Puberty Books for Boys

Puberty isn't something most parents look forward to and neither is it a joy for most kids; especially if the kid in question is going through a phase of exceptional awkwardness or emotional confusion. It can be difficult to sit a tween or teen down and tell him what's going on with his body and what he can expect over the next few years; but believe you me, it's usually just as uncomfortable (if not more so) for him. Thankfully, today's parents have resources that their own parents were unlikely to have: Good books! Books kids can read and won't immediately discard as being lame or stupid. You, the parent, will need to know which book is appropriate for your child's level of development, however. Some kids need to know about puberty when they're ten -- that book isn't going to appeal to your 14 year old whose hormones are bouncing him off the wall. Fortunately, there's a book for every kid, so take a look and see which most appeals.

The American Medical Association's Boy's Guide to Becoming a Teen is intending for boys in grades 4 to 8. It's classed a young adult level of reading so this would not be something you'd pass along to a new reader. This book is NOT to be used as a surrogate Sex Ed lecture, as the subject is only lightly touched on. It's a good book for teaching boys how to take care of their health in terms of physical exercise, diet and hygiene. It also helps them understand a bit more about new relationships (including same-sex attraction if that applies to your son) and the feelings they're going to experience with them. There are also a number of help hotlines for various situations.

This was originally a British book called Boys Behaving Badly, but has since been republished in an American version. This book is very popular with teenage boys because it's direct, frank and honest such things as asking girls out on dates, getting dumped, lad's mags, physiological changes, the perils of drug use, etc. It's not so much a fact book as it's more a bit of much-needed hand holding for teenage boys who aren't keen to open up directly to their parents and haven't got anyone else to ask. Highly recommended for single mum's who might not know the exact answers to certain questions!

Lynda Madaras is a Sex Ed teacher who has published oodles of Sex Ed books for teens. This book will help your son understand all the changes his body is going through and it will reassure him that everything is going swimmingly, and that all of those changes are perfectly normal. This is a good book for boys who are not quite yet at puberty but know they're going to reach that point soon. The details are good without being too graphic, and this book is a good tool for single mothers who might want a little extra help in the puberty-talking department.

This is not a book for your kids, but rather a book for YOU the parent. This book covers all aspects of your child's sexuality and gives you excellent tools for dealing with just about every awkward subject matter you could think of. It's not a lecture, it's not a school book -- it's a conversation the authors are having with you as they help you get your game plan together. Oh, and did I mention it's quite funny as well? You'll like this book.

This book covers the physiological changes your son will be going through in tasteful manner without being graphic and without getting into the topic of sex. It also covers family relationships, bullies, homework, etc and they can flip through it on their own and read up on whichever bits they'd like to go over again and again. The illustrations are cheery and attractive which appeals to young boys 8 to 13.