Health

Family Cookbooks – A Roundup

 

 

 

COOKBOOKS FOR ALL!

A Roundup of Recommended Reads

 

 

 

 

Bake Make Learn to Cook coverBAKE, MAKE & LEARN TO COOK: Fun & Healthy Recipes for Young Cooks
Written by David Atherton
Illustrated by Rachel Stubbs
(Candlewick Press; $17.99, Ages 5-9)

Bake, Make & Learn to Cook: Fun & Healthy Recipes for Young Cooks by David Atherton is an enjoyable but thorough first cookbook for elementary-schoolers. The wide range of appealing recipes is explained in easy-to-follow boxes of information. Recipes include kid-friendly foods such as pancakes, pizzas, and cake. I like how some weave in animal elements. For example, Banana Bear Pancakes, Octo-Pizzas, and Hummus Lion. It doesn’t take much extra work to elevate a seemingly standard recipe to something exciting.

Kids will enjoy exploring recipes such as Edible Chia Bowls, Happy Curry, and Zingy Cake Squares (lemon adds the “zing”). I appreciate new-to-me ideas such as making your own hot dogs (Veggie Hot Dogs) and the clever concept of serving soup from a teapot (Teapot Soup). Other personal favorites include Sweet and Spicy Dip (with sweet potato, garlic, tahini, lime, and spices) and the adorably tasty Crunchy Hedgehogs (a variation of twice-cooked potatoes with tuna, cheese, and peas coated with bread crumbs).

Care is taken throughout to convey information in a way that’s simple to grasp. The upbeat art by Rachel Stubbs helps further explain the directions and provides a pleasant, visual element. I would recommend this cookbook without hesitation for young cooks and their adult helpers

 

The Complete Cookbook for Young Scientists THE COMPLETE COOKBOOK FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS:
70+ Recipes and Experiments for Every Young Chef (Young Chefs Series)
by America’s Test Kitchen
(America’s Test Kitchen Kids; $19.99, Ages  8+)

For science-minded kids or anyone looking to better understand the whys of cooking and baking, The Complete Cookbook for Young Scientists has the answers! It’s beautifully laid out with full-color photos throughout and fun experiments leading into recipes that put the science into delicious use. When I saw the cover (which features an unreal-looking cake with a gelatinous black, purple, and teal icing), I knew I had to get this book and learn how to make that recipe—it’s a showstopper.

Adults will enjoy this book much as kids because there’s much to learn. I’ve made berry muffins for years and didn’t realize that the addition of yogurt creates a lighter, fluffier texture, or that adding baking soda when caramelizing onions enhances the sweetness. The Edible Spheres recipe blew my mind: using gelatin plus a flavoring (even hot sauce works!) makes tiny boba-size spheres form because of the reaction between oil and water.

If you’re looking to perfect a cookie or cake recipe, this book’s tips will surely get you there. I like the experiment where you make two batches of cookies, one using white sugar and the other using brown sugar. The results clearly show how swapping out just one ingredient makes a big difference in taste, texture, and thickness.

Questions that kids would ask start out the chapters. Some examples include: Can you tell the difference between crispy and crunchy? Why do spices have so much flavor? Why do the different parts of the chicken taste and look different? Answers are provided in a way that’s easy to understand and thorough, involving hands-on experiments where kids test their theories.

This book is the fourth in the Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs series and it does not disappoint. While marketed for a middle-grade audience, the content is also relevant for elementary-schoolers who love to be in the kitchen (or the lab!) and has enough fascinating information to hold the attention of teens and adults. My copy has been well-used in the short time I’ve had it. I’m on board for America’s Test Kitchen’s upcoming Teen Chefs book (March 2022) because this series is terrific.

