Age-appropriate sex ed books for 6 and 9 yo?

[violet_]

I'm looking for book recommendations.

I have a 6yo DSD and a 9 yo DSS. DH and I are expecting our first baby this summer, and we want to be able to explain the basics to my DSC.

Any ideas? The 9yo is very smart and thoughtful and could handle something maybe a little more advanced than average. The 6yo is also quite bright, but developmentally fairly typical for her age so far.

I saw a couple nice ones for little kids at the store, but they were too focused on Mommy and Daddy loving each other sooo much, etc., and I'd honestly rather not read to my husband's other children, you know? In my experience that type of thing just confuses them. They barely ever knew their biological parents as a couple and they need to feel secure in our family. We'd rather just answer some basic biology questions about how the new baby came about. Just the facts, please.

Thanks!

[Dukey25]

I would recommend It's so amazing. Our church does a sex ed program for 6 yr olds and this is the text they recommend. They don't describe sex as when a man and women love each other, they are more in depth than that and even reveal that grownups sometimes have sex for reason other than having babies

http://www.amazon.com/Its-So-Amazing...0422499&sr=8-1

[mandib50]

moved to books

[no5no5]

I haven't read It's So Amazing, but I'd recommend It's Not the Stork. I think it's by the same author, but targeted toward a younger audience.

[zinemama]

Definitely It's So Amazing. I got it for my son when he was 7, I think, and he still reads it at 10.

[violet_]

Thanks for those recommendations! I looked on Amazon, and the descriptions sound great, though it looks like it's in comic book form -- is the whole book like that? I suppose DSS might go for that, though it looks distracting to read.

I also saw some puberty-related books, and might pick up one of those for DSS, as he's been asking questions lately.

[zinemama]

No, the book is not all in comic form. There are some comics but lots of regular ol' text, just with good pictures. It's not distracting.

[no5no5]

Originally Posted by violet_

I looked on Amazon, and the descriptions sound great, though it looks like it's in comic book form -- is the whole book like that?

I can't say for sure about It's So Amazing, but It's Not the Stork just has one or two pages of comics. Of course it was DD's favorite part.

[violet_]

Great -- thanks!

[Starflower]

We have "It's So Amazing" and DD loves that book so much! She's read it over and over. She loves biology. We highly recommend it.

[violet_]

On Amazon it was a little hard to gauge the levels, but it seems like "It's not the Stork" for our 6yo and maybe "It's So Amazing" for our 9yo. I also saw "It's Perfectly Normal" on there as good for 9+, but I wonder if DSS is quite ready for it, and since none of you mentioned it, I'm assuming the Amazing book would be well-suited to a 9yo.

[ecoteat]

I also really like It's So Amazing. The 9yo might appreciate Hair In Funny Places. It's mostly about puberty. I don't like that it depicts hormones as the Bad Guy, but it is generally pretty good. Where Willy Went is a silly but factual book about a sperm's journey. I got it from the library when I was teaching 6th graders about puberty and reproduction and felt it was way too young for them. So it might be good for the 6yo.

[eclipse]

We have all three. My 6 year old has read all three cover to cover. I believe "It's perfectly normal" deals (among other things) masturbation, birth control, and abortion. If those are topics you don't think your 9 yo is ready for, I'd stick with "It's So Amazing."