20 Best Books About Puberty for Boys to Navigate Preteen and Teen Changes
Puberty is weird and confusing for boys and girls alike. It’s awkward for both parents and teens to address all the changes tweens and teens experience during puberty from fluctuating hormones and new feelings to physical changes like stretch marks, body hair — and of course — that new body odor smell.
Talking about puberty with kids can be especially rough for boys who may not have a dad or other male figure in their life to guide them through the trials and tribulations of growing up. Sex ed classes at school often aren’t enough to really cover the different emotional and social changes that happen to preteen boys during this time.
If you want to help your son learn about puberty without embarrassing them, there are tons of great educational books about puberty out there that break it down. A book can be an option to help you and your child navigate puberty smartly rather than have them get upset or call you “cringy.”
Related: Guide to Puberty for a Growing Teenage Boy
Let’s take a look at our favorite 20 books about puberty for boys that can help bridge the discomfort. Here are some of the best puberty books that cover everything from growth spurts to personal hygiene to sexuality to having healthy relationships.
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Best Puberty Books About Physical Changes for Boys
From growing pains to constant hunger to facial hair, here are 8 books that help explain the physical changes that boys go through during puberty.
1. “Boy’s Guide To Becoming a Teen: Getting Used to Life in Your Changing Body” by the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association developed this useful book that provides answers to the most common health questions boys have about their developing bodies. Backed by trusted sources, this book educates parents and their children about the reproductive system, proper nutrition, skincare, relationships, feelings and more.
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2. “What’s Going On Down There?: A Boy’s Guide To Growing Up” by Karen Gravelle
This illustrated puberty guide is written as though an older brother is teaching his younger brother about what’s going on down there. It gives honest advice and practical information about body changes, confidence, smart choices about sex, consent, safe social media use, body image and sexual harassment.
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3. “What’s Happening To Me?: An Illustrated Guide To Puberty” by Peter Mayle
A classic book about puberty that helps answer the big questions that kids ask. It has a lighthearted and reliable approach that allows parents and caregivers to discuss topics such as what an erection is, why we get pimples, what a wet dream is and why hair grows in places it never did.
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4. “Growing Up For Boys” by Alex Frith
This is a great book to educate boys and parents about the physical, mental and emotional changes that occur during puberty. It offers advice on how to manage and prepare for those changes while maintaining a sense of confidence as they transition into adulthood.
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5. “So That’s What’s Happening: An Illustrated Guide to Your Changing Body” by Gina Dawson
This illustrated puberty guide is a factual, relaxed, and down-to-earth book that gives parents and their preteens or teenager the appropriate information about the changes that happen during puberty. It preaches that everyone is different and that is completely okay and normal.
Topics that the book covers include body changes, how the male and female reproductive systems work, how sperms meet an egg, erections, moods, and family relationships.
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6. “Help Your Kids with Growing Up: A No-Nonsense Guide to Puberty and Adolescence” by Robert Winston
As the title says, this book demystifies and destigmatizes the confusing process of puberty. It prepares parents and eases their worry about the uncertain teenage years and allows them to feel confident about their children growing up. It covers topics that are relevant to today’s kids such as social media, sexting, cyber security, identity and gender.
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7. “The (Nearly) Teenage Boy’s Guide to (Almost) Everything” by Dr. Sharie Coombes
This puberty book is extremely unique because it is co-written by a child, adolescent & family psychotherapist, Dr. Sharie Coombes uses her neuroscience expertise to help boys understand themselves. This guide includes chapters on hormones, changing bodies, family, relationships, stress and family.
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8. “What’s Happening to My Body? Book for Boys: Revised Edition” by Lynda Madaras with Area Madaras
Lynda Madaras’ “What’s Happening to My Body” is a straightforward book that educates parents and their children about essential puberty information. It explains why the body changes size and shape, the importance of diet and exercise, and what happens during a growth spurt.
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Best Books About Personal Hygiene for Boys
The life of a teenager is busy and complicated. It may also mean they’ll forgo their personal hygiene habits. Here are 4 books to help boys understand the importance of taking care of themselves.
