Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wonderfully candid, body-positive tips to inspire girls.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Reading THE GIRL GUIDE is like hanging out in your fabulous big sister's bedroom for a candid "ask me anything" session: It's packed with answers to questions girls may not even think to ask about the ups and downs of growing older. Fifty short chapters take on acne, periods, big butts, hair growth -- and hair removal, crushes, staying fit, bras, eating disorders, and more.
Is It Any Good?
Performer Marawa Ibrahim offers a friendly helping hand to tween girls entering the intimidating, exciting, and awkward years of puberty, empowering them by sharing insider tips and hard-won wisdom. The Girl Guide dives into some topics in-depth, like the section on menstruation. But most of the time Ibrahim hopscotches all over, bouncing from how to handle inappropriate attention to embarrassing poops, gender identity, fashion, yeast infections, UTIs, and drugs and smoking.
Ibrahim is fiercely feminist and body-positive: "Say it loud and say it proud: Vagina, vagina, vagina" prefaces a two-page illustration of vaginas fashioned out of cut paper. The colorful, creative photography and artwork by Sinem Erkas add delightful (and sometimes funny) touches, like using oranges and balloons to demonstrate breast size and sanitary pads for clouds and surfboards. The result of this collaboration is frank, funny, and sparkling with girl power.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Girl Guide promotes positive body image. Do you feel pressure to look a certain way? Does this book help?
How do you feel about the candid tone of this book? How does it compare with more straightforward books on puberty?
Do you have questions about your body or your emotional health that this book didn't help you with? If so, ask a trusted adult for information or advice.
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Sinem Erkas
- Genre : Body Awareness
- Topics : School ( Middle School )
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date : May 1, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 224
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate