Wonderful advice book speaks directly to girls rather than at them.

The Rebel Girls series has previously published books about other strong, healthy women and girls. This one gives info on how to BE a strong girl, with conversational text and quotes from other kids and role models.

Recommend for acquisition in school libraries from grades 4-8

In a Nutshell: Unlike any Rebel Girls book so far. This book deals with the perks and the problems of adolescence. Somewhat text-intensive, but informative and relevant.

The Rebel Girls team is known for their incisive books that provide mini-bios of inspiring women from the past and present. They have always been all-encompassing in terms of their content, staying inclusive and inspiring. This new offering remains true to the Rebel Girls spirit, but in terms of content, it is a step in a new (and welcome) direction.

As the title suggests, this book is all about growing up. Not just growing up, but ‘growing up powerful.’ Aimed at the 8-14 year age group, the book covers varied topics as are necessary for little girls to transition into mature, self-loving women who know that their physical features don’t dictate who they are and who understand their body and mind.

As a mother to two girls, I already own a couple of puberty-related children’s books and have read plenty more through NetGalley. So what struck me the most was the approach of this book, which is not like any of the books I’ve read so far in this genre.

This book begins with mental health (dealing with how the brain initiates physical and hormonal changes, and covering topics such as mental health issues, calming techniques, and so on). In all the other books I have read, mental health, if it does make an appearance, gets a couple of pages towards the end. So the pride of place given to this factor helps highlight how mental health is the most important for our wellbeing.

The next section is obviously about physical health. Again, the book doesn’t just stop at talking about bodily changes during puberty, but also covers the role of muscles, the variation in physiques, and even physical disability. The first two sections thus focus on biological growth.

Next up are two sections with social growth, covering the twin factors that dominate teenage years – family and friendships. The content details out how children can connect better with the key people in their life, and also how to navigate online friendships on social media. Dealing with peer pressure, bullying, crushes,… all come under these sections.

Last but not the least is the final section that speaks of how to contribute in making the world better. After all, growing up powerful is pointless if it has only a self-serving agenda.

On the pro side, the content is quite comprehensive. There are fun interactive quizzes and case studies along the way, and also answers by experts to questions sent in by young readers. Interspersed in between are quotes by Rebel Girls champs from the other books. There’s a list of helpful resources at the end of the book. The book also covers complicated topics such as sexual orientation and gender identity. The colourful illustrations match the content perfectly, staying inclusive throughout the book.

If I have to point out the minor negative, it would be that in trying to cover everything, the book sometimes loses focus and goes in too deep. Younger kids might not understand the entire content due to this. For instance, talking about the body’s immune-defense system is still fine in the physical health section, but does the content need to talk about phagocytes and leukocytes? Or is knowing the types of bones important to understand how bones keep out body strong? Little readers who aren’t science-savvy might be scared off by the big scientific-sounding words. As it is, the content is text-intensive, so it should have kept the biological terms as generic and simplified as possible.

I read this book along with my elder daughter; her feedback was that compared to ‘Just For Girls’ – another puberty and growth related book that also has reader quizzes and questions, this one is a lot more comprehensive and focusses on topics beyond physical and mental changes during adolescence. Thus she liked this a lot more, though she shared my opinion about its getting too scattered at times. (FWIW, she rated this book 4.5 stars.)

All in all, definitely a worthy addition to the Rebel Girls repertoire, though it might suit an age group older than most current Rebel Girl readers. If you have a young girl in your life, this would make for a great addition to her personal library as it focusses on self-care in every way. That powerful title should seal your deal.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Rebel Girls and NetGalley for the DRC of “Growing Up Powerful”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I absolutely love being selected for all things Rebel Girls and this was no exception!! While my daughter is too young to do a workbook like this, I loved previewing it. Growing Up Powerful is incredibly well thought out and perfect for preteen-adolescent girls. Topics covered include mindfulness and emotions, brain and body changes, family and friendships. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Rebel Girls for this ARC!

