It's So Amazing!

It’s biology-focused/clearly written through biology lens, and therefore it’s comprehensive, and content rich, as biology is. Meaning it covers more aspects of the biology of making a human than just a male and a female having sex so that sperm and egg get a chance to meet. It talks about IVF. It talks about all the biological things including people born with two sets of sex organs, which can happen. It talks about same gender families (also seen all throughout nature, including humans). We haven’t finished reading it to our child yet but so far, all scientifically accurate. If you’re anti-nature/anti-biology, it’d say skip the book and make up your own stories. But if you want your child to have a solid understanding of how babies are made and different family configurations (same gender couples will need IVF or adoption, for example), this book offers a great overall view, in an age appropriate manner.

My pregnancy-obsessed, precocious almost 7-year old LOVES this book. Tasteful yet factual. Watercolor/pencil illustrations are comforting and casual. My daughter didn't want to sit down and read it together - probably because she assumed that would take too long - so I suggested she look at it while I was in the room doing laundry and she could ask me questions if she had them. This worked well, so if you have an independent child, it might be a good strategy to let them go through at their own pace but make sure you're around to be sure they get their questions answered (i.e. don't assume the book is going to answer EVERYTHING. It's probably going to spur more questions). They are able to skip around depending on what's interesting. Be advised there is some nudity, although it is only one page of the physical stages of a male and female person-throughout-their-lives (what they look like as a baby and on up to an old person) and the differences between boys and girls, and certainly NOT in any way pornographic. We are ok with it because we think it's important to know and de-mystifies things, but I want to be sure to mention it because some parents might not feel the same. Sex is very briefly mentioned, but not made a big deal of, and there is one picture of a man and woman appearing to happily cuddle under the covers (no nudity in this illustration). Remember not every parent is going to have your parenting philosophy, so have a talk with your child about what is and is not okay to share with other people's kids; otherwise, if you have a kid excited about what they now know (like we did), you are in for some uncomfortable situations with other parents. The journey of the egg is illustrated with giving the egg a sweet face, enjoying the ride down the fallopian tubes and meeting the many sperm. It's sort of her story, and I think it's pretty cute. This book also touches on menstruation in a factual yet non-scary manner in a way that broaches the topic for later; something I've been concerned about explaining for fear of freaking out my daughter (who is terrified of blood). By the time we need to talk about it further, this book will have been helpful in that regard. Another thing to mention in case it goes against your ethics is that it does make mention of the "different kinds of love between two people", including explaining what gay and lesbian means. It does not go into what they do under the covers. In a different section, IVF is mentioned; the two subjects are not really combined, but that information is there in case your child puts two and two together and wonders how people of the same sex have children. If you are cool with giving your kid the no-hold-barred FACTS (as well as letting them see illustrations of naked men and women throughout their various stages of growth, and learning about same-gender love), then this is a great resource. We love it; so glad it was recommended to us.

I am a mental health counselor and I work with children, teens and families. I love this series of books!!! I have bought so many copies and lent/given them out to friends and clients. Talking to children about bodies, sex and sexuality can be intimidating. Most parents aren't really sure where to start or when to start talking about these issues. Harris's series of age appropriate books takes the guess work out of family sex education. It is extremely important to educate your children on topics of healthy sexuality, bodies and families. Believe it or not, you are probably more nervous about talking to your children about sex than they are. They can handle the truth. Seriously. Just follow along with the book and take a matter of fact sort of attitude when reading together. Allow children to ask questions and do your best to give accurate answers. Children will learn that its ok to have questions and to talk to their parents about these issues. Favorite things about the series: 1. Age appropriate books allow parents to start educating their children early! I have seen many families try to provide too little information too late. By the time a child is reaching puberty, they have likely heard inaccurate information about sex from media or other children at school. Adolescents are also much more likely to get embarrassed when their parents try to talk with them about these issues. 4 year olds, and even 10 year olds are unlikely to be embarrassed. They will follow along with the fun cartoons and simple straight forward text and pictures. I have found that older children have also benefited from being exposed to these books.It's a little more difficult with older children who express embarrassment. Try to stay calm and matter of fact to make them more comfortable. I like to ask older children what they already know and then use to book as a resource to fill in gaps of knowledge. 2. The books are inclusive and talk about important topics such as love, intimacy and different types of families. One of the major topics that families miss when sex educating their children is the emotional aspect of sex. These books allow the opportunity for parents to talk about the emotional implications of engaging in sexual acts and creating a family. This opens up opportunities to talk to children about your family's beliefs and values surrounding sexual relationships. 3. These books talk about safety and sexual assault "good touches and bad touches". One of the important reasons for teaching young children accurate information is to protect them. Children who know proper names for genitalia and have been taught healthy sexuality are more equipped to report sexual assault. I always remember a story from when I was working in a residential treatment center for children. One young girl had reported that her uncle touched her "pussycat". It took a long time for anyone to figure out that she had been sexually assaulted because of the use of a euphemism. Children should not be ashamed of their bodies. Teach proper sexual anatomy words to young children along with head, shoulders, nose and feet. They won't be embarrassed, but if you are, you can explain to them that talking about their private areas when in public is socially inappropriate. I always explain to young children that their private parts are anything that is covered up when they put on a bathing suit. That seems to be simple enough. I strongly encourage parents and caregivers to check out this series!

Excellent book for those tough conversations.

Excellent book to sit down with your child and discuss 'where babies come from' as well as the changes that happen during puberty. My son has really enjoyed the humour with the cartoons whilst also learning about reproduction. There are some pages that might not be appropriate if your child is younger (the book states it's for 7 years +) that's why I'd advise you read through it first so you know which pages are suitable for your child. Glad I bought it!

Read this book to my kids and they loved it. Easily put and a nice guide for a parent to start "the talk"!!!

Good quality

Awesome book! Very informative and written in a language & style that's easy for kids to follow. The comic strips and conversations running between a bird and a bee throughout the book make it a fun read, and lighten the mood for what is an often awkward or uncomfortable topic. Covers the basics in a factual, straightforward way that makes it easier for kids to understand. It would also be a good starting place for those parents who struggle to find the "right words" or who struggle to answer their child's questions. I highly recommend this book for both genders! We're currently using this book with our 8 year old daughter, and will introduce it to our two younger children (make and female) when they are "ready" for it.

È un libro eccezionale che ci aiuterà nella conoscenza della sessualità con le parole giuste per un bambino di sette anni