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    Books

    Relationships are a popular subject for authors. To read more about relationships, take a look at the list of books we have compiled below.

    Contents

    • Recommended
    • Books About Girls
    • Books About Boys/Men
    • Sexuality
    • GLBT Issues for Families
    • For Parents
    • Religion and Sexuality
    • Other

    Recommended

    • Brumberg, Joan Jacobs, (1997). The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls. Random House, New York.

    • Ponton, Lynn, (2001). The Sex Lives of Teenagers: Revealing the Secret World of Adolescent Boys and Girls. Dutton, New York.

    • Thompson, Sharon (1995). Going All the Way: Teenage Girl's Tales of Sex, Romance, and Pregnancy. HarperCollins, New York.

    • Knowles, Cynthia R. (2001). Up All Night: A Closer Look at Club Drugs and Rave Culture. Red House Press, New York.

    • Donaghy, Bronwyn, (1999). Unzipped: Everything Teenagers Want to Know about Love, Sex and Each Other. HarperCollins, New York.

    • Levine, J, (2003). Harmful to Minors. University of Minnesota Press.
    • Eugenides, J. (2002). Middlesex. Farrar, Strauss & Giroux.

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    Books About Girls

    • Respect: A Girl's Guide to Getting Respect & Dealing When Your Line is Crossed (2005), by Courtney Macavinta & Andrea Vander Pluym.

    • Dilemmas of Desire: Teenage Girls Talk about Sexuality (2004) by Deborah L. Tolman.

    • Girl Wars: 12 Strategies That Will End Female Bullying (2003), by Cheryl Dellasega & Charisse Nixon.

    • Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls (2002), by Rachel Simmons.

    • Raising a Thinking Preteen, by Myrna Shure and Roberta Israeloff, (2000).

    • Deal With it! A Whole New Approach to Your Body, Brain, and Life as a Girl, by Esther Drill, Health McDonald, & Rebecca Odes (1999).

    • Real Gorgeous: The Truth about Body & Beauty (1996), by Kazcooke.

    • School Girls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap, by Peggy Orenstein, (1994).

    • The Girl Within (1989), by Emily Hancock. Using the life stories of 20 women, Dr. Hancock identifies the turning point in a woman's life - the period between the ages of 8 and 10 and the onset of adolescence - when a girl crystallizes a distinct and vital sense of self, which she then loses in the process of growing up female.

    • When the Breast Fairy Comes (2000), by Stacey Roberts. Is a combination of expert opinions, parental advice, and input from over 200 adolescent girls that will help the reader understand what their daughter is experiencing during adolescence.

    • Field Guide to the American Teenager: Appreciating the Teenager You Live With (2000), by Michael Rivera & Joseph DiPrisco.

    • Ophelia Speaks: Adolescent Girls Write About Their Search for Self (1999), by Sara Shandler.

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    Books About Boys/Men

    • Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man (1999). Faludi, S.

    • Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood (1998). Pollack, W.



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    Sexuality

    • Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love and Lose at Both (2007), by Laura Sessions Stepp.

    • Sex Camp (2005). McNaught, B.

    • Our Sexuality (2005). Crooks, R., & Baur, K.

    • Rainbow Party (2005). Ruditis, P.

    • The New Good Vibrations Guide to Sex (2002). Winks, C. & Semans, A.

    • The Thinking Parent's Guide to Talking Sense About Sex (2000). Roffman, D.

    • Choosing Unsafe Sex: AIDS Risk Denial Among Disadvantaged Women, (1995). Sobo, E. J.

    • Love on the Rocks: Men, Women, and Alcohol in Post-World War II America, (2002). Rotskoff, L.

    • The Dr. Drew and Adam Book: A Survival Guide to Life and Love (1998), Drew Pinsky & Adam Carolla.



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    GLBT Issues for Families

    As many as 3 million transgender people live in the United States (according to the National Center for Transgender Equality). Transgender youth in particular may not know where to find support and resources. Luckily, there are some great books that will help questioning youth understand they are not alone.

    Here is a list of them:

    • Freak Show (2007), by James St. James. A story about a teenage drag queen at an uptight private academy who wants to be not only accepted, but homecoming queen!

    • Parrotfish (2007), by Ellen Wittlinger. Did you know parrotfish can change gender? This is an idea that appeals to awkward Angela who wants to be accepted as Grady, and finds support in some unlikely places.