"Growing Up Powerful" is a book that belongs in every household where a Rebel Girl lives. It written in an approachable, easy going, friendly tone that feels akin to a chat with your friend rather than a lecture on pubity.. Each motivational chapter is filled with a wealth of information that is equally helpful to the child and parent alike. Though it focuses on the chapter in a girls life where she will encounter the most changes, really there is something helpful for everyone in this book. I really liked the QR codes dotted through the book, which you can scan for more information on the topics covered as well as the real life scenarios and expert question and answer sections at the end of each chapter. There's a brilliant section on the fakery of social media and the dos and do nots of being online. The quizzes in each chapter are great for provoking thought and self awareness. It's packed with not only empathy but practical solutions and activities that can be used to tackle any challenges your Rebel Girl encounters in her day to day life.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Just recently I started searching for a book for my twin girls that would cover topics from their changing bodies to friends. I hadn’t settled on one, until I learned about Growing Up Powerful by Rebel Girls. This is such a fantastic book. It’s perfect for adolescents. It’s colorful, detailed, and body inclusive! The topics range from our brains and emotions to growing bodies. I always recommend Rebel Girls! And I’m so happy they’re publishing this!

Targeted at adolescents, Growinf Up Powerful breaks down the changes and developments middle grade learners face. With chapters on brain, body, family, friends, and community this book gives a comprehensive look into many issues adolescents face with a variety if topics and issues covered.
I think this is a great book for any late elementary or middle schooler to have. It includes quizzes, activities, and a variety of information.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for this free eARC

Oh wow... Where was this book when I was growing up?? This is so nicely written that I can't wait to show my two girls!!
It talks about changes in your body, your brain, explains relations in the family, with your friends, social life...
Full of color and so nicely written so that it can be understood at all ages...

And honestly I found some useful tips in here - dealing with stress being one of them that I can use as a grown-up too.

This is a nice book to give to a girl to help her better understand herself and the world around her. I really highly recommend it.

This is a great book for young girls who are preteen to read and see that a lot things they could be or are feeling are normal and felt by other girls around their age. This gives helpful hints to girls about how to handle their feelings and also things to help them navigate their changes bodies and the things they need to do as they are growing up. Any young teen would benefit from this book!

BOOKS LIKE THESE ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR GROWING GIRLS (WELL ANYBODY REALLY BUT THIS BOOK IS AIMED FOR THE GIRLS)!!!!
I love reading anything and everything by RebelGirls because they make everything fun and informative. If I had this book as a wee little thing, I would...still be as awesome as I am today, but that's besides the point! This book is for the readers with all the questions and none of the confidence to ask them, RebelGirls have got the answers and they'll hype you up the whole time. There are no silly questions here.

I’m one of the biggest Rebel Girls fans around. This installment does not disappoint (as per usual)! I cannot pick what I loved more, the cover, content, or concept.

I’ve mentioned before that I love this series for my nieces, but this is the first time I’ve gotten information to aid me in my daily adult life. My husband has a brain injury, so I really was a fan of the first chapter. You guessed it: it’s about the human brain. Learning more about how my brain works helps put a different perspective on how I can best help my husband.

Other topics discussed in the book are varied and include topics such as emotions, family connection, changes growing up, the importance of standing together, how we can make a difference, and how our voices can be heard. Again, the content is complimented with wonderful illustrations throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rebel Girls for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I absolutely love this book! It is so great for girls to be able to read about uncomfortable subjects. This book tackles so many issues like social-emotional learning, puberty and body changes, confidence, nutrition, being a part of a community, and so many other important topics. Everything is explained in multiple ways without talking down to young women. There are cute drawings and visuals to break up the text and little quizzes in each chapter. This book really opens up a door for other conversations with your daughter, granddaughter, niece, etc. It's also a powerful tool for girls to read independently if they don't have a supportive grown up in their life to ask about these subjects. The whole rebel girls series of books are fantastic and this was no exception!

Thanks to NetGalley and Rebel Girls for giving me a sneak peek at this new title!

