Growing Up, Inside and Out

A sense of humor can go a long way toward mitigating the indignities of puberty, and Vermond (The Secret Life of Money) adopts an off-the-cuff tone (while delivering plenty of straightforward information) as she discusses bodily and hormonal changes, body image, emotional ups and downs, cliques, attraction, dating, and sex. Throughout, the author encourages readers to do what’s right for them, rather than fall prey to what society, entertainment, or peers have to say about how bodies should look or how relationships should work (“Ultimately, the decision to have sex or to wait is up to you and you alone”). Chin’s two-color cartoons have a friendly Hergé vibe, helping offset heavy topics that include bullying, depression, and dating violence. Ages 9–12. (Oct.)