    • Luna (2006), by Julie Anne Peters. Luna is a great story about Liam who transforms himself into Luna every night with the help of his sister's clothes and make-up, but wants to stop hiding.

    • Choir Boy (2005), by Charlie Anders. Berry loves to sing and when puberty threatens to change his voice, this young man decides castration or hormones may be the answer.

    • Morgan in the Mirror (2004), by C.C. Saint-Clair. Morgan is a trans man who decides to make a full transition to female.
    In addition to the transgender resources, several resources are available for all GLBTQ youth:
    • The New Gay Teenager (2005), Savin-Williams, R.

    • Oliver Button is a Sissy, by Tomie DePaola.

    • Asha's Mums, by Rosamund Elwin and Michele Paulse.

    • William's Doll, by Charlotte Zolotow.

    • ABC: A Family Alphabet Book, by Bobbie Combs.

    • Who's in a Family? by Robert Skutch.

    • King and King, by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland.

    • Daddy's Roommate, by Michael Willhoite.

    • Heather Has Two Mommies, by Lesléa Newman.
    In addition to these books, the Rainbow Project has published its first annual GLBTQ bibliography for young readers, from birth through age 18. This new bibliography contains 45 fictional and informational books copyrighted between 2005 and 2007 that validate same-gender lifestyles and experiences.
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    For Parents

    • Boy Crazy: Keeping Your Daughter's Feet on the Ground When Her Head is in the Clouds (2006), Charlene Giannetti & Margaret Sagarese.

    • The Real Truth About Teens & Sex (2005). Sabrina Weill, The Penguin Group, NY

    • Let's Talk About S-E-X: A Guide for Kids 9 to 12 and Their Parents, (2005), Gitchel S., & Foster, L

    • Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid They'd Ask): The Secrets to Surviving Your Child's Sexual Development from Birth to the Teens (2004). Richardson, J. & Schuster, M.

    • Talking to Your Kids About Sex: A Go Parents! Guide, (2002), Berkenkamp, L., Atkins, S.C., & Woglom, C.

    • From Diapers to Dating (1999), D. Haffner. A leading educator's warm, practical, step-by-step program for helping you provide accurate information and your family values to your children.

    • All about Sex: A Family Resource on Sex and Sexuality, Planned Parenthood (1993). A sex education primer for the whole family.

    • Flight of the Stork (1994), Anne Bernstein. A must read for parents who are uncertain about how to talk to their children about sensitive issues, including sex and adoption.

    • Now What Do I Do? Booklet from SIECUS designed to assist parents in giving their own messages to their children, (1996). Available at 212-819-9770.

    • What is Happening to My Body Book for Girls: A Growing Up Guide for Parents and Daughters, L. Madaras, (1988). Suitable for children as young as 8 years of age, this book covers all the basics.

    • What is Happening to My Body Book for Boys: A Growing Up Guide for Parents and Sons (1988), L. Madaras. Suitable for children as young as 8 years of age, this book covers all the basics.

    • What is Going on Down There? Answers to Questions Boys Find Hard to Ask (1988), K. Gravelle.

    • Girl Talk: Staying Strong, Feeling Good, Sticking Together (1997) Judith Harlan, illustrated by Debbie Palen

    • The Period Book: Everything You Don't Want to Ask (But Need to Know) (1996) by Karen Gravelle, Jennifer Gravelle, Debbie Palen (Illustrator).

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    Religion and Sexuality

    • What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality by Daniel A. Helminiak, Ph.D.
      Media and Sexuality

    • Sexual Teens, Sexual Media (2002). Brown, J, Steele, J., & Walsh-Childers, K.
    • Totally Wired (2007). Goodstein, A.

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    Other

    • I Want it Now: Navigating Childhood in a Materialistic World (2006). Bee-Gates, D.

    • Where Should I sit at Lunch? The Ultimate 24/7 Guide to Surviving the High School Years (2006), by Harriet Mosatche & Karen Unger.

    • The Teen Survival Guide to Dating & Relating: Real World Advice on Guys, Girls, Growing Up, and Getting Along (2005), by Annie Fox.

    • What are You? Voices of Mixes Race Young People (1999), by Pearl Fuyo Gaskins.

    • A Tribe Apart: A Journey into the Heart of American Adolescence (1998), by Patricia Hersch.


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    Educate Yourself about healthy relationships
    Sources:
    Below are sources PAMF accessed when researching this topic. PAMF, however, does not sponsor or endorse any of these sites, nor does PAMF guarantee the accuracy of the information contained on them.

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