Read for: Requested Review
Synopsis: "Mayim Bialik, star of The Big Bang Theory and author of the #1 bestseller Girling Up, puts her Ph.D. to work to talk to teen boys about the science and pressures of growing up male in today's world. A must-have book for all teenage boys!
Why does my voice crack like that? What should I eat to build muscle? How do I talk to someone I have a crush on? What do I do if someone calls me names or bullies me?
Growing from a boy to a man is no easy task. Bodies are changing, social circles are evolving, hair is appearing in places it never was before -- and on top of it all, there's the ever-present pressure to conform to the typical idea of what it means to be "manly" and masculine. But it's easier to do if you're armed with facts.
Using personal anecdotes as an overly observant mother of two boys and plenty of scientific information from her life as a neuroscientist, Mayim Bialik, PhD, star of The Big Bang Theory, talks directly to teen boys about what it means to grow from a boy to a man biologically, psychologically, and sociologically. Using the same cool, fun, and friendly tone that she took in Girling Up, Mayim takes boys--and their parents!--through the challenges and triumphs of Boying Up today.
In six sections (How Boys Bodies Work; How Boys Grow; How Boys Learn; How Boys Cope; How Boys Love; and How Boys Make a Difference), she takes a look at what it means for boys to come of age in today's world, how can they take control of their paths, and what can they do to help shape the types of futures they want for themselves."
My Review: I have been a big fan of Mayim's Youtube channel for some time, I love the realistic parenting tips she gives, so when I was given the opportunity to read Boying Up I was thrilled. Right off the bat this book takes on a great conversational and light tone that really allows for her voice to come through. The tone of the book also makes it not seem like a nagging "you should do this, not this" that makes teens tune out. It has a lot of great information from body changes, to learning methods and emotional changes and coping methods. Munchkin is not too many years off from this phase of his life and this will definitely be a book that will be waiting for him to read. As a mom, it was a very helpful book to read, to get a little insight into what challenges he may face and how we can approach them together. I think what might be the best part of Boying Up is that it doesn't present a strict guys guy picture of becoming a man, there was a lot of representation and openness in the different ways boys might be as they grow into adulthood.
My Rating: This is probably one of the best non-fiction books I have read in quite a while. I am so glad that this book will be out there for teen and pre-teen boys (and their moms) to refer to when needed. I give it a rating of Four Paws.
I received Boying Up from the publisher, the above is my honest opinion.
Boying Up was just released on Tuesday so you can purchase your copy in digital or print format from Barnes & Noble or Amazon or check with your favorite book provider, it is also available as an audio book.
