Boys and girls

Author: Zhao Xue / Li Ling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Reading this book is like two fairy tales. One is a bit like Harry Potter, and I really like it. Also, some of the knowledge mentioned in the book is great. I feel very educated, and it’s better than the biology textbook from class.
—one 14-year-old boy and girl wrote, "It’s just like me. My mom once bought me some books on this topic, but I didn’t like any of them. Some were too weird. I still prefer Ya Ya. I also read the boy’s part, and the story is very exciting. It doesn’t make me feel embarrassed."
—one 12-year-old sixth-grade girl
This is a book that explains the physical and psychological changes of Chinese children during puberty. When we first conceived this book, we drew inspiration from puberty education works both domestically and internationally. However, we found that our country’s works were relatively monotonous and dull, mostly using a-type narrative method. Although the knowledge introduced is systematic and comprehensive, it’s unlikely that many children would have the patience to read it from start to finish. Given this, we prioritized the issue of fun when designing the book, or as they say, how to "teach through entertainment." That’s why we chose fairy tales—a storytelling method that children can easily and happily accept.
In terms of content creation, we wrote two separate stories targeting the different gender characteristics and concerns of boys and girls. The story for boys, "The Magic Candy and the Secret of Ten Boys," addresses boys’ confusion, while the story for girls, "Ya Ya and the Chatterbox Beans," addresses girls’ concerns. Together, these two stories form a complementary whole, hoping that young readers will read both parts to gain a more comprehensive understanding.
Another issue relates to the target audience. Many people traditionally believe that readers of puberty education materials are teenagers aged 14-15, and the content mainly focuses on physiology and hygiene. In reality, this is a misunderstanding in our puberty education. With societal progress, the physical and psychological changes of adolescents have been occurring earlier, and their concerns have gradually shifted from purely physical issues to more complex and diversified topics. The age range of 8-16 is a critical stage where they are transitioning from innocence to significant physical and emotional changes. For a girl around 12, we should focus more on teaching her how to prepare for the "impact of menstruation" and how to handle the psychological worries it brings. We should also explain what "attraction to the opposite sex" and "fantasies about a" are, as well as how to "handle relationships with the opposite sex" and "understand true romantic relationships."
For this reason, our book is positioned for the 8-16 age group in China’s puberty education, which is known as the "early puberty education stage" and its subsequent phases. We hope that through reading this book, young readers in this stage can navigate their vibrant adolescence more healthily. When they enter this "puberty maze," they won’t feel panicked or lost. If we can achieve this, we will be immensely gratified.
The publication of this book was made possible with the guidance and support of many educators, leaders, and teachers from various fields. Their hard work has helped this tender flower bloom even more beautifully!