Publisher forced to pulp guidebook for boys over breast explanation

♦ A publisher has been forced to pulp a guide for boys that claimed girls have breasts to make them “look grown-up and attractive”.

Usborne Publishing apologised after including the wording in the book, Growing Up For Boys. Simon Ragoonanan, a “dad blogger’” brought the offending quotes to public attention.

He posted a picture of one page that read: “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.”

Usborne announced that all remaining copies of the 2013 title would be recalled and pulped. In a statement it said: “Usborne always strives to create meticulously researched and carefully written material for children and young adults, and communicate issues in as appropriate a manner as we can.

“But in this instance, we recognise that we have made a mistake. For this we apologise and reiterate that the material will be revised. Our remaining stock will be removed from the warehouse and pulped.”

The book tackles sexual orientation, relationships, bullying and health.