Body Drama by Nancy Amanda Redd

Body Drama by Nancy Amanda Redd, Gotham Books, 2008.

Plot Summary

Nancy Amanda Redd’s Body Drama presents clear, straightforward information on a variety of female related topics. The book is divided into five sections—Skin, Boobs, Down There, Hair/Mouth/Nails, and Shape. Each section contains nine to eleven questions/issues related to the topic. For example I’m addicted to tanning can be found under Skin while I feel fat is found under Shape. In addition to the questions are How Tos (such as how to deep condition your hair), FYIs (such as information on Toxic Shock syndrome) and I Confess, in which the author admits to certain thoughts and actions while in the process of writing Body Drama (like having to stop obsessing over her weight). Besides containing factual information the book also includes a myriad of pictures showing real women of all shapes and sizes. Here girls can finally see images of real vulvas and breasts alongside photos of STDs, pimples, corns, and hair removal methods. In the back of the book readers will find the Resources section where Redd provides a list of professional organizations that help women with a variety of issues (like ADD, eating disorders, ect.). She also discusses how to find a doctor and prepare for a visit.

Critical Evaluation

Filled with great information presented in an eye-catching format, Nancy Amanda Redd’s Body Drama is a wonderful addition to a library’s young adult collection. Redd answers even the toughest questions in a straightforward, compassionate manner putting readers at ease. Here teen girls can finally learn the answers to their hard-to-ask, potentially embarrassing questions such as what to do about stretch marks, heavy periods, uneven breasts, and facial hair. Redd also includes practical information on how to give yourself a facial, strengthen your back, measure yourself for a bra, put on a condom, and pick the right underwear. Perhaps the best part of Body Drama is the images found within the book. In writing the book, Redd made sure to include unaltered images of real women of all sizes. As she writes in her introduction, “[w]e [women] deserve to celebrate, not hide, our differences and uniqueness by seeing our real selves in print” (Redd, 2008, p. 19). As a result, Redd has included images of naked women, real vulvas, and actual breasts within her book. Finally, women of all ages can see pictures of women who look like themselves along with images of what actual body problems look like such as third nipples and genital warts. These sorts of pictures are quite rare to find in any book, even a book on health & wellness, making Redd’s book essential for all library collections. In fact, Body Drama’s only flaw is in its physical composition. With cheap binding and no hardcover edition, the book does not last long in a library collection. However, despite this obstacle, all libraries would do well to acquire it as it contains important information that teen girls will have difficulty finding elsewhere.

Reader’s Annotation

This book provides candid answers to questions teen girls may have about their body that they’re too embarrassed to ask. Topics include questions about acne, skin care, breasts, vulvas, and body image.

About the Author

“Nancy [Redd] got a running start on her goal to empower a new generation of women with the priceless gift of self-knowledge when two weeks after graduating from Harvard with an honors degree in Women’s Studies, she won the title of Miss Virginia and went on to make the Top 10 and win the swimsuit competition at Miss America. Nancy has also served as an editor for the Dove campaign’s MSN.com site, as the worldwide spokesperson for Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends & Influence People for Teen Girls, and as contributing editor at CosmoGIRL! magazine. In college, Nancy…won $250,000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and was one of HARVARD magazines Top Six Seniors” (Redd, n.d.).

As she states on the back of Body Drama, she wrote the book because it’s the sort of book she wanted to read when she was a teenager. Although she is currently touring the country promoting her new book Diet Drama, she usually resides in Santa Monica, CA with her husband.

Redd, N. (n.d.) Meet Nancy. Retrieved from http://www.nancyredd.com/about/

Genre

Health & Hygiene, Non-fiction, Puberty, Self-help

Tags

Q&A, zits, acne, tanning, fat, breasts, nipples, piercing, breast exam, vagina, HPV, cramps, period, public hair, shaving, hair care, overweight, eating right, body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, beauty

Curriculum Ties

There are clear ties between this book and units on human biology/reproduction & human health and wellness.

Booktalk Ideas

--Start by asking a series of questions the book answers like “What should I do if I get really bad cramps?” “What do I do if my breath is harsh?” “What happens if my body piercing isn’t healing up?”

--Start out by talking about society’s unrealistic standards for beauty. Progress to how this book helps combat that.

Reading Level/Interest Level

Reading Level: 9^th grade

Interest Level: 7^th -12^th grade (12-18 yrs.)

Reading level was determined by inserting chunks of text into Microsoft Word and using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level.

Challenge Issues

This book could be challenged as it has many photographs of female body parts. It also promotes masturbation which will offend some people. If challenged, librarians should point to how it enhances the school curriculum, particularly biology and human health and wellness units. Librarians should also explain their library collection policy to any would-be challengers.

Why Was This Included?

I wanted to include a non-fiction book in my blog and this is one of the most popular books within my library’s YA non-fiction collection. It is constantly being read to shreds although, sadly, most teens seem to be too embarrassed to check it out. I was curious about the sort of information it contained so I decided to read it for my blog project.