What This Series Actually Is
The American Girl Library The Care And Keeping Of You is a series of nonfiction books published by American Girl focused on puberty, body development, and health education for girls. It started in 1998 with the original book and expanded into a broader collection that includes "The Care and Keeping of You 2" which addresses more advanced topics like relationships, emotions, and mental health. I bought the first edition back in 2003 and later picked up the revised editions when they came out. The original felt like a straightforward Q&A format. Girls would write in asking questions and the books would answer them. That approach worked for its time but the content skews pretty dated now. The newer editions fixed some of that with updated medical information and a more inclusive approach.
American Girl Library The Care And Keeping Of You
Here is where people tend to get confused. There is the original standalone book, then there are sequels, then there are spin-off editions like "The Care and Keeping of You: The Junior Body Book" aimed at younger readers, and there are illustrated editions for different age groups. If you are shopping for a specific one, check the publication date. The 2015 and later editions from Amulet Books (an imprint of Abrams) are the ones most people mean when they talk about the current version. The core problem with finding these right now is that inventory gets weird. Bookstores stopped stocking them heavily around 2018-2019. You can still find them on Amazon but pricing varies wildly depending on whether it is new or used. I have seen the same edition listed for anywhere between $6 and $22 depending on condition and seller. The hardcover collector editions run significantly more.
What Is Inside These Books
The books are organized topically rather than chronologically. Each one tackles a specific subject area. The main volume covers menstruation, breast development, body hair, skin changes during puberty, hygiene, body image, and basic reproductive anatomy. The second volume shifts toward emotional health, relationships, friendship conflicts, self-esteem, and handling stress. There is also a separate book about periods specifically called "Periods" that dives deeper into that single topic. One thing that genuinely impressed me about these books is how they handle the questions girls actually ask rather than what adults think girls should be asking. The original 1998 edition grew directly out of question-and-answer letters submitted by real readers. That approach gives the material a grounded quality that most educational books from this era lack. The answers are clinically accurate without being cold, and they acknowledge discomfort and embarrassment instead of pretending those feelings do not exist.
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Common Issues and What to Watch For
The biggest issue I ran into personally is the page numbering on certain printings. I bought a copy of the junior body book thinking it was the same edition as the 2015 release but the page counts did not match the online listings I had been referencing. The content was slightly different too. The illustrations are redrawn in newer editions and the text has been edited for updated medical terminology. If you are cross-referencing editions, check the ISBN carefully. The 2015 paperback of the main volume is ISBN 978-1-4197-1586-3. That one is the most widely available current edition. Another practical problem is the target audience ambiguity. These books sit in a strange middle ground. They are written for ages 8 to 12 but the language can feel either too simple or too clinical depending on which chapter you are reading. Some kids who are advanced readers for their age will find the explanations too basic while other kids who need the information will be perfectly fine with it. I would recommend skimming a chapter or two before handing it to a child if you are unsure whether the reading level matches their comfort zone.
Where to Get These Books
American Girl does not manufacture these anymore. The rights moved and the publishing shifted to Abrams Publishing's Amulet imprint. You can order them directly from the American Girl website but they often show as special order rather than in stock, which means longer wait times. Amazon carries all the major editions but the used market there is unpredictable. Barnes & Noble sometimes has them in stock, especially the younger reader editions. Local libraries are also a solid option if you do not want to commit to purchasing. For the most current information, I usually check the Amulet Books page directly rather than third-party retailers. The American Girl website lists the titles but does not always reflect the actual availability across different print runs. Sometimes a title will appear to be in stock when it is actually on backorder.
How These Books Hold Up Today
These books are no longer the cutting edge of puberty education. The medical information is correct but not groundbreaking by current standards. Pediatricians and school health programs have moved toward more comprehensive curricula that these books do not cover, including consent education, diverse family structures, and LGBTQ+ inclusive language. If your expectation is that these are the definitive modern resource, you will be disappointed. That said, for a general introduction that is age-appropriate and medically sound, they still function adequately. They are accessible enough that a child can read them independently without adult facilitation, which is genuinely useful. Many parents buy them specifically because they do not want to be the first person to explain these topics. The books serve that role reasonably well. I would just pair them with whatever conversation you are already having rather than treating them as a complete substitute for direct communication.
