Becoming You for Girls

Darby A. Strickland, MDiv, is a faculty member and counselor at the Christian Counseling & Education Foundation (CCEF). She is a contributor to Becoming a Church That Cares Well for the Abused and author of Is It Abuse? A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims, the children's book Something Scary Happened, and the minibook When Children Experience Trauma. She writes regularly for the Journal of Biblical Counseling. Darby and her husband, John, have three children.Lourdes Navarro is an illustrator of children's and young adult literature. She completed her higher studies in illustration and graphic design and has spent ten years working in the children's illustration market. She is currently a freelancer in the Spanish market, with a vision to expand internationally.

“I’m not sure I can give a higher endorsement to this book than this: My pre-teen kids actually wanted to read it! With the care of a trusted mentor, Darby Strickland guides kids—and their parents—through the challenges of puberty with gospel wisdom, practical insight, and the kindness of Jesus.”Laurie Krieg, Director of Parent Programs and Discipleship, The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender“Winsomely written, with eye-catching graphics and illustrations, the Becoming You series on puberty and growing up by Darby Strickland is an informative, conversation-sparking resource that, I hope, gains broad use by families in the church. Throughout each book, Darby highlights that puberty is a time for growth and maturation, not only bodily, but also spiritually. Parents and children nearing puberty will find it warm, down-to-earth, refreshingly honest, highly practical, and eminently Christ-centered.”Michael R. Emlet, Faculty and Counselor, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF); author of Saints, Sufferers, and Sinners: Loving Others As God Loves Us“In a culture where conversations about puberty are often marked by confusion, embarrassment, or competing messages, this resource offers something far better—biblical wisdom, practical guidance, and genuine hope. With remarkable warmth and clarity, it equips parents to walk alongside their sons and daughters through one of life’s most significant seasons of change, and helps them see their developing bodies, not as something to fear or be ashamed of, but as a beautiful part of God’s good design.”Julie Lowe, Director of NextGen Counseling“Like many parents, I don’t always feel confident navigating conversations with my daughter about her changing body. What should I say? How much detail is helpful? Darby Strickland comes alongside both parents and maturing children with wisdom, warmth, and clarity. She speaks directly to girls in an age-appropriate way, which helps them understand the changes they are experiencing. She grounds every conversation in the truth that the God who made them, knows them, and loves them designed their bodies for these developments because becoming a woman is a deep, wondrous good. Parents, read this book alongside your children, and let Darby be a trusted guide as you begin these important conversations together.”Lauren Whitman, Faculty & counselor at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation; author of When Parents Feel Like Failures: How Jesus Quiets Our Distress