Bookopolis: Month-Long Book Tour: My Little Red Book by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff

"My Little Red Book" by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff

Published by Twelve, a division of Hachette Book Group

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher's description:

"MY LITTLE RED BOOK is an anthology of stories about first periods, collected from women of all ages from around the world. The accounts range from light-hearted (the editor got hers while water skiing in a yellow bathing suit) to heart-stopping (a first period discovered just as one girl was about to be strip-searched by the Nazis). The contributors include well-known women writers (Meg Cabot, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, Cecily von Ziegesar), alongside today's teens. And while the authors differ in race, faith, or cultural background, their stories share a common bond: they are all accessible, deeply honest, and highly informative. Whatever a girl experiences or expects, she'll find stories that speak to her thoughts and feelings.

Ultimately, MY LITTLE RED BOOK is more than a collection of stories. It is a call for a change in attitude, for a new way of seeing periods. In a time when the taboo around menstruation seems to be one of the few left standing, it makes a difficult subject easier to talk about, and helps girls feel proud instead of embarrassed or ashamed. By revealing what it feels like to undergo this experience first hand, and giving women the chance to explain their feelings in their own words, it aims to provide support, entertainment, and a starting point for discussion for mothers and daughters everywhere. It is a book every girl should have. Period."

My opinion:

I think the idea for this book is so ingenious. It is the kind of book that women of all ages, cultures, religions and backgrounds can relate to and from its pages reap wisdom and guidance. More importantly though, My Little Red Book unites women in its message that no matter how different each and every one of us is, we share a common bond. It tells girls that what they're going through is normal and literally happens to all women and that having your period is nothing to be ashamed of but rather should be embraced and celebrated. That is why there is no better book to celebrate Women's History Month!

The stories represent women of all backgrounds and even reveal customs about menstruation from different cultures and eras that I hadn't even heard of until reading about them in the book. Many of them are funny, others are sad, and some are thought-provoking. No matter what emotion they elicit, they are all powerful representations of girls and women all over who have all had that memorable first period. This is the type of book that can be re-read over and over again for generations to come.

As if putting this book together wasn't impressive enough, Rachel Kauder Nalebuff has also decided to donate the proceeds of My Little Red Book to women’s health charities to ensure that the book can help other girls in need, beyond those who read its contents! This truly is the perfect gift , especially for a girl who has just gotten her first period!

About the author:

Rachel Kauder Nalebuff was initially embarrassed by her first period, but the power of these recollections has rubbed off. She has come to embrace her own story (and has even used it as a conversation starter). Because she talked about periods...let’s just say more than once a month, it was inevitable that she would go down in her high school's history as "the period girl." She is absolutely cool with that.

Rachel is on a gap year before heading to Yale. In her free time, she plays guitar, rides/falls off her unicycle, and indulges in late-night pie baking with friends. My Little Red Book is her first published work.

Have questions? Send Rachel an email