Series for Catholic “Tween” Girls Offers Sweetness in a Sour Age
October 16, 2008
By Neva Hernandez
(MetroCatholic) — “All Things Girl” is a new series of books for Catholic “tween” girls (around the ages of eight to twelve years old) which deal with many of the issues that face girls of this age group in a manner consistent with Catholic teaching and inspired by John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. The books in the series are: Friends, Boys, and Getting Along; Mirror, Mirror on the Wall . . . What is Beauty After All?; Girls Rock! ; Mind Your Manners; Modest and Modern; and an “All Things Girl” Journal. They are written by Teresa Tomeo, Molly Miller, and Monica Cops and published by Bezalel Books. The first two books and journal are currently available, the third is available for pre-order and the last two should be out in time for Christmas.
Each book begins with an overview of the Catholic understanding of dignity that leads into a description of girls as being princesses since they are daughters of the King. There is also section in each book by Catholic radio personality Teresa Tomeo which delves in to media in our culture and how it relates to the specific subject of the book. Each concludes with the story of a woman saint and how she can serve as an example for young girls.
Based on the first three books of the series these will fill a much-needed void for young girls. Although sweet, the books never cross the line into the saccharine self-adulation that many self-esteem programs do. The esteem promulgated in “All Things Girl” is one based on the dignity of the person and respects that man is fallen and needs to work to become virtuous. Throughout the books there are recommendations for examination of conscience that take into account the temptations that girls actually face today, as well as positive suggestions for the virtues which ought to be cultivated.
To be clear though the books are not about berating girls about the bad things they might do, the moral lessons are gentle and include positive example, and give girls something to strive towards. Also included throughout the series are all kinds of fun “girlie” things like quizzes and craft ideas and party games. There is also advice on hair and make-up and dealing with the basic every day things that girls do. Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall in particular has some fun resources for girls to help them look their best without crossing over into vanity or being overly concerned about their looks.
In Friends, Boys, and Getting Along there is consideration of mean girls and how to deal with bullying both in person and through “cyber” resources. It also encourages girls to consider whether they might be one of the mean girls, at least some of the time. All of the books endeavor to help girls develop a genuine self-awareness of themselves, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The tween years are notoriously difficult to navigate and are a time when girls can either get lost in their own heads and ignore the rest of the world or drown themselves in a crowd and get stuck in a shallow frame of mind. To give parents a resource in line with Catholic teaching to help guide their daughters is a great thing.
Girls Rock, especially, is based on John Paul II’s letter Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity of Women) and includes many lives of the Saints and profiles of several contemporary women and how they serve the Church. It also describes the various vocations women are called to and encourages girls to start prayerfully considering what their own vocation might be.
Perhaps the best aspect of the books is that they encourage a healthy balance amongst the various parts of a girl’s life while emphasizing that when they have questions they should go to their mother or parents. At no point do the books presume to know more than parents do — an aspect that can be of great of importance to parents.
Parents are the primary educators of children and the authors want to the respect that. For Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall, there is a not reminding parents of that fact and warning the book deals with some very personal matters. This is certainly true as the book discusses some of the basic aspects of puberty, therefore, parents should be cautious about giving the book to girls on the younger end of “tweendom” to make sure they have already discussed these matters and that the girl is ready for them. Parents should also be aware that some of the other books discuss abortion and there is one reference that married couples should be open to life (without directly mentioning contraceptives), in keeping with the tone of the series, the discussions are gentle. However, parents may need to be ready to discuss the subjects the further.
The only real deficiency in the books is a lack of discussion of the role of fathers in a girl’s life. Much is made of the Heavenly Father but none of the earthly. While the concept that all girls are princesses because they are daughters of the King is lovely and fostering devotion to the Heavenly Father is admirable, there does need to be some appreciation of the role earthly fathers have and how they can be trusted confidants to their daughters. Girls and women learn how they ought to be treated by men from their father and to leave them out is unfortunate. However, fathers should involve themselves with their daughters and the books are meant to be a tool, not a comprehensive tome on being a girl. Perhaps fathers could read the books with their daughters, especially Girls Rock which offers many lives of saints. It would give dad an opportunity to say what he admires in those women and what his hopes for his daughter are.
With that one brief caveat, the “All Things Girl” series is really delightful and should be on every girl’s wish list. They celebrate being a Catholic woman and provide a deep background that can assist in giving girls a sense of belonging that can be so difficult to come by in the modern age.
The books are available from the publisher’s website (www.bezalelbooks.com), Amazon, and many Catholic bookstores.
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As the publisher of this series I am so grateful for this wonderful review and endorsement of what the authors and myself have tried to offer to Catholic families today. We do look forward to writing the last two books in the next couple of months and continue to pray for ways in which they will bear fruit. We would like to encourage people to help support Catholic bookstores and online sellers, such as http://www.onlinecatholicstore.com, who work so diligently to bring great Catholic books to Catholics everywhere. God bless.
[...] DFW Catholic Managing Editor, Neva Hernandez posted a review of this series last month. You may see the full review at http://www.dfwcatholic.org/series-for-catholic-%e2%80%9ctween%e2%80%9d-girls-offers-sweetness-in-a-s... [...]