THINGS JUST AREN'T THE SAME: A STORY ABOUT GROWING UP. Brett, Catherine. Toronto, The Women's Press, 1987. 104pp, paper, $4.95, ISBN 0-88961-115-7. CIP Grades 6 and up Reviewed by Nadiya Blaine Volume 16 Number 1 1988 January Ostensibly, this book is about the relationship between Anita and Brian, who have grown up together. They have lived practically next door to each other most of their lives and are very good friends. They spend a lot of time together because they are always involved in different projects. This time their project is the building of an airplane. However, as they are twelve years old, they find that the other kids are teasing them about their relationship. This embarrasses them and breaks up their friendship. The storyline is thin because, basically, the theme of this book is "growing up." Catherine Brett writes about the changes that adolescents go through at puberty. The book discusses very frankly such things as nocturnal emissions and menstruation. There arc also labelled diagrams of the male and female reproductive organs. This book is supposed to answer some of the questions that readers may have about their changing bodies and feelings, but 1 don't think it goes far enough in this respect. The book could serve as an introduction to the problems of adolescents, but speaking as a health teacher as well as a teacher-librarian, I don't feel that it satisfies either as a novel or as a health book. The theme and the contents of this book could prove to be controversial, and librarians are well advised to read it before adding it to their paperback shelves. Nadiya Blaine. Bertie Elementary School, Ridgeway, Ont. *Reviewed vol. VI/3 Summer 1987 P.158.