 

Let's Make Dumplings coverLET’S MAKE DUMPLINGS! A Comic Book Cookbook
Written by Hugh Amano
Illustrated by Sarah Becan
(Ten Speed Press; $19.99)

Let’s Make  Dumplings! is the latest comic-style cookbook from the successful duo, Hugh Amano and Sarah Becan. If you enjoyed their ramen book, this one is just as great. What sets these books apart is that they read like a graphic novel. Full-color panels that convey each recipe’s directions in a new and creative manner, making the content accessible to a wide range of readers. Varying skill levels are accommodated and the cookbook can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Who doesn’t love Asian dumplings?! Gyoza, potstickers, wontons, rangoon—yum! With so many shapes and fillings, the options are endless once you master the basics. After a bit of “dumpling lore,” the book begins logically with pantry, equipment, and an explanation of the different wrappers. I was excited to see a recipe for the dough since kids may just think wrappers come from the store!

Learn to make a variety of fillings (meat, vegetarian, even dessert styles) and different methods of sealing the delicious ingredients inside the wrapper. Finish by pan-frying, steaming, or even deep-drying such as for sesame balls). A new-to-me recipe that I particularly enjoyed was the Num Kom (Sweet Cambodian Rice Dumplings) which are filled with coconut and sesame seeds, then steamed in a banana leaf-lined basket.

And don’t forget about the ever-popular baozi. A comprehensive chapter explains how to make these delightful buns. Begin with the well-known steamed pork buns but be sure to move on to also try ones filled with curried beef, kung pao chicken, different kinds of pork, or savory mushrooms.

The final chapter brings it home with a wide range of fabulous sauces that complete the dumpling experience. Some are simply two ingredients: Kewpie mayonnaise and chile sauce. Others play off the sweet-and-sour elements such as the duck sauce made with apricot jam, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and cayenne. I can think of lots of foods I’d like to dip in that!

While this book focuses on Eastern dumplings, I like how the fact that food unites us is stated. A map shows where the recipes come from but the accompanying blurb explains how dumplings span the entire globe. Dumplings “transcend any imagined borders of culture and caste” and “unite us all.” Readers are encouraged to do their own research, travel, and make the recipes their own.

 

Sourdough Baking with Kids cover

SOURDOUGH BAKING WITH KIDS:
The Science Behind Baking Bread Loaves with Your Entire Family
Written by Natalya Syanova
Photography by Haas and Haas Photography
(Fair Winds Press/Quarto; $24.99, All Ages)

Natalya Syanova’s Sourdough Baking with Kids gives everyone the ability to make this beloved bread. Start at the beginning and carefully read the instructions. Time is needed—ten days or so—to create a viable starter that will then enable you to try many recipes beyond the basic loaf. The photographs by Haas and Haas Photography showcase the many delicious recipes.

Kids will marvel at how simple it all is. The starter consists of only filtered water and flour. Amazingly, it comes to life and maybe bubbles over the side of the jar in response to being fed, or becomes weak when it’s past time to feed it. Facts add to the wonder. For example, the oldest sourdough starter on record was 122 years old; starter can be lovingly passed from generation to generation.

The first recipe is basic (and very delicious) sourdough bread. A beautiful version uses purple corn flour, which gives the loaf a lovely hue. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the Double Chocolate Sourdough Loaf may become a favorite in your household; or perhaps it will be the Sweet S’mores Sourdough Loaf. In chocolate chip cookies, sourdough makes the cookies tender and soft. The starter can also be used in brownies, babka, doughnuts, and more.

If you prefer savory dough, check out the pizza, English muffins, pretzels, bagels, and biscuits. If that’s not enough, there are also recipes for cheddar scones, tortillas, and naan. Once you get going, there really are no limits as to what you can make using your starter.

Each recipe has an enticing, full-color photo. In addition to the ingredients and directions, you’re given helpful notes and a sample schedule so you can plan out the time needed. I like the “fun part” sections because they speak directly to the young bakers. Even if they may not be able to follow a recipe (yet!), they certainly can mix and knead dough, divide dough, press it down, and roll it out.

