Lisa Clark - It’s A Girl Thing

LOLA

LOVE

It’s a girl thing

By

Lisa Clark

Big hearts and sparkly tiaras to…

All the totes amazing Pink Ladies who read the books, visit the website and message and mail both Lola and I – WE HEART YOU!

Angel boy Burt – love you x

Carrie and Jacqui, The girls from Shampoo – for being the most fabulous inspir-o girls in my teendom years – Viva La Megababes!

Mrs Mclaren and Mr Clarke – the best teachers. Ever.

Susie and Izzi – so, we didn’t rule the school? Pah! Look at us now – we rock n’ rule!

Just Seventeen magazine for teaching me everything ‘bout the big P when I was a teen girl.

Claire-bear Boxall and Clairey Brown-Smith for making life as an awkward teen girl in the world totally do-able with fbs, photo swaps, phat mail and pages and pages of boyband chatter. Happy days.

Take That – the absolute best reason for being a teen girl in the 90s. Fact.

Introduction Introduction Being a girl in the world can be tough stuff, chica. Fact. One minute you’re brushing your Barbie doll’s hair, the next you’re diggin’ on the totally cute guitar-playin’ dude in the year above. Sigh. That’s not all, both your body and mind go through some pretty dramatic changes at a helluva crazy speed too. This, sweet thing, is your puberty makeover. Now, I heart a makeover as much as the next chica, but ladybumps, mood-swings, hair sprouting here and there and periods? Well, there ain’t no denying that they can be a complete head-mess. Whether your big P makeover is exciting, embarrassing, irritating or anxiety-inducing, don’t freak out, the Pink Ladies and I have everything you need to make it as stress-free as possible. How? Well, punk princess and Pink Lady Bella, who is a whole lot older than us, she’s 17 which is like, practically a grown up – has completed her big P makeover and is the coolest mix of agony aunt, big sister and glossy girl ‘zine in a rockgirl package. She’s got the puberty 101 and together, ‘coz yep, we’re feeling it too sister, we’ll make sure you’re totally clued up about the whole big P makeover; it is a girl thing after all! Love and pink lemonade bubbles,

Your ‘It’s a Girl Thing!’ Bag of Fabulousness Your ‘It’s a girl thing!’ bag of fabulousness There’s no right or wrong way to go through this whole puberty lark, however, armed with your ‘It’s a girl thing!’ bag of fabulousness, it will inevitably be a whole lot less stressy, promise! Peppermint tea –soothing, relieves bloating, caffeine-free and the perfect chill out tonic–ahhh. Pampering treats –Because soaking in a bath not only makes you feel and look fabulous, sweet smelling products banish bad body odour too–yay! Chocolate –well, why not? Pink leg warmers –to wear while taking a brisk walk to the shop–exercise will make your body’s natural pain killers kick-in if you’ve got bad belly pains. Pink fluffy hot water bottle –If you can’t bear to leave the sofa, sitting with a hot water bottle on your turn can work wonders and is really rather cute too.

So, What Do You Know? So, what do you know? Don’t stress if you don’t know exactly what’s going on, you most deffo won’t be the first girl in history to find puberty something right out of Scaryville, I know I did! Neither will you be the first to lie awake at night fretting that you’re the only girl in class that doesn’t wear a bra yet, just ask Pink Lady, Sadie…The trick is to Think Pink. Why? Because Pink-Thinkin’ chicks get clued-up about their bodies and what’s going on inside. It’s a fact that the more you know, the less confusing, surprising and embarrasing this whole hazy, crazy growing up stuff will seem! Ready? Your boobs can be tender, sore and itchy during puberty To get rid of body odour you should keep yourself clean and wash under your arms every day Any hair that you shave will grow back much thicker No two boobs are alike Boys are just as self-conscious during puberty as girls If you answered ‘true’ to 3 or more of the statements above… You are sussed, sista! You know how puberty’s body makeover will affect you and you’re ready for action–go girl! If you answered ‘false’ to 3 or more of the statements above… No worries sweet thing, the Pink Ladies and I are gonna fill you in on everything from periods to ladybumps, because when you know what’s happening to your body and why, you’ll be much less likely to fret about it in the future, okay?

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes As you know I’m a pink-thinking chica on a daily basis and while I dig who I am and know I’m no ugly duckling, there are still times, even with all the pink thinking in the world, when I feel like one. Sound familiar? Blame the hormones. Hormones are the chemicals your body produces to transform your sweet self from a young girl to a woman. These body changes can take years to unfold and take hold–yawn–and while there will deffo be some changes you’ll like, there’s a chance there will also be some that you won’t. Yes, this is rude and wrong, but unfortunately, chica, it is factuality. If, like me, you’re feeling a li’l bit messy and stressy about all this big P stuff, then hold up, because Bella is our ‘big P go-to’ about all things girl. She is the tiara-wearing princess of the bod squad–that’s us btw–and together, we’ll be answering all the need-to-know questions that you’re too scared or embarrassed to ask–for the record though, NO question is ever too silly–I mean, how’s a girl ever to become the most feisty, fun, fearless and fabulous girl in all of girlsville if she doesn’t ask questions, eh?

What’s Happening?

What’s the Hurry?

Why Being a Girl Rocks …

Celebrate Girlsville

Being a Girl

Hair – Why is it There?

Fuzz Free – the Facts

Skin Deep

Spot Check

Ask the Bod Squad!

Try this: Bella’s Banana Blemish Buster

Stress = An Unhappy You

Smile – You’re Bee—yoou—tiful!

Life with a Smile Enhancer – The Facts

Don’t Sweat It!

Bo Bashing

What’s Normal Down There?

Periods

Take a Dip!

The Bod Squad’s Yummy Honey Ice-Cream Bubble Bath Recipe

Your Period Cycle. The It’s A Girl Thing Circle of Your Cycle!

Fame Your Period Pain

The Bod Squad’s Bella Explains Everything …

Got Questions About that Time of the Month? The Bod Squad are Here to Help!

My Lumps, My Lovely Ladybumps!

Boobs: The Facts

Boob Worries, Busted!

Measure Up!

What’s Your Bra Size?

Blush-Free Bra Shopping

Work your Ladybumps

What you Might Notice About Lads ….

Banish the Blush

Cringe!

Deal with the Cringe

It’s a Wrap!

Copyright

About the Publisher

Being a girl in the world can be tough stuff, chica. Fact.

One minute you’re brushing your Barbie doll’s hair, the next you’re diggin’ on the totally cute guitar-playin’ dude in the year above. Sigh.

That’s not all, both your body and mind go through some pretty dramatic changes at a helluva crazy speed too. This, sweet thing, is your puberty makeover.

Now, I heart a makeover as much as the next chica, but ladybumps, mood-swings, hair sprouting here and there and periods? Well, there ain’t no denying that they can be a complete head-mess. Whether your big P makeover is exciting, embarrassing, irritating or anxiety-inducing, don’t freak out, the Pink Ladies and I have everything you need to make it as stress-free as possible. How?