GIRL
By Karen Rayne
July 18, 2017

GIRL is a nonfiction targeted towards teenage girls discussing loving healthy relationships. The format was different from others that I normally read. I also don’t review nonfictions.


Thanks to NetGalley and Magination Press for the advanced readers edition in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately it’s not for me. Did not finish @ 15%

This book is a great resource for everyone but especially those with "female" bodies. The normalization of the female body in this book is awesome and the fact that things were so openly discussed without evoking shame or embarrassment at the issues was refreshing. I ordered a copy for my library shortly after reading, and it has seen a fair amount of usage.

I first want to thank Netgalley for giving me permission to read this title. The book was an amazing read. I think that I will most definitely be ordering this book to put on the shelves at our library. I believe that the teens will thoroughly enjoy it.

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

This was a great book to read as a parent and a wonderful addition to any home or school,library.

I will be purchasing a hard copy of this great book for my tween age daughter.

A very liberal, informative text for teens encompassing all things sexual. GIRL is packed with information ranging from biology, to emotions and relationships, to intimacy and sex. It is a thorough guide for teens learning about who they are and how their bodies work.
There are journal excerpts or anecdotes that are intended to add to the familiarity of the content, but I found the hard to read fonts distracting. I also wonder if the vast amount of information included may be a deterrent for some teens. However, overall, I think the author has done a tremendous job compiling this detailed guide for teens and would recommend GIRL for school and public libraries serving teens, ages 13+.

This will appeal to many young readers but I just could not get into it. Sorry The book is very topical and will be great to create discussions.

This book is something that should be available to any girl. We need to be more open about these topics and getting the information out to the kids. I am not a conservative when it comes to information the more you learn and know the better.

This is a very open, very frank discussion of sexuality for older teens. The material presented here, while somewhat biased, is very clear, direct and open. While this would not be the right choice for every young woman, it is a valuable resource for older teens who can benefit from the clear relating of facts presented here.

The subjects and topics included in this book are very important and I was hoping this book would be a great tool to teach these subjects to young girls. Unfortunately I think YA and teens will find it hard to connect with this book because of the writing style and format. Also, the books has too many topics that are addressed very superficially.

G.I.R.L. is a great and all-inclusive nonfiction book for teen (and 20-something) girls and those who identify as female. It really does cover the gamut of sexuality, (overcoming) gender expectations, sex and orgasms, sexual health, healthy relationships, abortion, consent, sexual assault, rape culture, having sex for the first time, masturbation, porn, kinks and fantasies, and more.

It's very teen friendly with journal questions for the reader to answer, journal/diary responses written by a wide variety of female-and-genderqueer/nonbinary-identifying individuals, and comic illustrations. Because of its wide scope of information, it would be most beneficial as a go-to when specific questions come up or someone wants to learn more about a specific topic rather than as a sit-down-and-read-the-whole-thing book.

Fantastic resource for teens, those working with teens, and parents. Advice is given without any hint of judgement on a wide range to topics relevant to dealing with sexuality and gender identity for teens who identify as female. Includes information, quizzes to make you think, and input from several young female-identified students in their own words on their experiences. Full of additional resources as well - will recommend!

I found this to be a bit overkill. Too much information - not well displayed. I'm all for giving full information for teens but this was just over the top.

This is a wonderful book I would have loved to have as a teenager. The activities seemed really useful and what's even better, it was very inclusive!

**Note: I received a free ebook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.**

GIRL is a sexual health and relationship book for anyone who identifies as female. It's an intense, but enjoyable, primer on modern sexual identity, sexual health, and relationship skills -- in all of their complexity. I would definitely recommend this to teens, and to parents of older teens. My two caveats are (1) I feel that this is for individuals in their late teens. It definitely feels like it might be too intense for younger teens, and (2) even though it mentioned that not all teens are sexually active, the vibe from most of the text seemed to assume sexual activity. I think that that was an unintentional part of speaking in an inclusive, welcoming manner. However, I can see that that might not resonate with all teens (or their parents). Otherwise, a wonderful, all-encompassing, modern, unflinching book. Recommended.