For more independent baking, this book is best suited for tweens, teens, or adults who possess patience and the ability to follow recipes involving precise measurements and timetables. The investment of time and effort is worthwhile; helping something grow from almost nothing is remarkable. This book bestows a solid foundation to launch readers on their journeys of baking with sourdough.

 

Easy Vegan Home Cooking coverEASY VEGAN HOME COOKING
Written by Laura Theodore
(Hatherleigh Press; $25)

Popular host of TV’s Jazzy Vegetarian, Laura Theodore, shares delicious recipes and thoughtful advice in Easy Vegan Home Cooking: Over 125 Plant-Based and Gluten-Free Recipes for Wholesome Family Meals. In addition to recipes, you’ll find helpful tips. For example, oat flour can be quickly made from rolled oats creating fresh flour. (Use it in breads, cookies, or other baked goods.) Or, soaked, drained, and blended raw cashews add a clever creaminess.

My favorite recipes included Pecan-Crusted Zucchini Filets. Squash is a go-to in our house; this version adds loads of flavor from the quick dip in mustard and maple syrup and the yummy nut and cornflake coating. Though we love broccoli and tofu, they feel boring at times—but not with this smoky sauce that accompanies Broccoli-Tofu Szechuan Sauté. For dessert, Petite Apple Ramekins with Coconut-Oat Crunch provide a new twist using items I often have on hand. Your family will feel special digging into their individual servings that smell and taste divine.

Beyond useful advice and wonderful recipes (many with accompanying full-color photos), I appreciate Theodore’s heartfelt sentiments about how she chooses a plant-based way of eating because of her compassion for animals, desire for better health, and aim to become more environmentally responsible. She believes that “we can all help save the world—one recipe at a time!”

 

 

Share this:

Kids Cookbook Review – The Silver Spoon for Children (New Edition)

THE SILVER SPOON FOR CHILDREN (NEW EDITION):

FAVORITE ITALIAN RECIPES

Edited by Amanda Grant

With illustrations by Harriet Russell

(Phaidon; $24.95, Ages 7-10)

 

silver spoon for children AE cover

 

The popular and influential Italian cookbook for children, The Silver Spoon for Children, has been updated for its tenth anniversary with a newly designed edition. Forty traditional recipes show kids and tweens it’s easy to create delicious meals from a few, quality ingredients. The opening pages include some background about Italian cooking, followed by equipment identification, and helpful techniques—a good place to start if your child is new to cooking, or, needs a review.

 

silver spoon for children AE 6019 pp 178 179
The Silver Spoon for Children: Favorite Italian Recipes, 10th Anniversary Edition,  Edited by Amanda Grant with illustrations by Harriet Russell, Phaidon (New Edition); Stuffed Peaches, step-by-step recipe (pages 178-179).

 

Kids comfortable in the kitchen can dive right in, selecting relatively straightforward snacks like Prosciutto & Melon, or making their own dough (for Pizza, Pasta, or Focaccia), or testing delectable desserts such as Hazelnut Cake or Fruits of the Forest Ice Cream. Each recipe has four pages, enticing the reader while clearly conveying the instructions. Recipes begin with an overview listing ingredients alongside a full-page color photograph of that dish. The next two pages have written directions beside illustrations, teaching in two different ways.

 

silver-spoon-for-children-AE-6019-pp-180-181
The Silver Spoon for Children: Favorite Italian Recipes, 10th Anniversary Edition,  Edited by Amanda Grant with illustrations by Harriet Russell, Phaidon (New Edition); Stuffed Peaches, step-by-step recipe (pages 180-181).

 

Our ten-year-old daughter chose to make Baked Maccheroni with Parmesan and we were pleased with the tasty results. This recipe has simple ingredients but requires some diligence to properly complete the sauce, developing it from roux to béchamel. (What a difference from boxed Mac & Cheese!) As with many of these Italian staples, once a child has mastered a basic recipe, they can add their own flair or vary the ingredients each time thereafter.

