This guide to “body literacy” for tweens, from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), offers a positive, practical, and inclusive look at loving and caring for one’s body even through the changes of adolescence. Through a diverse cast of five friends at a fictional summer camp, it covers topics such as body care, nutrition, exercise, mental health, screen time, mindfulness, how to deal with “body bullies,” and more.
Throughout, author Whitney Casares, MD, MPH, FAAP, a practicing, board-certified pediatrician, adheres to several key principles: that we can each be proud of our unique bodies; that “Most current body ideals are rooted in racism, sexism, and old standards”; that BMI (body mass index) is “a flawed tool, rooted in racism”; and that “Our body doesn’t need to be fixed because it’s not broken,” but it does need to be cared for.
Casares encourages readers to be “body positivity advocate[s]—someone who stands up for others and for yourself when it comes to loving the bodies we’re in.” Importantly, too, she notes that “a lot of adults are still learning how to love their bodies”—useful advice for young readers who may hear adults saying negative things about their own (adult) bodies.
The five youth whose stories form the throughline for the book are Greta, a 10-year-old girl with autism and anxiety who wears glasses and lives with her two dads; Juan, a 12-year-old boy who has a mom and a dad and loves sports; Natalia, an 11-year-old kid with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair or arm braces and goes by they/them pronouns; Haley, a 9-year-old gymnast with a divorced mom and dad; and Troy, a 10-year-old boy who lives with a single dad and loves music. Greta and Juan have tan skin and dark hair; Natalia and Haley have pale skin; and Troy has dark brown skin. Each is also a different body type, from thin to heavy.
Through alternating scenarios and descriptive sections, Casares shows the youth having questions about their diverse bodies and the many mixed (and often negative) messages they receive about them. Vignettes with the characters as well as sections in Casares’s own affirming voice offer gentle, helpful advice, while “My Turn” call-outs give readers a chance to reflect on and answer questions about their own bodies and feelings.
While the book isn’t primarily about puberty per se, it does look at the changes youth may experience during this time, and does so in a way inclusive of all genders. It uses the term “female” to describe people “who usually have ovaries, a uterus, and certain genetics” and the term “male” to describe those who “generally” have a penis, “testicles and certain genetics”—but also notes that some people’s bodies don’t fit into those typical categories, which is called “an intersex condition.”
The book also briefly looks at gender identity, “what you feel and know you are—boy, girl, neither, or both,” and the difference between being cisgender and transgender. It’s not as much of a deep dive as books more focused on gender (e.g., Gender Identity for Kids), but that’s fine; it covers the basics well. My only quibble is that despite the inclusion of a character who uses they/them pronouns, it never uses the term “nonbinary,” which would be helpful for young readers to know.
Casares combines professional expertise with an engaging and affirming approach to create a book that young readers should enjoy even as they are informed and empowered. The tone feels like it skews towards the younger end of the middle-grade age range, but the information here could be useful across that range and beyond. Pair this highly recommended book with the AAP’s YOU-ology: A Puberty Guide for Every Body, and the young people in your life will have a solid foundation from which to build confidence and healthy habits for years to come, no matter what body they’re in.