Girl is a non-fiction book that aims to equip anyone who identifies as a girl with information about the world, their bodies, relationships and their identities. On top of all of this, it's super inclusive and Rayne does her best to insure every reader feels included and can find information that will benefit them in some way.
For these reasons I think it's incredibly important for this book to be out in the world and I really do hope that it finds its way to those who need it. I think it would be a great addition to any library or teenagers personal library. If I could afford to buy this book for every single one of my cousins I would, but alas, I'm broke af and can't even afford to buy it for myself.

I did not read this from cover to cover, it was mostly going over things I have already learned but I did pay close attention to the sexual and gender identities parts because there is always room to learn more in that area and I did!
I don't really know how to explain just how great and important this book is, because it just is. Highly recommend it to basically anyone and everyone, even those who don't identify as a girl.

This is a timely book that addresses in a very straightforward manner the kinds of complex and confusing issues every young woman is going to experience at some point regarding everything from first relationships to sexual harassment to a range of sexual behaviors. The author nicely avoids a trying too hard to be hip tone, and comes across as down-to-earth and supportive. She consistently reinforces the point that what’s right is what feels right to you. The book encourages you to think about your own values and needs by including questions to ask yourself with every section. The first-person accounts break up the text heavy parts, adding a welcome change of pace. However, since I read an ARC, the handwriting font style used for the personal narratives was hard to read. I would like to see a range of values represented from more conservative to more liberal. Same with ethnicity and religion. Not everyone will be ready for everything addressed in the book, but luckily it doesn’t need to be read from start to finish. If anything, a counterpart section, or possibly a full book, for boys is needed. What are boys thinking? What are they concerned about? What are ways boys can show they are respectful and considerate partners?

Nonfiction
14-21
Imagine having an highly discreet older sister who is there every time you have a question that there’s no WAY you’d ever ask your mum or coolest teacher or even your best friend. Questions about STIs and not getting pregnant or being bisexual or what to expect on a date or how to insert a tampon right so it doesn’t hurt or all the other things that crop up for young people who identify as girls. Written by psychologist and educator Karen Rayne, the book’s stated intent is to address what it means to be a girl, physically, emotionally, and sexually. It’s exactly the kind of book I sought out in my teens as I tried to navigate relationships with my family and friends, transitioning into adulthood while exploring my identity. Rayne takes a supportive and fact-focused approach to cover a gamut of topics, from biology and gender identities to sexuality and relationships. She is careful to give “girls” (using the term for her readers who identify as such) affirmation that whatever they feel is real, but cautions them to think decisions through carefully, getting factual information and finding support whenever possible. For instance, she points out that in a home where being LGBTQQ2s may not be welcomed, coming out may be something to be put off until one is financially independent. But she also emphasizes the value in finding a supportive community where one can be open, even if it is a tiny group of one or two trusted friends. Each chapter ends with a short list of additional resources for finding more information. Adding authenticity are diary entries by several writers of all genders and ranging in age from teens to late 20s. These serve to give a personal perspective on the complex matters Rayne addresses, as the same few writers slowly share topical stories in the appropriate chapters. The book includes helpful endmatter: an anatomy glossary, bibliography, and an extensive index, including diary entries (nice!) AND including see references for terms likely to be used by young readers. The language is accessible but mature, and remarkably interesting for readers of my age too! (While cisgender is a term I’d recently learned to describe people whose gender identity matches their birth-assigned sex, vasagel was a total discovery for me – look it up.) As a writer Rayne is frank and honest, refraining from any judgmental language and encouraging readers to develop the same inclusive and welcoming approach as they learn about other ways of being and knowing. What a great resource for anyone who has questions at this important stage in life. This belongs in every school and public library, and in all homes where parents walk the talk of inclusion. My thanks to Magination Press for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34500776

Definitely a much needed book for girls these days. Informative and relevant to today's teens. Would highly recommend this book!