 

silver spoon for children AE 6019 pp 128 129
The Silver Spoon for Children: Favorite Italian Recipes, 10th Anniversary Edition,  Edited by Amanda Grant with illustrations by Harriet Russell, Phaidon (New Edition); Beans With Sausages, step-by-step recipe (pages 128-129).

 

While many recipes were familiar favorites, I was happy to discover new gems such as the Banana Cream dessert. It calls for just six ingredients that we usually have around the house and can be assembled in minutes—the perfect weeknight treat.

Parents, if you’re using this cookbook more than your child, there’s also the new and luxurious The Silver Spoon Classic adult cookbook. Put both on your holiday wish list, or treat yourself! Pair the books with an apron or wooden spoons and a whisk for the perfect gift year round.

Find out more about Amanda Grant here.
Find out more about Harriet Russell here.

 

Click here for another kids cookbook review.

Share this:

Best Health and Well-Being Books for Tweens and Teens

A ROUNDUP OF NONFICTION BOOKS

ABOUT GROWING UP, FRIENDSHIPS & FEELING GREAT

 

Bunk 9's Guide to Growing Up cvrBUNK 9’S GUIDE TO GROWING UP:
Secrets, Tips, and Expert Advice on the Good,
the Bad and the Awkward
Written by Adah Nuchi
Illustrated by Meg Hunt
Vetted by Dr. Meryl Newman-Cedar
(Workman Publishing; $12.95, Ages 8-12)

★Starred Review – Publishers Weekly

Bunk 9 at Camp Silver Moon is traditionally a bunk for 12-year-old girls who experience their first kiss or get an unexpected visit from their first period. But this summer the Silver Moon Sisterhood, 16-year-old C.I.T.s (Counselors in Training) take over their former bunk and are reminded of what it was like to be twelve. Bunk 9’s Guide To Growing Up written by Adah Nuchi and illustrated by Meg Hunt, with medical supervision from Dr. Meryl Newman-Cedar, takes an innovative approach to answering age-old questions about puberty.

“While there are a whole lot of changes that happen on the road to womanhood, they’re all leading somewhere completely wonderful. (And once you get the hang of them, tampons aren’t scary at all),” inspiring the teens’ idea for a book because the Sisterhood says, WE’RE HERE TO HELP.

The girls of Bunk 9, I mean young women, leave behind “the book” that contains magical and non-magical secrets, tips and expert advice for girls on the good, the bad, and the awkward, for the next groups of girls the following summers. Each girl has her own unique personality from Brianna the social butterfly, Emma L. the science wiz and Makayla the expert bra shopper.

The composition style book begins remembering Week One when the C.I.T.s were a mere twelve. It was the fourth Summer the girls would spend together, and they were anxious to meet each other as they were dropped off. But when Abby runs to meet Brianna she discovers that her old friend towers above her. Abby looked like a stick figure. As they unpacked their belongings, Emma R. displayed a stick of deodorant, while Emma L. had a little razor. As the reader turns page after page, she learns about the very beginning of puberty through a drawing of a real-life girl whose body changes as her hair starts to grow in new places and her hips begin to widen.

Hunt brings the reader into the story with colorful comic book art depicting the first time caring for your hair entirely on your own; saying no to zebras and getting white marks on your shirt (or how to put on a shirt without getting deodorant on it) with drawings of a zebra and a girl struggling to put her shirt on over her head. The drawings allow the reader to see pictures of women’s breasts and men’s unclothed bodies without feeling embarrassed seeing real life photographs.

Each C.I.T. journals her own tips. Abby tells the reader what it’s like to be a late bloomer and we learn about the disastrous results of Grace stuffing her bra. With sticker art of cacti, butterflies and rainbows you would place on a school book, the reader encounters real-life stories that all tween and teen girls will eventually experience. The reader learns about pads and tampons; cramping remedies; and various diets and feelings.

