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cjblackwell's review
informative
fast-paced
4.25
I think this book is great for parents wanting to have the talk and feeling out of their element. It's a great place to start in understanding all the things your adolescent should know!
With that said, I would label this book moreso for adolescents and teens than kids. The book begins by saying that consent isn't only important during sex, but then dedicates a good chunk talking about consent and sex. I'm no prude and have nothing against sex, but was hoping to find a book on consent that focuses on body safety and boundaries and only barely touches on sex. I really wanted to use this with some of my littles (age 4-12) but would not be able to keep this in my office and would have to skip various parts.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC!
TL;DR: A great and very informative book; best geared towards adolescents and teens.
With that said, I would label this book moreso for adolescents and teens than kids. The book begins by saying that consent isn't only important during sex, but then dedicates a good chunk talking about consent and sex. I'm no prude and have nothing against sex, but was hoping to find a book on consent that focuses on body safety and boundaries and only barely touches on sex. I really wanted to use this with some of my littles (age 4-12) but would not be able to keep this in my office and would have to skip various parts.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC!
TL;DR: A great and very informative book; best geared towards adolescents and teens.
trevoryan's review
5.0
While I really wish my parents had used a book like this to talk to me about sex when I was growing up, I am very happy that this book exists NOW and parents can use it to raise the next generation without all the hangups, confusion, misinformation, and mistakes of people in the past.
jaxonru's review
5.0
I literally cried reading this book. This was the book younger me really needed when I was questioning and trying to understand sexuality/gender identity/puberty. It’s great for preteens/younger teenagers, and it has a lot of important information about our bodies and the changes they go through. With the polarized nature of school and sex education nowadays, a lot of kids don’t get this type of education in their health classes. When I have kids, this will for sure be one of the books we use to explain how bodies work for them!
lattelibrarian's review
4.0
This was a truly incredible book--it featured so many different people and bodies and skin tone and abilities! Not only was it incredible for its inclusiveness, however, but for its information as well! I'll certainly say that I didn't know how twins were conceived, nor how they became fraternal or identical! That being said, it's a largely scientific book that's wholly appropriate for children curious about bodies and how they change.
That being said, however, there were two parts that did make me a little uncomfortable. At one point, this book did mention porn in a very neutral way, stating that it's typically for adult pleasure and that it's normal to be curious about it, and to talk to a trusted adult if you accidentally stumble upon it. On one hand,I understand why it's there--it's better to have prefaced it than to go into such layers of the internet unprepared, but I personally find porn so revolting that I just didn't know what to make of that bit, nor how to feel about it.
Another part that made me a little uncomfortable was the topic of hormone blockers. Again, on the one hand, it's good for children to know about this option, for knowledge is certainly power! But for a book so empowering and filled with loving our bodies throughout all their natural changes, it felt a little out of place and bizarre to read something arguing for something so medicinal and unnatural to be done to bodies out of bodily contempt.
Overall though, I did find this book to be helpful and inclusive despite my misgivings, and would definitely purchase it for a young person in my life or for my library. There's some great information in here that I know others would benefit from.
Review cross-listed here!
That being said, however, there were two parts that did make me a little uncomfortable. At one point, this book did mention porn in a very neutral way, stating that it's typically for adult pleasure and that it's normal to be curious about it, and to talk to a trusted adult if you accidentally stumble upon it. On one hand,I understand why it's there--it's better to have prefaced it than to go into such layers of the internet unprepared, but I personally find porn so revolting that I just didn't know what to make of that bit, nor how to feel about it.
Another part that made me a little uncomfortable was the topic of hormone blockers. Again, on the one hand, it's good for children to know about this option, for knowledge is certainly power! But for a book so empowering and filled with loving our bodies throughout all their natural changes, it felt a little out of place and bizarre to read something arguing for something so medicinal and unnatural to be done to bodies out of bodily contempt.
Overall though, I did find this book to be helpful and inclusive despite my misgivings, and would definitely purchase it for a young person in my life or for my library. There's some great information in here that I know others would benefit from.
Review cross-listed here!
jugglingpup's review
5.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I read every book about sexuality and gender aimed at kids and teens that I can possibly get my hands on. I teach sex ed and I try to stay informed at what information is targeted at my teens. I have no doubts my teens will never read this book, but the fact that it is accessible to them is something I need to know. I need books like this to combat what the kids learn on their own.
