| A friend mentioned that her daughter was struggling with her menstrual cycle, and knowing some cracking books for young people and for parents, I offered to curate her a book list for her, which I thought you might enjoy too. Please try to buy second-hand or from an indy bookseller, but don’t forget it really helps authors to leave reviews on Amazon, even if you bought elsewhere: you can share your love of Second Spring here and The Journal needs some love too! If you’re looking for books on menopause, you can find them here.
Comprehensive, practical, and empowering, WomanCode offers a five-step programme to support hormonal health and overall wellbeing. Hormone health trailblazer, Alisa provides tools to boost energy, balance moods, enhance fertility, and access the transformative power of feminine vitality.
The low-down on menstrual superpowers and seasonality from my legendary teachers at Red School, Alexander Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer. This book is worth its space on every bookshelf; it educates, cheers you on, and ultimately returns us to ourselves. Priceless.
I refer to this book most weeks to check out protocols, information and support for my clients. Great on stopping the pill, fertility, menstrual conditions and speaking to your GP. Lara is the top banana. See also her equally excellent books Hormone Repair and Metabolism Repair.
Maisy combines psycho-spiritual (she trained at Red School) with science, diet and TCM. She teaches women how to harness each phase’s superpowers, optimise energy and focus, identify patterns, and take control, turning the cycles into a roadmap for performance and wellbeing.
Age 15 and up
Code Red transforms the menstrual cycle into a roadmap for wellness, creativity, and self-mastery… or self-mistressy! Lisa pulls in science, ritual, and historical wisdom to help women harness each phase’s superpowers: unlocking fertility, clarity, energy, and confidence while embracing their sacred feminine potential.
Age 14 and up
Fierce, funny and deeply affirming, Period Queen reclaims the menstrual cycle as a source of power. Lucy blends insight and her adorable humour to reveal the gifts of each hormonal phase—inviting readers to work with their cycles, honour their needs, and build a radically kinder relationship with themselves.
Age 14 and up
An accessible, confidence-boosting guide for teenage girls curious about their cycles. Clear, friendly and reassuring, it explains what’s really happening hormonally and emotionally, while introducing cycle charting as a practical tool for self-understanding, body literacy and trust in your changing rhythms. Toni is the author of Take Charge of Your Fertility, which conceived both my kids and two more when I lent it to friends. Proper magic.
Age 13/14
Not about periods, but so worth including. Written by the pioneering founder of Every Day Sexism, Girl Up calls out the lies girls are told about their bodies, behaviour and worth. It dismantles the dumb standards around beauty, power and sexuality, offering a rallying cry for confidence, clarity and self-trust.
12 and up
This is the best gender-neutral book I’ve found, with humour and gender-neutral language. Great illustrations from Mary Purdie, together with the explanations, explain period conditions like endometriosis and POS. You could read together with a younger child.
Age 12 and up
A clear guide that reframes periods as a source of wisdom rather than a burden. Blending accessible science with cycle-syncing insights, this cutely illustrated book helps readers understand their changing energy and emotions, inviting a kinder, more embodied way of living, working and bleeding.
Age 10 and up
With spacious pages and charming watercolours, this introduces emotions, pleasure and healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way, offering a calm, thoughtful counterbalance to the confusing messages children encounter elsewhere.
Age 7 – 10
A practical and playful guide full of activities, stories and wisdom, it supports first periods with warmth, creativity and reassurance. It covers everything they need to know: hormones, body changes, the inner seasons, fun projects, help for period pain, gentle yoga moves, emotional intelligence and mindfulness.
Age 9 and up
An empowering guide and journal for anyone approaching puberty. Clear, inclusive and practical, it demystifies the menstrual cycle, encouraging curiosity, self-care and confidence. The space to track, reflect and create, encourages respect and care.
Age 8 and up
Told through diary entries, Ruby Luna’s Moontime normalises periods with warmth and humour while sharing genuinely useful information. Perfect for early starters, it supports confidence through menstruation and the leap from primary to secondary school.
Age 5 and up
Makes talking about bodies, babies and change natural and easy. Uses clear language and gentle reassurance, helping children learn the correct names, builds confidence, and lays foundations for body-positivity.
A reassuring guide for mothers of 8–13 year olds. Clear, compassionate and practical, this book builds confidence to talk about puberty without the cringe. Packed with facts, scripts and real-life wisdom, it helps deepen the relationship and nurture shame-free, body-loving girls. |