One of my favorite chapters is Week Six where the 16-year-olds discuss health. The reader learns that “staying healthy is about more than eating right; it’s also about getting regular exercise.” And as we encounter Jenna and Grace not getting along, we see that young bodies aren’t the only thing that changes during puberty― feelings and emotions change too. Explained in a way that all preteen girls can relate to, these not so easy topics are discussed in a manner that allows the parent to teach these necessary topics while the girls see that they may have differences but they should never allow them to tear them apart. Girls will walk away feeling like they, too, are part of the Silver Moon Sisterhood.

All About Us book coverALL ABOUT US:
Our Dreams, Our World, Our Friendship
Written by Ellen Bailey
Illustrated by Nellie Ryan
(Andrews McMeel Publishing; $12.99, Ages 8-12)

There’s nothing better than sharing your most precious thoughts, feelings, and dreams with your best friends. Writer Ellen Bailey with illustrator Nellie Ryan, have created a wide variety of games, quizzes and questionnaires to play along with your BFF to find new ways to discover why your friendship is so special in All About Us, a companion book to All About Me.

Ryan’s illustrations welcome the reader to two diverse teenage girls surrounded by water colored painted red, pink and blue hearts who are happily asking and answering questions on knowing me and knowing you; special memories of when they met; and what does the future hold for them.

Friends are asked to individually make a playlist of their top ten tunes marking Hit or Miss on the side, letting the BFF choose if your songs are a hit or miss, and the BFF gladly does the same for your list. Daydreaming about your future children wouldn’t be fun without listing your top boy and girl names, and seeing if your pal and you will both have daughters named Emma!

With hours of questions displayed on lavender and white pages to keep best buds occupied, tween readers can complete the questions page by page or skip around to find what interests them. From drawing silly sketches of your friend to choosing their top movie choices for movie night, the reader creates a lasting record of their friendship. Ryan allows plenty of space to complete quizzes and fill-in sections. Knowing that girls will find a page that fits the mood and moment, each page ends with date, time and place and completed by which is a great way for friends to remember the day with fondness.

Bailey gives preteens a chance to walk away from the computer screen and spend time together learning things they never knew about their BFF, while rediscovering new details of what they already know. This is a great book to bond girls together and use their imaginations by exploring their artistic and writing skills.

Project You Book CoverPROJECT YOU:
More Than 50 Ways to Calm Down, De-Stress and Feel Great
Written by Aubre Andrus with Karen Bluth, PhD
Illustrated by Veronica Collignon
(Switch Press/Capstone; $14.95; Ages 14 and up)

★Starred Review – VOYA

Growing up is hard and learning to feel good about yourself under everyday stressors is something everyone needs tools for to lead a happy, healthy life as broken down by children’s book author Aubre Andrus with Karen Bluth, PhD in her latest book Project You, with a mix of photos, and illustrations by Veronica Collignon.

Andrus breaks down 50 ways to simplify life for the young adult reader, acquainting them with concepts of mindfulness, breathing, healthy eating and finding balance. Chapters such as the physical practice of yoga, demonstrates photographic poses for relaxation and stretching. Photos of young girls journaling in foreign cities and then a drawing of a girl holding a gratitude journal gives a wide assortment of visuals to reach various moods. The reader is given ideas on ways to de-stress with recommendations for happy music from the ’60s to present to change your mood, and finding a new hobby such as photography or learning a new tune on the guitar.

“The more you stay in the present moment, the more you’ll let go of stressing about things that may happen in the future or things you might regret about the past. This is why a lot of research has shown that people who practice mindfulness are less depressed, less anxious, and less stressed.”

This book lists activities, exercises, crafts and recipes that can help all ages transform their mindset and their emotions. Mindfulness tips are displayed throughout the book, such as in the chapter “Find A Furry Friend”, Andrus says, “Whether it’s your pet or an animal in a petting zoo or park, take time to just observe the animal. If you notice that your mind starts to drift as you are watching, gently bring your attention back to that animal.” As I read through the book, I skipped chapters then returned to them later; checked out the songs she suggests to uplift my mood and put ingredients on my shopping list for her smoothie recipe.