What a smashing guide for young girls! This handbook should be handed out to girls everywhere. The title says it all - growing up powerful. This beautifully illustrated, bright, and bold handbook is jam-packed with advice and tips on growing up into a knowledgeable and powerful young woman. It covers every topic to help with changes to the body and mind, to living in your home, community, and the planet. There are expert opinions and qr codes to scan to retrieve video information. This book helps young women get to know themselves better and find their superpower. At almost 300 pages this book is separated into lots of easy to locate topics for future reference and is pitched perfectly for readers aged 9 years plus, hitting puberty. A must-read for girls turning into young women #rebelgirls #growinguppowerful #netgalley

I really like this book. I think it's great that it's so informal and doesn't at all read like a textbook. It has language that is familiar to children and isn't daunting to read because of how it's broken up. I also really like the quizzes it has throughout to get kids thinking and give them a break from the information dumping. At the end is a multimedia list of resources to look into for further reading and advice. It reminds me of the American Girl "The Care and Keeping of You" series, but obviously updated and from a different perspective (and actually a lot more in-depth if I'm remembering the AG series correctly!).

It's wonderful how in detail much of the information and advice is in this book. From how the brain is still forming at this targeted age to the appropriateness of therapy for handling emotions, how the body changes to navigating relationships, career decisions to making a difference in the world--it's a very in-depth guide with expert knowledge to all the confusing and sometimes very embarrassing stuff going on at this age, all from a place of positivity and care. It's never patronizing. There are also sections dedicated to helping the reader build media literacy! That's so awesome. I appreciate that there is no beating around the bush and the pros and cons of certain things are laid out so that the reader can make the best decision for themselves.

That said, while I do love and appreciate the language in this book, I must point out that trans identities and intersex people are mentioned way after the body section. During that section, and especially the menstruation part, I don't see any instance of recognizing that not every girl who picks up this book is going to have breasts or a vagina. It sincerely had me worried for a bit that this wasn't as inclusive as other Rebel Girls books are! I was relieved when the LGBTQ+ community was finally mentioned (at nearly the end of the book, however, in the relationships chapter), but language matters during a chapter devoted to bodily functions and changes, especially to young girls who will not be going through those same changes. There will 100% be girls picking up this book who ARE trans and may feel like their body is wrong.

Despite this, this was an excellent book. I'm absolutely recommending it to kids who need it.

I received an electronic ARC from Rebel Girls through NetGalley.
A different style book for this brand. The entire volume focuses on the young women who read it. The authors take readers through how much will happen in their lives during the middle grade and early high school years. Each chapter begins with an affirmation and offers facts and personal stories to reinforce how important each girl is. As we've come to expect, the range of topics covered is broad and inclusive. This is one families should have on hand for when their daughters turn eight or nine to share together. It's also one for girls to read alone for encouragement and support.

Girls need this book. I'm less partial to the illustrations than I am to the text, but that's likely a matter of personal preference. Parents (especially moms) reading this book with their kids will also be inspired to remember that loving yourself is a necessity that doesn't go away and that we're all works in progress. A "Care and Keeping of You" for the modern age. Extra applause for the sections on crushes and social media - older books specified that new feelings about "boys" might come up, and this book is a little more inclusive; also, middle-grade girls need a lot of guidance around social media. There's a decent amount of back matter too - an index, further reading, podcasts, and so forth. Wish there had been more specificity for subcategories in the bibliography (puberty, social media, supporting a cause), but there's at least a healthy number of resources.

The text on the cover lets readers know what will be found inside. This is a guide to “keeping confident when your body is changing, your mind is racing and the world is…complicated.” Here is a tall order but the Rebel Girls are as ever able to help.

There are chapters in this title on the brain, the body, being a valuable person in one’s family, the strength in connection and, hope for making the world a better place. There are also additional resources and sections on the book’s creators and experts.

To give a better sense of the book’s contents, the brain chapter has, among other things, a quiz asking about perfectionism and entries on stress, the blues and loss. Readers are told that therapy can help. The chapter ends with an ask the experts section. Each additional chapter is equally well set out.

This is a terrific resource for girls of ages roughly 8 to 14. Buy it for kids that you know. They will thank you! I give it my very highest recommendation.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Rebel Girls for this title. All opinions are my own.

