Girling Up

By: Mayim Bialik

Narrated by: Mayim Bialik

Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's Summary

Mayim Bialik, star of The Big Bang Theory, puts her PhD to work as she talks to teens about the science of growing up and getting ahead. A must-have book for all teenage girls.

Growing up as a girl in today's world is no easy task. Juggling family, friends, romantic relationships, social interests, and school...sometimes it feels like you might need to be a superhero to get through it all! But really, all you need is little information.

Want to know why your stomach does a flip-flop when you run into your crush in the hallway? Or how the food you put in your body now will affect you in the future? What about the best ways to stop freaking out about your next math test?

Using scientific facts, personal anecdotes, and wisdom gained from the world around us, Mayim Bialik, star of The Big Bang Theory, shares what she has learned from her life and her many years studying neuroscience to tell you how you grow from a girl to a woman biologically, psychologically, and sociologically.

Want to be strong? Want to be smart? Want to be spectacular? You can! Start by listening to this book.

©2017 Mayim Bialik (P)2017 Listening Library

Critic Reviews

"Bialik is encouraging without being preachy...many teens will be drawn to this engaging and useful book." (Booklist)

"Combining her personal experiences and academic credentials, Bialik - television star, mother of two, and neuroscientist - tackles six aspects of what she calls 'girling up', 'the transition from girl to young woman'. When discussing widely covered topics that include body and image, the importance of a balanced diet, exercise, and growth, Bialik adds a few novelties - for example, yoga poses that relieve menstrual cramps and the introduction of mindfulness to eating and stress management." (Publishers Weekly)

"Ultimately, the author stresses that 'Girling Up' does not end with adulthood - it is a lifelong journey. Thanks to Bialik, readers have a road map to make this trip memorable." (School Library Journal)

"Written in conversational style...the tone remains understanding, supportive, and respectful of the reader’s individuality throughout the text." (VOYA)

Useful for teenage girls

I like Mayim and saw some reviews say it's good for women of all age so I ordered it. No. I dozed off listening to the book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Excelente lectura para madres de todos los sexos

Perfectamente narrado, entretenido, divertido y educativo, tanto para madres como para hijo/as en crecimiento que quieren estar bien informados.

Covered everything

I really appreciated this book. Dr. Bialik emphasizes that it is ok to be yourself, who you are, and what you are. I listened to it in the car with my daughter and this is one of the books she stayed in-tuned to it. We did stop it every once in a while to address questions she had, but I really like the message that it is better to be yourself than someone you are not.

refreshing and inspiring

positive, upbeat, kind, realistic, caring conversation with girls of all ages. Be yourself, you can make a difference is the overall message. I felt that I was having a talk with my own mom.

Thank you Dr. Bialik. For your ability to share both humor and vulnerability.

Really good book!

First of all: I always love when the writer is also the one reading the book!
Second, I think this book is a good book for girls and young women! And older women too.. I read it to know wether it would be a good book for my tween-girl.
I think the book is straight forward, not being affraid to talk about all the important topics, witout being judgemental or having the final solution to everything. A lot of times stressing that everyone is different and that different solutions for different girls, are really okay! This is one of the absolut best points in this book, I think!
I really think this is a good book for girls and young women! It covers a great deal of the important topics and concerns, sorrounding you, when you are young.
The only really "sad" thing, is that I can't find this book in my own language (danish), and my tween daugther isn't experienced enough in the english language, to listen to a whole book in english, and understand it. I would really like to have it translated into more languages :)
(sorry if there are spellingerrors or other errors in this text. I am not living in an english speaking country, so my written english, might be a little rusty ;D )

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

This book is one of the most inspirational books I've ever read. It taught me a lot of stuff about me and why I feel the way I feel. I would recommend it for any young girl.

Excellent for females of all ages (and males too)!

This is an absolutely awesome book from Mayim Bialik who became a dedicated scientist and then resumed her acting career as Amy on The Big Bang Theory. (Yes, Mayim really is a neuroscientist - she doesn't just play one on TV.) Mayim's unique training, perspective and life experiences - including her time as a child actor on Blossom - offer rare insight into the world of becoming a woman.
At first glance, this book seems to be written for a younger audience. But adults like myself who have an interest in science will also learn a lot from the eloquently shared information. Mayim uses plain-spoken words to make difficult concepts easy to understand for girls and boys of any age and education level. She also uses physiologically and psychologically appropriate terminology when discussing information and processes concerning food, exercise, health, cultural, spiritual, and lifestyle choices. Her accurate descriptions of fetal development, physical / hormonal changes as maturation occurs, and basic reproduction are scientifically sound. Mayim also discusses the physiological and psychological effects of peer pressure, stress, depression, anxiety, etc; these are offered with compassion and without moral judgment. She does encourage all females to respect themselves, their bodies and minds, and to have confidence in setting boundaries.
The style and cadence of Mayim's narration makes this book an easy listen. Her delightful celebration of life as a woman is contagious and is bound to boost your spirit. Her anecdotes and insights offer wisdom for women of all ages (and men too)!

Recommended for Anyone

Although this was written for teenagers, there were some good information for women of any age. A part memoir and part self-help book, it would be a great gift for any preteen to 20 something young woman. There were many enjoyable stories to illustrate growing up in the modern world.

I think this book is the perfect choice.

Mayim Bialik gives a scientific description of what a girls body goes through, her experiences, and societies views. She covers topics from changes in the body, mental changes, dating, sex, listening to your own body, and how to cope with all the changes. She does a great job relating to the nervous girls out there not wanting to go through this phase of life.

Thank you, for this book, Mayim!

I recently discovered Mayim's YouTube channel and got really into it. I love the topics she talks about and the way she addresses and acknowledges different points of view. When I ran out of interviews and videos of her to watch, I decided to get the audio book of "Girling Up" even though I am 23 and not within the suggested age range.
I loved this book! I bought it this morning and just finished listening to it, so it is not too long.
Mayim touches on some really big topics in this book, which I think, she does in a wonderfully tasteful and appropriate way. I especially loved the mix between talking about sex, hormones puberty and so on from a scientific perspective, as well as from a personal and emotional one.
I felt like, even as a 23 year old biology student (or maybe BECAUSE of that), I still learned some things I didn't know or hadn't yet considered.
There are also a lot of significant resources in her book, such as websites for domestic violence, anonymous alcoholics, eating disorder websites, ... and of course an easy guacamole recipe ;)

Even if you are not a girl 10 - 18, you can enjoy and learn from reading this book and if you are a Mayim fan (like me now) you will definitely find it very interesting and entertaining.

5/5 stars for my favorite Amy Farah Fowler actress :)