Adults can read the book and make suggestions to their teens, or teens can read and create their own gratitude journal. “The Wellness Check” was a great way to review what may need improvement and how you can make these changes. The last chapter “How To Ask For Help” gives the reader resources she can turn to whether it’s a doctor, social worker or school counselor she knows asking for help makes you stronger, not weaker. It’s a great book to keep on the bookshelf and return to when you need that extra support.

  • Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder

 

Share this:

Calling All Foodies! The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs

THE COMPLETE COOKBOOK FOR YOUNG CHEFS
by America’s Test Kitchen
Interior photography by America’s Test Kitchen
Interior illustrations by Sourcebooks, Inc.
(Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; $19.99, Ages 8-12)

 

 

cover art and photograph from The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs

 

 

★Starred Review – Booklist
The #1 New York Times Best Seller
An Amazon Best Book of 2018

Middle-grade foodie or picky eater? The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs, a National and Regional Indie Bestseller from America’s Test Kitchen, works for both kinds of kid. Foodies will enjoy testing their know-how; picky eaters get involved in the process, opening doors to new foods. The text guides the inexperienced, starting with the basics: “read carefully, stay focused, practice safety, mistakes are OK.” Tools, kitchen lingo, and how to best do things are explained. Fancy touches such as garnishing and plating make dishes shine.

 

int artwork + photography from The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America's Test Kitchen
Interior spread from The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America’s Test Kitchen with Interior photography by America’s Test Kitchen and Interior illustrations by Sourcebooks, Inc, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky ©2018.

 

Beautiful color photos accompany the 100+ kid-tested and kid-approved recipes. Each is rated with one to three chef hats to quickly identify the difficulty level (more hats = more complexity). Symbols also note whether the recipe requires a knife, microwave, stovetop, oven, or if no knives or heat are necessary. For example, hummus is a one-hat, no knife/heat recipe, whereas Mexican Street Corn warrants three hats, the use of a knife, microwave, and oven. Using the Tea, No Kettle method, my daughter tried steeping tea bags at room temperature to make tea without bitter notes and that worked really well. I also found the suggestion in Decorating Cupcakes to keep sprinkles within the cookie cutter a clever idea and would recommend this anyone, especially to add a special design touch.

 

int artwork + photography from The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America's Test Kitchen
Interior spread from The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America’s Test Kitchen with Interior photography by America’s Test Kitchen and Interior illustrations by Sourcebooks, Inc, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky ©2018.

The book concludes by explaining the US Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate illustration to help kids recognize the major food groups and portioning. Each Complete Cookbook recipe has a caloric and nutritional breakdown in an easy-reference chart, a no-pressure way for kids to read about choices they can make each day. Also mentioned are the benefits of eating with others, exercising, and understanding that “it’s about good habits—not perfection.” These important messages communicate that we make a difference in our lives, one choice at a time.

Click here for America’s Test Kitchen kids website.

 

  • Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt

Writer, editor, and owner of Write for Success www.Write-for-Success.com

@WFSediting, Christine@Write-for-Success.com

Share this:

HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD. by Naama Bloom

HELLOFLO: The Guide, Period.
THE EVERYTHING PUBERTY BOOK
FOR THE MODERN GIRL
Written by Naama Bloom
Illustrated by Fleur Sciortino

 Cvr image HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD by Naama Bloom; illustrated by Fleur Sciortino

 

Read an excerpt from HELLOFLO: The Guide, Period.
Just scroll down for a taste of Chapter Seven
courtesy of Penguin Young Readers.
(Dutton Children’s Books; $19.99 Hardcover & $12.99 Paperback,
Ages 10 and up)

