It's Perfectly Normal

Harris, R. & Emberley, M. (2009). It's perfectly normal : a book about changing bodies, growing up, sex and sexual health. Somerville, Mass: Candlewick Press.

Summary:

This is an unbiased look at the changes bodies go through and how to stay sexually healthy.

Reaction:

At first glance, the images provided within this book can...surprise the reader. They’re a bit shocking, but educational considering the subject matter. After the initial shock and upon further review, the images represent a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and relationships. All types of people are represented in this book (with the exception of Muslim/Middle Eastern type peoples it seems).

The book is split into six sections. The first examines different genders and sexual preference, the second explains the parts male and female bodies are born within their genital region, and the third explains puberty and how it affects boys and girls. Part 4 goes into detail about how babies are born, different families and other options for conceiving children. The fifth part reviews different options available for birth control or reasons why a person might choose abortion. And the final part of the book explains why it is important to stay sexually healthy and touches on different types of STD’s.

There are two characters in the book, a bird who is totally into learning all about sex, and a bee who would rather stay in the dark despite his/her love of learning. Bird and Bee are on every page. Bird enjoys learning all of this new information while Bee is uncomfortable but finds the information invaluable. This reflects society and how many people tend to view sex.

The authors try to give as accurate information as they can to their readers. They also do a good job of trying to make their readers comfortable with the subject. The chapter on Masturbation, for example, tries to convey how normal it is but promotes the readers chose whether they wish to participate or not. The authors want their readers to be comfortable in their sexuality as well and let the readers know it’s okay to like the same gender. Images are included of same-sex couples (though there does seem to be more lesbian couples than gay male couples). The authors also use the appropriate vocabulary throughout the book while making sure to explain any terms younger audiences may be unsure of. The book is constantly updated to cover new information.

With the images and subject matter, it is understandable why this book may be difficult to find or impossible to find in school libraries. But acting like sex doesn’t happen and not informing younger generations of what could or could not happen dangers society. The internet provides an outlet for kids to find out information. Would you rather your child find out on their own through an inappropriate resource? Or would you rather make sure they know the good and the bad by providing them the information or having a book like this handy for them to peruse?

Connections:

Activities:

- Provide an anonymous question box for students to use. Many will hesitate to ask questions.
- Students can create a PSA about a topic such as sexual abuse, using contraception, teen pregnancy, STD’s, puberty, etc.
- Do research about the different types of contraception. Which has a higher success rate? Which seems the most right for you?
- Create a pamphlet about a particular section of the book.

Websites:

I Wanna Know. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.iwannaknow.org/

Other Books on Sex/Sexuality/Sexual Health:

Hasler, N. (2010). Sex : a book for teens : an uncensored guide to your body, sex, and safety. San Francisco: Zest Books.

Corinna, H. (2007). S.E.X. : the all-you-need-to-know progressive sexuality guide to get you through high school and college. New York: Marlowe.

Marcus, E. (2000). What if someone I know is gay? : answers to questions about gay and lesbian people. New York: Price Stern Sloan.

Video:
[Crash Course]. (2015, October 26). Reproductive System, part 1 - Female Reproductive System: Crash Course A&P #40 [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/RFDatCchpus

[Crash Course]. (2015, November 9). Reproductive System, part 2 - Male Reproductive System: Crash Course A&P 41 [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/-XQcnO4iX_U

[Crash Course]. (2015, November 16). Reproductive System, part 3 - Sex & Fertilization: Crash Course A&P #42 [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/SUdAEGXLO-8

[Crash Course]. (2015, November 23). Reproductive System, part 4 - Pregnancy & Development: Crash Course A&P #43 [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/BtsSbZ85yiQ

[SoulPancake]. (2017, April 13). Whitney Cummings Talks STDs Over Smoothies! [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/FjFyaScG9os