout, but the author successfully avoids sounding sententious. Instead, humorous illustrations, diverting sidebars, and an informal tone help lighten up potentially uncomfortable topics like acne, body odor, jock itch, erections, wet dreams, pornography, and the question of whether or not it's a sin to masturbate. The book concludes with a chapter stressing that real manhood has nothing to do with physical development but is, instead, measured by an abiding faith and mature moral comportment. A good choice for libraries that want to provide guidance on male adolescence in a conservative Christian context.-Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI

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