Tweens and teens will enjoy HELLOFLO founder Naama Bloom’s shame-free attitude towards all things period-related, making this an ideal read for girls entering puberty and interested in learning more about their bodies. Got questions about bras, cramps, facial hair, shaving or tampons? The answers are all in here. Bloom’s even included stories from girls and women who’ve been there and whose experiences will remind adolescents that they’re not alone. Know someone who needs this information or will need it soon? Consider sharing this post with its enlightening excerpt about changes that occur in the brain during puberty. They’ll want to read more. This honest and empowering guide, vetted by doctors, covers a variety of essential topics such as:

· BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: HELLOFLO encourage early detection practices, and emphasizes the importance of knowing your body, starting with instructions for giving breast self-examination (pages 40-41)
· STUFF WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT: Like period-proof underwear and a recommendation for a good gynecologist, there is some information that is meant to be shared. Everyone has someone – a young girl, a grown woman, a mom, a dad, an aunt, a big sibling – who would want to hear about a modern and inclusive puberty guide.
· FOR YOUR FYI: What are fallopian tubes, again? Do periods attract sharks? When did modern shaving start? There is so much information packed into HELLOFLO’s colorful diagrams.

 

Int image girl and doctor HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD by Naama Bloom;
Interior artwork from HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD. by Naama Bloom; illustrated by Fleur Sciortino / Penguin Young Readers © 2017

 

EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER SEVEN, MIND THE GAP:

Meet Your Brain

We’re going to talk about your brain and how it develops. This is critical information that I didn’t have until I was already a grown-up. Once I learned about this stuff, I realized how helpful it would have been to know all of this when I was still a kid. That’s why I’m sharing it with you.

What you’re about to read is an introduction, a vastly simplified overview of brain function and development to help you understand what’s happening. This is not a complete explanation; it’s really just broad strokes.

Think of your brain as your command center. In this command center there are approximately 100 billion neurons. Neurons are cells that transmit information through your brain.

int image Brain Development Age 6 from HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD.
Interior artwork from HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD. by Naama Bloom; illustrated by Fleur Sciortino / Penguin Young Readers © 2017

Your brain, and its neurons, perform important functions and are responsible for your behavior, feelings, and judgment.

Your brain completed approximately 95 percent of its development before you were six years old. Your brain, like your body, had a major growth spurt. Right now, while you’re going through puberty, your brain is having another growth spurt, and the pathways that make connections between your actions and your brain are further developing.

Have you ever seen a plasma globe? It’s a clear glass ball with a mixture of gases and an electrical current. When you aren’t touching the outside of the globe, it looks like a bunch of small lightning bolts coming from the center. Then when you touch the outside of the globe, the bolts come together to form fewer, stronger bolts. Your brain develops much like a plasma globe. There are bolts, or neural pathways, in every direction. Then, like someone’s hand is placed on the globe, the smaller neural pathways disappear in favor of fewer, stronger neural pathways.

Int image brain development age 15 from HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD
Interior artwork from HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD. by Naama Bloom; illustrated by Fleur Sciortino / Penguin Young Readers © 2017

During puberty, it’s as if there are a few hands being placed on your plasma globe to make fewer, stronger bolts. Here’s an example. If you really love to play a musical instrument and you keep playing throughout your adolescence, those pathways will become permanent and you’ll likely keep playing that instrument, or at the very least maintain the skill, for the rest of your life. But if you stop playing and practicing during adolescence, those pathways will slowly get weaker or even disappear. The cells and connections that are used frequently will survive and flourish until they essentially become hardwired. But the paths that aren’t used are the small bolts that disappeared. These pathways don’t have to be lost forever; you can always learn new skills or re-learn those that have been lost. But your chances of hardwiring skills increase if you work on them throughout your adolescent brain growth spurt.

How the Command Center Makes Decisions

The way your brain is developing also impacts the way you make decisions.

