Usborne apologises after puberty book sparks social media backlash

Usborne Publishing has apologised and will revise the content of one of its books after it suggested that girls have breasts “to look grown-up and attractive”.

Growing Up for Boys was published in 2013 but readers have only recently voiced their outrage for the children’s guide to puberty on Twitter and in reviews on Amazon.

The 280-page book is billed as helping to “prepare boys for what to expect from puberty and offers advice on what they can do to cope with the physical, psychological and emotional changes and stay happy and confident as they go through their early teens”. It is offered as a manual for “this exciting and sometimes daunting stage” of becoming a teenager.

‘Dad blogger’ Simon Ragoonanan drew attention to the book on his Man vs. Pink Facebook page where he wrote: “Wtf? From the Usborne Publishing book 'Growing up for Boys': Girls have breasts for two reasons - for feeding babies and looking grown-up and attractive.” His post has been liked around 560 times.

He included a picture of the book's content which reads: "Girls have breasts for two reasons. One is to make milk for babies. The other is to make the girl look grown-up and attractive. Virtually all breasts, no matter what size or shape they end up when a girl finishes puberty, can do both things."

The book then attracted more outrage on social media. 

Stephanie Green tweeted from her @Dauntless_STEM Twitter account: “@Usborne what are you kidding, right? #everydaysexism.”

The criticism of the paperback, which retails at £7.99, also led to a number of one-star reviews on Amazon.co.uk with a user known as C Ron writing: “Outraged by the 'breasts are for making girls look grown up and attractive' part of this book.”

In response, Usborne said it was revising the contents of and reprinting the book. 

 “Usborne apologises for any offence caused by this wording and will be revising the content for reprinting,” a spokesperson said.