Well obviously, we are all about advice over here at IML. We love giving it, and we love getting it, and we love to see all of you doing the same. Hopefully, if you came to our site for some helpful tips or solutions to some kind of problem, you found some answers. There aren't a lot of other places out there that provide advice just for tweens.
That's why we couldn't wait to check out a new book series by Marlene Wallach, President of the Wilhelmina Kids & Teens modeling agency. These four books are: "My Self: A Guide To Me"; "My Beauty: A Guide To Looking & Feeling Great"; "My Look: A Guide To Fashion & Style"; and "My Life: A Guide To Health & Fitness." Aimed specifically at pre-teen girls, they offer solid advice on a range of topics including skin care and hair care, physical fitness and stress relief, clothes and makeup, and self-confidence and relationships.
What we like about these books: they're spiral bound and feel sort of like personal help notebooks, filled with quizzes, mini-worksheets, practical quick-hints, and real-life stories. While the books don't go into deep detail on any one topic, the fact that each section is short and to-the-point could come in handy if you're having a bad day and just want a few encouraging tips or words of wisdom. The tone of the books is upbeat and positive, and really aims to empower you to help yourself.
What we didn't like so much: In trying to cover such a broad range of subjects, some serious ones are glossed over too lightly. A few of the books are organized in such a way that it's hard to find what you're looking for, especially if you have a specific problem you want to read about. The photos are cool and colorful, but we wish the girls pictured weren't all skinny models; we would like to have seen a better representation of "real" girls of different sizes.
The bottom line: if you're looking for something fun to read with your buds at a sleepover or talk about with a parent, or just want some advice to keep handy when your body image or self-confidence is down in the dumps, these books are worth checking out. They won't offer all the answers, but will probably serve up some yummy food for thought!
IML's Rating: B
