BODY TALK by Mother/Daughter Team Ann and Julie Douglas Book Review By Monika Dery In this age of teen angst, any book that boosts the morale of young pre-teen girls is invaluable. Body Talk touches on all phases of life including puberty and menstruation. Nutrition, morale, body image are a big focus and I was surprised to see a section on fighting against brainwashing and false advertising. Ann and Julie Douglas have done their homework and have brought to light many fantasies and myths from the past that people still cling to. They regale the reader with off-beat stories about the Pharaohs, queens and Mayan beauty ideals. Stories range all the way from ancient history to present day fashion fads and foibles. Ann Douglas is a published author who has two other books coming out this Fall – Canuck Chicks and Maple Leaf Mamas: Women of the Great White North. A Pop Culture Celebration of Canadian Women and The Mother of All Toddler Books: An All-Canadian Guide to Your Child's Second and Third Years. She’s written a total of 20 books on children at all stages of development! Fourteen-year-old Julie felt it was high time that someone encouraged teenage girls to dare to be themselves rather than try to remake themselves into Britney Spears or other celebrities. Her role in the book was to provide input on what tweens and young teens are thinking and feeling today! The book contains an underlying current of a “be true to yourself outlook” which is difficult for young people to achieve because of pre-conceived notions of what beauty is in the first place. The two authors are adept at identifying pitfalls and how to overcome them. To my understanding, there are no books like this on the market, and it was high time! Acne, fat and eating disorders are discussed without any whitewashing and dieting is exposed for what it is…a danger to everyone’s health. Exercise is in and starving is out. There are ideas on how to deal with excess poundage before it gets out of hand (exercise and sensible eating, of course) as well as finding a balance in the food world where there is so much to tempt even the most reasonable kid. One little problem I had with the book, mainly because I believe natural eating is the only way to go, is that there is no emphasis on whole-grain or fresh/raw food as compared to say, ‘bread’ which could be, heaven forbid, white! I guess that would have meant a whole new chapter and maybe even a whole other book. Junk food and fast food is not dealt the harsh blow it deserves, which, to my mind is not a good thing. I do realize that the current trend is to stay away from labelling foods “good” or “bad” so that young people don’t feel compelled to stay away from “good stuff.” This little book’s time has come, I think, and is a worthwhile read for any young girl about to embark on a lifetime of adulthood. The format of Girl Zone books which take on a life of their own, is immensely readable and entertaining even while it educates and informs both adults and young girls. The illustrations are simple, bright and effective. Eating disorders are dealt with as is learning to love and appreciate the way we look. The overriding theme of “Body Talk” is to accept ourselves as we are, but to make the best of our lives and to be vigilant on mental and physical health. If you have a child or relative in the age bracket of 8 to about 13, be sure to do her and her mom a favour and go out and find this book. It’s available at most bookstores in Canada and the U.S. as well as Amazon.com and Chapters.Indigo.com (in Canada) online. See related links for contacts. Back to the Writing Index