Between the ages of about nine and fifteen years, lots of changes start to happen to boys and girls. This time in your life is called puberty, and it prepares you for being an adult.

There's no right or wrong way for puberty changes to happen, because everyone is different. Some people start puberty at 9, some at 16 years old. In some people, the changes occur quite quickly; in others they may take several years. Everyone gets there in the end!

Sometimes you may feel embarrassed, scared or strange about these changes to your body and your feelings, but everyone goes through this time and all the changes are completely normal.

Also, it feels like you are on an emotional see-saw - feeling happy one minute and fed up the next. This happens because of the change of chemicals in the body called hormones and will soon sort itself out.

The best thing to do if you are nervous about anything is to talk to a parent, carer, teacher, good friend, or visit your doctor or nurse for a chat.

If you would like to read more about puberty, we recommend these books, which you can buy or get out at the library.

Have You Started Yet? By Ruth Thomson
What's Happening to Me? By Peter Mayle
Sex Ed. By Miriam Stoppard
What's Happening to my Body? By Lynda Madaras
(separate books for girls and boys)

Sex Ed by Dr. Miriam Stoppard (Dorling Kindersley)		Hair in funny places by Babette Cole (Jonathan Cape)