It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley

Summary

     It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health is a book that is meant to teach children 10 years and older about sexual health, emotional health and relationships.  The information is told through cartoon pictures that are anatomically correct.  It showcases different health questions and topics such as pregnancy, STD’s, contraception  and sexual orientation.  The cartoon pictures are in full color and at times depicts fully naked people from both sexes and different age groups.  It does an excellent job to describe the different aspects of sex so that a child can understand.  It provides accurate and up to date information to nearly every imaginable question that a tween or teen can come up with.     

Commentary on Strengths

It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health is a nonfiction reference book written by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley.  The book tackles the themes of parenting, health, science, and sexuality.  It has been on the top list of banned books for the past two decades.  The book was written to help educate young students about sexual health, emotional health and relationships; and is part of a series of three books aimed at teaching children about sexual health throughout their lives.  The book can be considered a reference book as well as a graphic novel or picture book.  

Readers also enjoyed Sunrise over Disney  by N. Smith; Being Homelessness:Notes from an Underground Artist by John H. Siblery; Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhortes; Rediscovery of North America by Barry Lopez; and King and King by Linda de Haan

Additional books written by the author are  Maybe a Bear Ate It!; Mail Harry to the Moon!; Who has That?: All about Girls' Bodies and Boys' Bodies; The Day Leo Said I Hate You!; and When Lions Roar. 

Teachers can find ideas of incorporation this book in their lesson plans at http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763626104.mis.1.pdf

Harris, R. H., & Emberley, M. (2014). Its perfectly normal: changing bodies, growing up, sex, and sexual health. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

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