I also judge these books very harshly. I am tired of misinformation and just general bad books being made. I will not praise a book just because it is queer inclusive if it isn’t a great book as well. This book is the first non-fiction book about sexuality and gender aimed at kids that I have more positives to say than negatives.
The book is gender inclusive. There is no “mom gets pregnant” or “all people with penises are boys”. Instead the way that babies are produced is talked about with body parts and science. There is even talk about how adoption is a thing that families can do.
There is an accurate representation to what asexuality is! There is no aromantic though. The book assumes that there is a link between sexual desire and romantic desire. So I am a little saddened by this, but I am also really impressed that asexuality was covered in a good way. The information was correct. The talk of being trans and cis was not in the sexuality section which was also perfect! Being trans is not a sexuality, yet it is so often discussed when sexuality is even in books geared towards adults (I just read a book about race that covers being trans in the section about being gay, but had a whole section devoted to gender that did not mention trans people). So this simple concept seems so beyond a lot of people. This book getting is right is not small thing.
The art is not suggestive, but I know people will complain anyway. There are drawings of genitalia from multiple angles. These are not used for shock value, but instead of are for education about the parts and the functions of those parts. Considering how little the teens in my class know, this is incredibly important. I had one teen, he has multiple children, tell me during the “vagina trivia” lesson that the testicles are above the vagina. I know I can’t rely on him to teach his children more, but this book has great information on anatomy. There are some terms in there I don’t even attempt to teach my teens. They don’t care about all the tubing. I do what I can with the external stuff, since it is easier to get their attention with.
This book is pretty fantastic. It even covers consent. It talks about good and bad touch. This book really has everything I would want to talk to a kid about. This is a great book to start kids with and one I would recommend.
I got an ARC of this book.
I read every book about sexuality and gender aimed at kids and teens that I can possibly get my hands on. I teach sex ed and I try to stay informed at what information is targeted at my teens. I have no doubts my teens will never read this book, but the fact that it is accessible to them is something I need to know. I need books like this to combat what the kids learn on their own.
I also judge these books very harshly. I am tired of misinformation and just general bad books being made. I will not praise a book just because it is queer inclusive if it isn’t a great book as well. This book is the first non-fiction book about sexuality and gender aimed at kids that I have more positives to say than negatives.
The book is gender inclusive. There is no “mom gets pregnant” or “all people with penises are boys”. Instead the way that babies are produced is talked about with body parts and science. There is even talk about how adoption is a thing that families can do.
There is an accurate representation to what asexuality is! There is no aromantic though. The book assumes that there is a link between sexual desire and romantic desire. So I am a little saddened by this, but I am also really impressed that asexuality was covered in a good way. The information was correct. The talk of being trans and cis was not in the sexuality section which was also perfect! Being trans is not a sexuality, yet it is so often discussed when sexuality is even in books geared towards adults (I just read a book about race that covers being trans in the section about being gay, but had a whole section devoted to gender that did not mention trans people). So this simple concept seems so beyond a lot of people. This book getting is right is not small thing.
The art is not suggestive, but I know people will complain anyway. There are drawings of genitalia from multiple angles. These are not used for shock value, but instead of are for education about the parts and the functions of those parts. Considering how little the teens in my class know, this is incredibly important. I had one teen, he has multiple children, tell me during the “vagina trivia” lesson that the testicles are above the vagina. I know I can’t rely on him to teach his children more, but this book has great information on anatomy. There are some terms in there I don’t even attempt to teach my teens. They don’t care about all the tubing. I do what I can with the external stuff, since it is easier to get their attention with.
This book is pretty fantastic. It even covers consent. It talks about good and bad touch. This book really has everything I would want to talk to a kid about. This is a great book to start kids with and one I would recommend.
ktxx22's review
This is a book that can be used to aid folks in having difficult conversations with your kids. It covers everything in an inclusive and science first perspective that should help keep emotions out of the discussion. It’s a book that you can start using with prepubescent kids and as they age to sex curious older teens. Lots of great information here and I will definitely remember this for my future. But u would say the images are age appropriate for older kids so please avoid sharing with the little ones in your life until it’s time for educating or they are genuinely curious.
kailawil's review
5.0
I love inclusive body books. Includes everything from biological sex to gender identity & dysphoria to different kinds of families to staying safe online. Great illustrations and easy to understand language. Will be buying for my nieces & nephews (and maybe a copy for some adults I know who could use a refresher).