Lynda Madaras (1947-)
Sidelights
Lynda Madaras has become one of the classic authors of sexual education books for boys and girls who are undergoing puberty. She became interested in the topic when her daughter, Area, was approaching puberty. As Madaras explained to Publishers Weekly interviewer Sally Lodge, "I went to the library hoping to find a book that would help to explain the process [of puberty], only to find that there was no such book." So Madaras, with Area's help, wrote What's Happening to My Body? A Growing-Up Guide for Mothers and Daughters.
A companion book for boys soon followed. In the years since the books were first released, they have been through several revisions and new editions and remain perennial favorites. Major changes occurred in the 2000 editions, The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Boys: The New Growing-Up Guide for Parents and Sons and The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Girls: The New Growing-Up Guide for Parents and Daughters. Reflecting a steady decline in the age at which girls, in particular, begin puberty, Madaras reworked the books to be accessible to a younger audience. "As in the previous editions, the tone is matter-of-fact and comforting," Gillian Engberg commented in a Booklist review of both books.
Biographical and Critical Sources
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 1, 1993, Stephanie Zvirin, interview with Madaras, pp. 1584-1585; September 1, 2001, Gillian Engberg, review of The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Girls: The New Growing-Up Guide for Parents and Daughters, and The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Boys: The New Growing-Up Guide for Parents and Sons, p. 99; October 1, 2003, Gillian Engberg, review of Ready, Set, Grow!: A "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Younger Girls, p. 314.
Publishers Weekly, June 10, 1983, review of What's Happening to My Body?: A Growing-Up Guide for Mothers and Daughters, p. 59; January 16, 1987, review of Lynda Madaras's Growing-Up Guide for Girls, p. 79; September 30, 1988, review of Lynda Madaras Talks to Teens about AIDS: An Essential Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Young People, p. 71; April 2, 2001, Sally Lodge, "Growing-Up Books Come of Age," interview with Madaras, p. 23.
School Library Journal, November, 1988, Anne Osborn, review of Lynda Madaras Talks to Teens About AIDS, pp. 137-138; March, 1995, Virginia Jeschelnig, review of My Feelings, My Self, p. 142; July, 2003, Joyce Adams Burner, review of The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Boys, pp. 78-79; November, 2003, Joyce Adams, review of Ready, Set, Grow!, p. 164.*
Additional topics
Brief BiographiesBiographies: Al Loving Biography - Loved Painting from Early Age to Alice McGill Biography - PersonalLynda Madaras (1947-) Biography - Writings, Sidelights - Personal, Addresses, Career