Missy's baby girl came into the world wanting to know something about everything so she could have something to say. Safronia was sweet one minute and mad the next, and not even Missy could call it. Missy would sit coddling Safronia with clasped arms, drawn to her oak-colored eyes that rekindled the pain and soothed it in the same moment.

“Mackoff’s strategies for enhancing girls’ self-esteem and creating equal opportunity are clear, practical, and most important, achievable.”—Peggy Orenstein, author of School Girls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap “IS THAT YOUR DAUGHTER? ISN’T SHE PRETTY?” Like parents of girls everywhere, psychologist Barbara Mackoff often heard her young daughter Hannah dismissed with those words. So often that she started to reply: “And she’s smart too.” Hoping to counter the culture that she feared would stereotype her daughter and diminish her confidence, Dr. Mackoff spent three years searching for strategies to nurture Hannah’s growing sense of self. The result is Growing a Girl. Offering hundreds of specific suggestions and tools for fostering a daughter’s independence and individuality, Growing a Girl encourages parents to act now by exploring seven practical paths. Based on clinical research and Dr. Mackoff’s highly acclaimed Growing a Girl workshop, this extraordinary book offers parents the skills to shatter stereotypes that can stunt a daughter’s growth while giving her the tools to nourish her strength, spirit, and capacity to care. YOU WILL DISCOVER: • How gender stereotyping starts at birth—and how you can prevent it • Why she can wear a velvet dress to the ballet and still climb to the treetops • What to do about Barbie dolls and traditional fairy tales—without spoiling your daughter’s fun • How to discover and honor her feelings • How to counteract our culture’s emphasis on physical beauty • How to bring home heroines—in books, magazines, movies, and in her community • How to recognize and strengthen your daughter’s learning style—and build on her natural interesting science and math • And more.

"A girl is inspired by an ambitious woman to ponder the word and claim it for herself as well"--

"Beatrice offers a lesson we could all benefit from: learn from your mistakes, let go, laugh, and enjoy the ride." --JENNIFER FOSBERRY, New York Times bestselling author of My Name Is Not Isabella Being perfect is overrated. Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once ) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, the entire town calls her The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes One day, the inevitable happens: Beatrice makes a huge mistake in front of everyone But in the end, readers (and perfectionists) will realize that life is more fun when you enjoy everything--even the mistakes. Additional praise for The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes: "This funny and heartfelt book conveys a powerful message about how putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect can suck the joy out of everything. Beatrice's discovery that you can laugh off even a very public mistake shows the importance of resiliency and helps perfectionist kids keep things in perspective. Most importantly, Beatrice reminds the reader that it's more important to enjoy the things that you do than worry about doing them perfectly." --A Mighty Girl "The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes is a must-read for any young (or old ) perfectionist. Beatrice Bottomwell is perfectly imperfect " --Stephanie Oppenheim, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio "It's fun and instructive without feeling overly didactic and the illustrations are darling." --Parenting "This book will help little perfectionists see that making mistakes is okay, and it can be a lot of fun too " --Kids Book Blog

This bestselling, essential illustrated guidebook for adolescent girls is a trusty friend that can help girls feel confident about this new phase of their lives. What is my period exactly? Do I need to see a doctor? What does it feel like to wear a pad? What if I get my period at school? Karen Gravelle and her fifteen-year-old niece, Jennifer Gravelle, have written a down-to-earth and practical book that answers any questions you might have about your period, from what it is and what it feels like, to how to choose pads and tampons, to how to talk to your parents about it. The Period Book will help guide you through all the physical, emotional, and social changes that come with your period, as well as related issues like dealing with pimples, mood swings, and new expectations from friends and family. Debbie Palen's funny and sympathetic cartoons ease the confusion and exasperation you might feel, and celebrate the new sense of power and maturity that your period can bring.

A little girl's view of her world changes as she begins to grow.

From the time fifteen-year-old Nyla was old enough to really understand things, she knew that she was different. Although she didn't want to be like her mama, who was fucking and sucking every dope boy in the hood, hoping to come out on top, she did yearn for attention from her old junior high school crush, Pete. Pete was a young dope boy trying to make a name for himself in the streets and in the process made his way into Nyla's heart, but after stumbling upon something unspeakable, Pete decided he wanted more than just her heart. Pete and his friend Cedrick ultimately created some tension between the crew, causing themselves to be blackballed and forced out the game by Jay, who was the man in Cincinnati. While dealing with a life-altering experience, Nyla came across someone who would soon help her discover the beast within her. Jamal was a twenty-three-year-old boss! Tall smooth dark-chocolate skin, bowlegs, and the most perfect set of white teeth she'd ever seen. Oh, and his body was pure perfection. Jamal took no shit! He was very serious and hardly ever showed that smile, but when he met Nyla, she gave him reasons to let a softer side to show. After being struck with yet another devastating blow, Nyla's best friend Shay told Jamal of the horrific things that had happened to Nyla, thus thrusting them both into a world that they never thought that they would know, let alone be a part of. Nyla jumped in the game with both feet under the guidance of Jamal and the rest of the crew as she found the woman within. The days of being that passive little girl were over! It was time to start making some real boss moves, grown-woman shit, and she was here for it!