On the Spot: Real Girls on Periods, Growing Up, and Finding Your Groove by Karle Dickerson

Bibliographic Information

Dickerson, K. (2005). On the spot: real girls on periods, growing up, and finding your groove. Avon, MA: Adams Media.

Summary

This book focuses almost entirely on the physical aspects of puberty, particularly on periods. Five of the eleven chapters deal with period-related issues, such as a rundown on products available, PMS, and problems with menstruation. The book lacks illustrations other than girly bits of clip-art in the margins and is rather text-heavy in its layout.

Rationale

This is one of the few books about puberty for girls that deals honestly about the more uncomfortable issues of puberty like cramps and PMS. For girls who experience these complications, they will find the open discussion both helpful and comforting. It also includes a lot of personal accounts from tweens and teens about these topics.