There are two parts of your brain that are critical to -decision making: the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system. Think of these two parts of the brain like this: The limbic system makes decisions based on emotion, and the prefrontal cortex makes decisions based on logic. The tricky part for you is this: Your prefrontal cortex, or rational brain, is not fully developed until you are about thirty years old; those bolts in the prefrontal cortex are just starting to get stronger. But your limbic system bolts are nice and strong.

The Limbic System

The limbic system is the part of the brain that controls your emotions. It controls your tears and your laughter and your anger. This part of the brain will be pretty much fully developed by the time you go through puberty.

Your limbic system wants you to feel good. It’s the part that loves your friends. Because it’s fully developed before your prefrontal cortex, your rational brain, sometimes it can get you in difficult situations. For example, when you’re with your friends and someone has an idea to do something fun, but perhaps risky, your limbic system will get excited to ride along. Since it’s fully developed, it might get to a decision quicker than your prefrontal cortex. Your fully developed limbic system plays a big role in the peer pressure adults worry about.

Another great example of how to understand this distinction is to think about using helmets. When you’re a little kid you wear a helmet when you’re riding a scooter, riding your bike, or skiing, rarely challenging your parents. But when you get a little older, sometimes helmets seem less cool. Your brain hasn’t gotten stronger or more resistant to concussions if you fall. But you are making decisions for yourself and you are choosing what feels good, not necessarily what’s the safest. That’s your limbic system talking without getting feedback from your prefrontal cortex.

It’s nothing to be ashamed of. When I was a teen it wasn’t considered cool to zip up a winter coat and wear a hat. I still recall freezing outside with my friends in the winter because I was more concerned about pleasing them than I was about staying healthy. My limbic system won a lot back in those days.

The Prefrontal Cortex

As we discussed, the prefrontal cortex won’t be fully developed until you are roughly thirty years old. Yes, thirty! For many of us, that’s after we choose to begin families. Hard to imagine, right?

The prefrontal cortex is in charge of making rational decisions. When you were little you needed your grown-up to tell you not to touch the stove because it was too hot and you’d get burned. The prefrontal cortex is the part of your brain that tells you these sorts of things as you get older, so you don’t need your grown-up around all the time to make sure you don’t get hurt.

This is important so I’m saying it again:

The part of your brain that is responsible
for making rational decisions is not fully formed until you’re thirty years old.

As you get older, the decisions you’re faced with are more nuanced than whether or not you should touch a hot stove. Also, the really complicated decisions are often made with your friends who we know now impact your limbic system. That’s why this is such critical information.

An undeveloped prefrontal cortex is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. You’re still on the hook for all your actions. You remain responsible for you. However, it does mean you might have to work harder in order to make good decisions.

When you’re a grown-up all these parts work together at the same speed. When you’re going through puberty, it can sometimes feel a bit like your limbic system is in charge.

So what’s a girl to do?

For one thing, be patient. When I said your prefrontal cortex won’t be fully developed until you’re thirty that doesn’t mean that it’s not capable of making good decisions. What that means is that it operates more slowly than the other parts of your brain. So while the emotional part of the brain is moving quickly, the prefrontal cortex is sluggish to respond.

There is one thing you can do to help you make better decisions: slow down. Give your rational brain a chance to process and catch up. Find a quiet place and really think about your decisions. You’ll be glad you did.

Text excerpted from HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD by Naama Bloom / Penguin Young Readers © 2017
Images from HELLOFLO: THE GUIDE, PERIOD by Naama Bloom; illustrated by Fleur Sciortino / Penguin Young Readers © 2017

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Naama Bloom is the founder of HelloFlo.com, a modern-day health site for girls and women. Her mission for HelloFlo was to create a place where women and girls could learn about their bodies in an open and honest environment without any shame and with a healthy dose of humor. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and two children. HelloFlo:The Guide, Period. is her first book.

Naama Bloom

Fleur Sciortino

Share this:
Back To Top
%d bloggers like this: