Boying Up Review

Synopsis from Penguin Young Readers:

Mayim Bialik, star of The Big Bang Theory and author of the #1 bestseller Girling Up, puts her Ph.D. to work to talk to teen boys about the science and pressures of growing up male in today’s world. A must-have book for all teenage boys!

Why does my voice crack like that? What should I eat to build muscle? How do I talk to someone I have a crush on? What do I do if someone calls me names or bullies me?

Growing from a boy to a man is no easy task. Bodies are changing, social circles are evolving, hair is appearing in places it never was before — and on top of it all, there’s the ever-present pressure to conform to the typical idea of what it means to be “manly” and masculine. But it’s easier to do if you’re armed with facts.

Using personal anecdotes as an overly observant mother of two boys and plenty of scientific information from her life as a neuroscientist, Mayim Bialik, PhD, star of The Big Bang Theory, talks directly to teen boys about what it means to grow from a boy to a man biologically, psychologically, and sociologically. Using the same cool, fun, and friendly tone that she took in Girling Up, Mayim takes boys–and their parents!–through the challenges and triumphs of Boying Up today.

In six sections (How Boys Bodies Work; How Boys Grow; How Boys Learn; How Boys Cope; How Boys Love; and How Boys Make a Difference), she takes a look at what it means for boys to come of age in today’s world, how can they take control of their paths, and what can they do to help shape the types of futures they want for themselves.

About: Boying Up is a young adult nonfiction written by Mayim Bialik, PhD. It was recently published on 5/8/2018 by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, hardcover, 200 pages. The genres are parenting, young adult, and nonfiction. There is another book for girls called Girling Up. This book is intended for readers ages 12 years old and up, grades 7 and up. According to the publisher’s website, “Philomel was created in the early 1980s as part of World Publishing Books for Young People, by Editor and Publisher Ann Beneduce. The imprint’s name, which literally means “lover of song,” implied that these books would be lyrical, beautiful in concept and form, and fine enough to be celebrated as gifts.” Please see below for more information about the author and publisher.

My Experience: I started reading Boying Up on 6/8/2018 and finished it on 8/29/2018. (It’s silly that it took me this long to read because I have a problem with reading one book but wanting to read another book, so this book got put on hold. There’s nothing against this book. I will definitely read this book again!) This book is an excellent read! I love children’s nonfiction for the very reason that it’s written in an easy to read & easy to comprehend style. It dumbs down with the vocabularies of everyday words that we are familiar with. It has illustrations to give us a visual on what is being discussed. I like the organization of this book with illustrations, boxes, and pictures instead of it being all wordy. I like how the author relates herself and her family in this book. It makes the read more of a memoir rather than a self-help book. I like the author’s clear explanation regarding friends with bad influences versus good influences.

This book’s audience is aim towards boys and young men. Boys will learn about how their body changes as they grow up and how to utilize the time they have. The author recommends that boys should be hands on and do more physical and mental activities instead of watching TV. She relates herself as being very active with musical instruments like playing the piano and the harp as well as being hands on in arts & crafts like learning how to sew from her mom. Readers will also learn to differentiate between good friends and not so good friends. This book will also cover how to be smart about dating, the feelings boys get when they like someone, and to understand about intimacy. Any parents who feel embarrassed about discussing with their sons about sex and pregnancy, this book has it cover too. There’s a chapter on dealing with stress that will be helpful to readers.

Boying Up is very well written and presented. Reading this book reminds me to drink more water and eat better. It lists the consequences with drinking less water and it shocks me how many of them I’m currently suffering. I like the reminder about external influences. I like tips about eating and schooling. My son likes learning about the voice box. I like the fun chapter on dating and the explanation on how it feels to crush on someone. I like the author’s advices on education and men who made history. This book is very positive and it gears toward preparing boys to grow into a happy and successful life. I would highly recommend all teens to read this book! There are so many excellent advices I love learning and I just couldn’t list them all on my review.

Pro: easy to read, useful tips, fast paced, page turner, illustrations, personal experiences, humor,

Con: none

I rate it 5 stars!

Buy it here for free shipping: Book Depository or Penguin’s Website

About the Author:

Mayim Bialik is best known as Amy Farrah Fowler on America’s #1 comedy, The Big Bang Theory, a role for which she has received four Emmy nominations and a Critics’ Choice Award. She also starred in the early-1990s sitcom Blossom. Mayim earned a BS from UCLA in Neuroscience and Hebrew and Jewish studies, and went on to earn a PhD from UCLA in Neuroscience. She is the author of Beyond the Sling and Mayim’s Vegan Table.

Mayim founded GrokNation.com in 2015 as a platform for sharing her writing on everything from religious observance to women’s issues to politics to maintaining modesty in Hollywood. She seeks to present herself as a normal, imperfect mom trying to make everything run smoothly in a world that often feels out of her control. Mayim lives in Los Angeles with her strong, smart, spectacular sons.

You can visit Mayim Bialik at groknation.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @MissMayim. Watch her videos at youtube.com/mayimbialik. (Photo and info obtained from Penguin’s website).

More Information about Penguin Random House

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***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Penguin Young Readers for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine