Girl V the World: Waiting for It (Chrissie Keighery, Hardie Grant Egmont)

For my generation, answers to the question ‘Am I normal?’ and the unspoken mysteries of adolescence often had to be ferreted out of an old Judy Blume (which would always fall open at the ‘good bits’). Reading Waiting For It, one of four in a new series for 13-year-olds by well-known girls fiction writers, I was struck both by how much—and how little—the landscape has changed, and the ever-important role books like this play in helping us come to terms with the terrors of puberty. This entry by Chrissie Keighery follows a girl who is feeling left behind because she’s the last in her group to get her period, but who eventually learns that growing up involves more than just biology. While it’s not the most original storyline, its strength lies in acknowledging that being 13 ‘sucks’ for everyone. It also gives readers what they want—an honest look at the everyday issues they now find themselves facing. Keighery handles the topic of transition with age-appropriate candour and empathy, helping to allay common fears while encouraging girls to support one another—which all fits into the series’ broader aim of being a go-to for girls who need to ‘talk’ and to realise that they’re not alone.

Meredith Lewin is a Sydney-based freelance proofreader and reviewer who has worked for a children’s publisher

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews