Sex Ed for the Elementary School Set

I decided to review this book because I needed something from the banned or challenged list (for #cbr10bingo), and was amazed (or not) to find this one on the list.  I only recently read this with my 11 year old son, so thought a review might be helpful to other parents.

I am admittedly not an expert on sex ed books for kids.  But I decided to buy this book upon some recommendation or other from a trusted source.  Ever prepared, I have had the book sitting in a drawer waiting for the right moment to have “the talk” with my kids for several years.  Of course, if it were up to my kids, I would still be waiting.  But since I have one about to enter middle school, I decided it was time.

This book says it is geared for ages 7+.  There are two other books by the same author – one for much younger kids, and one for kids ages 10+.   I don’t know anything about the differences between the three, having not read the others.  Even though I was reading this with my 11 year old, I decided to stick with the book geared toward 7+ because my kid was really not ready for any discussion about sex and puberty.  He was happily living in ignorance until I simply decided it was time because I could not in good conscience send him off to middle school without any information.

Anywho, I really liked this book as did my son.  I was rather nervous about how to approach the topic, but need not have been so because this book laid it all out in a way that made it easy for parents to stick to “just the facts.”  The book covers the body, puberty, masturbation, intercourse, the science of how babies develop, gender identity, different make ups of families, sexual abuse, STDs, and birth control.  The book did not cover pornography, which some parents (myself included) may feel is an important topic toward the development of healthy relationships.  I just covered the topic separately with my kid.  Everything in the book is accurate and age appropriate, and somehow is entertaining for the kids (thanks to the cartoon bird and bee characters and some comic book style).  Pictures are drawings, not photographs, but are depicted accurately.

A more socially developed 11 year old may find this book too basic.  Nothing was covered in a huge amount of detail.  But for my child, this was the perfect introduction he needed.

CBR10Bingo: Fahrenheit 451