The result was a groundbreaking book in which she brought the disturbing statistics to life with skill and flair of an experienced journalist.

Inspired by a study by the American Association of University Women that showed girls' self-esteem plummeting as they reach adolescence, Peggy Orenstein spent months observing, interviewing, and getting know dozens of girls both inside and outside the classroom at two very different schools in northern California. The classic account of the hurdles facing adolescent girls in America-now reissued with a new Foreword, to coincide with the award-winning author's new book on women and identity. Read full overviewĪ 'NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR From premature sexualization to the risk of depression to rising rates of narcissism, the potential negative impact of this new girlie-girl culture is undeniable-yet armed with awareness and recognition, parents can effectively counterbalance its influence in their daughters' lives.A 'NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR The classic account of the hurdles facing adolescent girls in America-now reissued with a new Foreword, to coincide with the award-winning author's new book on women and identity. The stakes turn out to be higher than she ever imagined. or do they?In search of answers, Peggy Orenstein visited Disneyland, trolled American Girl Place, and met parents of beauty-pageant preschoolers tricked out like Vegas showgirls. But how dangerous is pink and pretty, anyway? Being a princess is just make-believe eventually they grow out of it . . . And commercialization has spread the message faster and farther, reaching girls at ever-younger ages. Somewhere between the exhilarating rise of Girl Power in the 1990s and today, the pursuit of physical perfection has been recast as the source of female empowerment. Sweet and sassy or predatory and hardened, sexualized girlhood influences our daughters from infancy onward, telling them that how a girl looks matters more than who she is. Peggy Orenstein, acclaimed author of the groundbreaking New York Times bestsellers Girls & Sex and Schoolgirls, offers a radical, timely wake-up call for parents, revealing the dark side of a pretty and pink culture confronting girls at every turn as they grow into adults.

Schoolgirls by peggy orenstein