Being a Girl ~ Kim Cattrall

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (2006)
ISBN: 978-0-316-01102-0
128 pgs

Classification: YA Non-fiction
Genre: Health
Age Level: 12+

Reader’s Annotation: Kim Cattrall draws from her life experience, including her years of portraying strong, sexy women on stage and screen, to offer advice to girls about growing up to the be women they want to be.

Summary: Since her Sex and the City character Samantha Jones seems to have all the answers when it comes to her womanhood, fans of the show felt that actress Kim Cattrall must know something too. Weaving her personal coming-of-age story into her discussion, Cattrall addresses the joys and trials of being a girl in today’s world. Cattrall covers topics ranging from inner and outer beauty to relationships with family and friends to sexual intelligence. The central message is the importance of a strong sense of self, which Cattrall encourages girls to discover in healthy ways sooner rather than later.

Notes: Cattrall’s honesty, combined with photographs of the actress from her youth and throughout her career, gives this book the feel of a conversation with a trusted mentor. The book would most benefit younger teens and older tweens, but as Sex and the City is inappropriate for this age group, it is hard to say if girls would be interested in Cattrall’s perspective.
Flags: 3

Forever ~ Judy Blume

Publisher: Pocket Books (1975)
ISBN: 0-671-53225-1
220 pgs

Classification: YA fiction
Genre: Romance, issues.
Age Level: 15+

Reader’s Annotation: High school seniors Katherine and Michael experience all the thrilling uncertainties and joyful contentment of falling in love for the first time, including the turbulence of teen sexual intimacy.

Summary: Katherine and Michael meet at a party and experience an instant connection. As they date and get to know one another, their relationship also becomes more and more physically intimate. Then, as the school year draws to a close and Katherine and Michael must make decisions about their individual futures, the ultimate question looms: is their love the kind that will last forever?

Notes: This novel is a YA classic more for its subject matter than the characters. Katherine and Michael’s relationship is not memorable for its romantic value, and Michael (and Ralph), in particular, is laughable in a literary world that now includes Edward Cullen.
Flags: 3

Sexy Girls ~ Hayley DiMarco

Publisher: Hungry Planet (2006)
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3084-0
153 pgs

Classification: YA non-fiction
Genre: Self-help
Age Level: 13+

Reader’s Annotation: DiMarco helps young women to analyze the messages they send to others when they wear sexy clothes.

Summary: DiMarco discusses the difference between accidental image and purposeful image. Though we may not like to admit it, we make judgments about others based on their appearance and attire. Thus, asserts DiMarco, a young woman must understand the importance of being her own PR specialist and taking control of the image she presents to others, especially males. If a girl wears revealing clothes, she suggests that her body is “on the menu,” perhaps without even realizing that she is sending this message. On the other hand, by dressing modestly, a girl sends a clear message about her values. DiMarco guides the reader to walk through her own closet and examine message she sends with the clothes she chooses.

Notes: DiMarco’s basic message—that, like it or not, clothes say something about the person wearing them—is a great one, but some readers may be turned off by the fact that her ideas are rooted in Christianity. Throughout the book are Old and New Testament scripture quotes. Initially, DiMarco’s tone is accessible and inoffensive, but by the final third of the book, she preaches more, in particular about the need to befriend other believers in order to remain true to one’s convictions.
Flags: 3