She Bear Bride

It’s the summer of 1958, and Beannie, a 13-year-old girl, just can’t wait to grow up. This summer is different. She’s thirteen now, and her body is starting to show glimpses of the fact that she is entering womanhood, but still not as fast as she would like. Beanie convinces her parents to let her bring her best friend, Chick, to the family cottage. Beanie would be happy to have big breasts like her best friend. The girls get a new perspective on body image when they meet a cancer survivor, Birdey, an American Indian, who lives in the area. They’ll also learn lessons about prejudice and alcoholism in this young-adult fiction book that explores how to help a girl deal with body image issues, enter womanhood, and open their eyes to breast cancer.

It’s one of those good adult fiction books that face severe issues of breast cancer, breast awareness, prejudice, and alcoholism honestly and openly to help young women find self-worth. Humor and teenage drama blend as the story plants seeds of God’s plan through Birdey. It deals with breast development in adolescent girls and could be considered an eye-opening breast cancer awareness book for them.
“As an adult who has gone through all the feelings of inadequacy of youth, and then to have had a mastectomy at a young age, married with children, I could easily relate to this story. I could put myself in Beannie’s shoes and Bridey’s moccasins. Young girls (and older) will be able to take away true meaning from this story: It’s what’s on the inside that counts, not the outside packaging.”
—Judy Smith, Breast Cancer Survivor, Branch, Michigan—


Author Carla C. Ohse deals with serious subjects in this young adult fiction book with an honest, light-hearted approach, making it an excellent read for young girls. If you’ve ever wondered how to help a girl with body image issues or the complexities of entering womanhood, this is one of those young adult fiction books that might make those topics easier to discuss.