1. “Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys” By Cara Natterson
This male puberty guide is written by a pediatrician. “The Body Book for Boys” is great for giving answers about body hair, acne, voice changes, and other male body changes during puberty. It also provides tips and advice about healthy eating, personal hygiene habits and how to take care of themselves.
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2. "The Body Book for Boys” by Rebecca Paley, Jonathan Mar and Grace Norwich
This detailed puberty guide gives straightforward tips and information for boys about their growing bodies. It covers topics from bad breath, vocal changes, braces, acne, girls, and relationships to shaving. It’s a great conversation starter about embarrassing questions including illustrations, bullet points, Q&As and a few quizzes
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3. “Personal Hygiene? What’s that Got to Do with Me?” by Pat Crissey
This book was developed for children with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and learning and developmental disabilities. It provides easy-to-understand information explains how others view someone who neglects personal hygiene. It includes hands-on activities with worksheets, cartoons and quizzes to help reinforce the information.
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4. “Growing Up Great!: The Ultimate Puberty Book for Boys” by Scott Todnem
This book focuses on helping boys transition through puberty as healthily and confidently as possible. It discusses all the health changes that occur with a focus on hygiene and coping mechanisms to deal with difficult emotions such as exercise and mindfulness.
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Books That Teach Boys About Sex and Dating
Puberty is an exciting time because that’s when your child may start to develop romantic feelings and impulses for others. It’s important for parents to teach boys about things like sexuality, safe sex, consent, and how to have healthy relationships as a teen and an adult. Here are 8 books that teach boys about sex and dating.
1. “Sex, Puberty, and All That Stuff: A Guide To Growing Up” by Jacqui Bailey
This book includes sections for girls and boys so that one gender can learn about the other. Topics include contraception, dating and sexual activity, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and homosexual impulses.
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2. “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health” by Robie Harris
This reassuring book gives a respectful look at puberty questions and provides the appropriate information to young people so they can make responsible choices. Topics range from gender identity, emergency contraception, sexually transmitted infections, conception and birth control.
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3. “Middle School Makeover: Improving the Way You and Your Child Experience the Middle School Years” By Michelle Icard
Middle school is rough but this book can help. Author Michelle Icard wrote this book to provide an in-depth look at the current issues that middle schoolers face today. It provides a research-based thorough explanation of neurological development that occurs within the adolescent brain. Topics include social media, peer exclusion, dating, identity, and social dilemmas.
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4. “The Boys Body Book: Fourth Edition: Everything You Need to Know for Growing Up YOU! (Boys & Girls Body Books)” by Kelli Dunham, RN, BSN
Written by a nurse and stand-up comic, this book provides the honest truth about what goes on inside and outside of a boy’s body during puberty. It covers changes in life, relationships and the body and topics such as texting and social media, friendship and peer pressure, leadership and more.
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5. “Does This Happen to Everyone?: A Budding Adult’s Guide to Puberty” by Jan Von Holleben and Antje Helms
This book answers 70 questions young people have about sex, sexuality, love, crushes and puberty. It normalizes sexuality and provides the appropriate sex education that many parents may feel uncomfortable teaching their kids about.
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6. “The Teenage Guy’s Survival Guide: The Real Deal on Going Out, Growing Up, and Other Guy Stuff” by Jeremy Daldry
In today’s social media-driven world, this book gives the real deal about all the different issues guys want to know about growing up. It covers topics and gives advice about dating, sexuality, kissing, emotions, peer pressure, shaving and drugs.
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7. “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Puberty―and Shouldn’t Be Googling: For Curious Boys” by Morris Katz
This illustrated graphic novel informs and entertains boys aged 10 and up about body changes, health, personal hygiene and sexuality. It dives into the issues that young people currently face such as cyberbullying, masturbation, consent, social media, Internet porn, feminism and toxic masculinity.
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8. "Wait, What?: A Comic Book Guide to Relationships, Bodies, and Growing Up" by Heather Corinna and Isabella Rotman
This comic book guide revolves around the lives of five friends as they talk about everything that they're going through, physically, mentally and emotionally. Some of the tricky subjects include sexual and gender identity, crushes, relationships, boundaries, consent, body image, gender roles and stereotypes.
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For even more resources to help teach boys about puberty and sex check out: Teen Stretch Marks and Growing Pains: Causes and Treatments.
