P.S. Tell No One
by Vikki VanSickle
Scholastic Canada, 2023
ISBN 9781443194013
$12.99, 234 pp, ages 11 – 14
scholastic.ca
This pass-around diary (or PAD) introduces the reader to the changing lives of four girls: Twix, MP, Hoops, and Sunny. These girls use the entries to share their deepest thoughts, feelings, and questions, and it is used as a way for the four of them to communicate. Each girl is distinct in her personality and opinions, but they all work things out despite differing goals. Since MP’s parents didn’t allow her to take sex ed, some of the topics explored in this book are menstruation, boys, their bodies, and consent. Within the span of a few months, the members of the PAD grow and learn more about girlhood. For example, Sunny gets her first period, MP overcomes stage fright, and Hoops gets a boyfriend.
Classroom Connections: This book does an excellent job of destigmatizing periods and women’s health. Every few chapters, the girls will share a question that was selected from the anonymous “question box,” where the students are allowed to ask anything regarding sex education. This could be a great addition to the sex ed unit, as it allows kids to share and learn without being judged. This book aligns more with a female demographic; however, it does highlight the importance of all genders learning about periods, and there are universal themes that anyone can identify with. Additionally, one major plot line centres on consent within relationships, which is another important topic to reflect upon.
Review by Katherine West-Sells.
This review is featured in Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Spring 2025 issue.
