Karina Evans

"Twelve-year-old Tahlia Wilkins has to deal with getting her first period just before the biggest pool party of the year"--

Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins!

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins

Author: Karina Evans

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary, puberty, periods

Publication Date: April 19, 2022

Genre: MG Contemporary

Age Relevance: 8+ (puberty)

Explanation of Above: The book deals with a character who is going through puberty including her first period.

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Pages: 304

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Tahlia Wilkins is ready to kick off the perfect summer at the popular kid's pool party. But when the Red Goddess of Panties, aka her first period, arrives 24 hours before the pool party, it messes up all her plans. To make matters worse, her mom is out of town, and there’s no way she’s going to ask her dad for help! Tahlia always feared that growing up would be tough, but this is just not fair.

In order to save herself from total embarrassment, it will take all of Tahlia and her best friend Lily’s scheming to keep her reputation—and her favorite jeans—from being ruined. Sneak off to the grocery store only to have the clerk price check your "goods" over the loudspeaker? Check. Trick your mature teenage neighbor into letting you use her bathroom to ‘rehome’ some tampons? Check. Take a dip into a fountain to ‘borrow’ some quarters for a bathroom period product dispenser? Check, check, check! 

With the hilarious and heartwarming tone of Dork Diaries and the critically-acclaimed movie Eighth Grade, Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins! is a coming-of-age middle-grade novel about growing up, in all of its awkward glory.

Review: I really liked this book! It was so sweet and talked about puberty and periods in a way that I think everyone would be able to relate to. It has major Turning Red vibes and the struggles of Tahlia in dealing with her first period will be especially relatable to those who have had to deal with a period or an embarrassing moment that keeps getting worse and worse (trust me, I’ve had my own period horror days). The book is also a great example as to why every member of the family should be educated and brought up to speed on a child’s incoming puberty and/or period concerns. It’s also a great example for why a child needs to know that their parent and/or guardian will have their back and be able to help them in any way during those puberty/period moments. This would be an excellent book for parents and/or guardians to read with their young children as it would serve as a springboard for discussions on planning for those moments. It’s also a great book for young children to read on their own!

The only issue I had with the book is that I felt like it was a bit too fast paced for me, but for a young child it is perfectly paced I think.

Verdict: I love it! Highly recommend!


Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins!

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