Just what does it mean to be a girl? Why is it not like being a boy? And why is that a good thing? Guardian columnist Lucy Mangan lifts the lid on the truth about being female. From your place within the family ('It's a girl! What a pity!') through the intricacies of what not to wear and who not to talk to, everything you need to know about losing your virginity, how to get along with your mother and get ahead in the workplace, this is a full and frank account of how it really is different for girls. Full of bittersweet memories and the sharpest observations, HOPSCOTCH & HANDBAGS may not be better than sex or shoes, but it is less messy and goes with everything.