A sex-education book that affirms it’s okay to be curious about sex, and that acknowledges the conflicting and often negative messages children receive about it. When a young child finds a trustworthy adult, her grandmother, the grandmother patiently answers the child’s questions about the topic, focusing less on the mechanics and more about its purpose. Sex isn’t just about reproduction, Grandma affirms, and can be different for different people. “Sex is an energy, an action, a conversation, a revelation,” Grandma says. “Learning about sex is learning about yourself.”
When the child asks about masturbation (though without using that term), Grandma says it is okay, although it is something best done in private. Overall, consent is stressed, as Grandma teaches, “No one’s allowed to boss you into sex or to take it from you without your permission. You get to choose whether to do it. Same goes for everyone.” She also notes that “It’s never okay for an adult to choose to have sex with a child… and no sex ever with kids. It’s harmful, it’s against the law, and anyone who tells you different is lying. Once those rules are respected, a person’s sexuality is no one else’s business.”
Interactive questions at the end emphasize that a person is in charge of their own sexuality and should listen to their own feelings. While no specific sexualities are mentioned, the book is clearly written to be inclusive of all of them. This is a great book for opening up conversations and demystifying the topic before children may be ready for more specific details.
Anastasia Higginbotham’s collage illustrations on kraft paper are engaging and warm, and show the characters with light brown skin and could be read as people of color.