This book is not that surprising, really. Knowing that it comes from the Rebel Girls, I really did not expect it to be anything else but just perfect. Another perfect book. Excellent, I’d say even.
This one is like a tween/teen-sized self-help/chicken soup/best friend/guide. A mix of it all. To help girls grow up strong, and smart, know their worth, be aware of all the endless possibilities they have, believe in themselves, be their true selves, and not shrink for anyone or anything. You are allowed to feel, to live, to enjoy, to grieve, to have a body that works the way it does – you are allowed to go through life and still be you. Makeup, periods, health, emotions, school, family, friends – it is all covered, and it is done in a very loving way too.
Yet the book does not feel like a pep talk, no, not at all. It feels more like a conversation with a wiser, older, and super open-minded best friend. A friend we all actually need in our lives.
Forget all the old-school books “for girls”. Nope. Throw them all away or at least stash them away for a while. No more books for “how to be a good girl”. Be loud, be proud, be who you are, be happy, live your true potential, and dream big – this is what this book really is about. Replace all the “good girls” books with this one, and replace all the vague (and super neutral) health info books with this one also.
Rebel Girls books are just so awesome. Each of those books is a step closer to a better world for girls and women everywhere. The more girls grow up empowered and know that they are allowed to be – and to be themselves, the better the world is going to be. This book takes it one step closer to reaching that better world.

Thank you to Rebel Girls for inviting me to read this book.

The audience for this book feels a little older than previous Rebel Girls books. This time, it feels more like a pre-teen audience than about 9-10 year olds (that may be considered pre-teen but I’m thinking 11-13 year olds for the audience). There were age appropriate (aka simple) explanations as opposed to complex ones that fit with that 11-13 year old audience.

WHAT I LIKED:
- The topics mentioned were amazing! Neurodiversity, consent, disordered eating, and a lot more were brought up and given really simple explanations. This isn’t a book for nuanced takes so you would have to go elsewhere, but a basic “here’s some vocabulary”? I think it works well.
- There was an acknowledgment of friendship breakups. This is so important since it feels like a lot of friends breakup around the audience's age. It would be beneficial to know what is happening, why it hurts, and how to get through it. It’s a difficult time and it’s not spoken about a lot.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
- I wish there was more outright mention of disabilities. Half of a page was given to talk about physical disabilities, but that’s all. Also, a lot of the activities/suggestions/ideas mentioned didn’t take into account even a basic disability lens.
- Along with disability, I can’t recall poverty and/or racism being discussed. These are topics that hit the audience's age in different ways than adults and it would have been nice to see someone explain what’s going on. Writing “It’s not your fault” won’t get you out of racist environments or dealing with poverty so something with a little more impact would have helped. Perhaps this requires a more nuanced discussion but a quick primer would have been nice.

Overall, I don’t think it’s a bad book. It’s almost 300 pages and there’s a lot of useful information. I just wanted a little more, specifically on the “What I Didn’t Like” topics since those are super important.

*Thank you to Rebel Girls and NetGalley for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review*

You know, I imagine, by now that I'm a big fan of Rebel Girls. Well, they done it YET AGAIN! This book is a hymn to how to be powerful and awesome. To be a teenager is really difficult. BUT to be a teenage girl is so much more difficult. A teenage girl first and foremost has to deal with a lot. Hormones are all over the place, external appearance (including eating disorders which a lot of young girls are falling into this trap). And don't get me started on LGBTQ+ issues, ok? This book covered pretty much everything. It's the perfect guide for a teenage girl. I wish it was written when I was a teenager, it would make my life so easier.

The problem with growing up is that there are no good guides to doing so. In my day we had Our Bodies, Ourselves, but that was a huge book to get through.

The nice thing about Growing Up Powerful is that it focuses on all the things that girls growing up worry about, and covers them. I kept looking to see if it covered everything I could think I would have had questions about, and yes, it pretty much does. Eating Disorders, check, LGBTQ, check, Anxiety, check, Period, oh hell yeah, check.

Each sections goes over things such as your brain (and the various ways we learn), Your body (and all things related to your body.) Family (both good and bad). Stronger together (being friends and making friends), and How to make the world a better place (what it says on the tin.)

Experts answer questions. Kids ask questions. Sound advice and examples are given.

A *very* easy to read book, where you can learn all the basic stuff that you need to know as you navigate through Middle and High School. Love all the Rebel Girl branded books, although usually they are biographies of famous and not-s0-famous women. This is solely about girls and what they need.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book comes out the 9th of May, 2023. If you have a pre-teen or teenage girl in your life, you would be good to offer her this book.