As the father of a teenage daughter, I am increasingly keenly aware of the massive influence her peers and society at large has on her thoughts and actions. From One Direction to the latest clothing fad to the most recent manner by which to twist a positive word into a negative connotation, the parade of pressure on the youth of today to conform to societal “norms” seems to not want to let up. Thus, I greatly appreciate it when great books come along that are geared towards teenage girls in an effort to clearly delineate the difference between the clamor of society and its every shifting sands and the firm foundation of biblical truth. Kate Conner’s book 10 Things for Teen Girls firmly resides in the category of needed reminders for today’s youth of that sound biblical truth.

This book had its genesis in a blog post by Conner that went viral, so viral in fact that it received two million views in a span of only two weeks. Recognizing that what she was addressing had hit home, Conner wrote this particular book to further elaborate on the salient points she had discussed in her blog post. In 10 Things for Teen Girls, Conner addresses a wide range of relevant subjects including modesty, the temptation to alter your physical appearance to conform, issues regarding social media, relationship drama, following your passion and dreams, emotions, the need to belong, perceptions, and the need for teenage girls to realize they are beautiful in God’s eyes.

My wife and I utilized this book as part of our daughter’s homeschool reading and Bible curriculum. At first our daughter was a bit resistant to read a book she assumed was full of information she already knew. However, as she began to work her way through the biblically based and relevant concepts Conner shares throughout the book, our daughter began to quickly realize that she faces in some form or fashion each and every issue that is discussed. We found the principles and stories in this book to be timely, helpful, and accessible to our 13 year old daughter. Most importantly, Conner insights are full of biblical truth. Whether our daughter will readily admit it or not, we were able to observe through her actions following the completion of each chapter as well as conversations with her about what she read each day that this book had a positive impact on her outlook on the many issues Conner addresses.

For instance, concerning the issue of wearing appropriate clothing, Conner rightly notes that “modesty is not a dirty Christian word. It’s not oppressive or archaic.” Furthermore, she quite frankly and rightfully so notes that boys are attracted to girls bodies because of the reality that what God made is beautiful. In this time of adolescence when hormones are raging like a pot of boiling water, wearing immodest clothing only serves to stir up emotions and physical actions that should await their proper time. Conner aptly comments, “Sweet sisters, all attention is not equal. You think you want attention, but you don’t. You want respect. Use modesty as a tool to pursue that which is greater: admiration, respect, and love.” In a sex crazed society that seems to especially focus on every younger children, hearing this message of the need for modesty is sorely needed.

I highly recommend this book for parents to purchase for their children. Furthermore, I truly encourage parents to read this book as well. Conner includes some very helpful points for discussion at the end of each chapter that would be perfect for family bible study or even in a youth group setting. This book would also be useful as part of a homeschool curriculum, either for reading class or bible class. However you utilize this book, it will greatly benefit your teenage daughter.

This book is available for purchase from B&H Books by clicking here.

I received this book for free from B&H Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”