The Facts of Life |
Here is a list of books for you to consult when your son/daughter begins to ask you questions. The indicated age or grade level is approximate; therefore, we suggest reviewing the books before you look at them with your child. Informational books from a religious viewpoint may be available through your place of worship. If you need assistance, please come to the ASK ME Desk in the Youth Services Department. |
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J 306.7 BRY 101 Questions about Sex and Sexuality: With Answers for the Curious, Cautious, and Confused. Brynie, Faith. 2003.
A question-and-answer format is used to present information about the physical, emotional, and social topics surrounding sex and sexuality. (Preteen & Teen)
J 306.87 BAN I Want to Tell You About My Baby. Banish, Roslyn. 1982.
A little boy explains to the reader about his mother’s pregnancy and childbirth, the care the newborn needs, and his feelings about his baby brother. (Young Children, Ages 3 & Up)
J 372.18 STR From Algebra to Zits. Strazzabosco, Jeanne. 2000.
Information and advice for girls in middle school is presented on a variety of subjects, from algebra and guys to periods, puberty, and zits. (Preteen & Up)
J 612.6 BAI All About Birth & Growth. Bailey, Donna. 1991.
The cycle of life is examined explaining how babies are born, grow, become children, then adults, and eventually die. (Intermediate, Grades 4 & Up)
J 612.6 ODO The Reproductive System. O’Donnell, Kerri. 2001.
The issues of puberty, how the reproductive system works, pregnancy, and birth control are discussed. (Preteen & Teen)
J 612.6 SIL The Reproductive System. Silverstein, Alvin. 1994.
Using scientific explanations, the reproductive system is analyzed. It also includes problems and treatments. (Preteen & Teen)
J 612.661 DIC On the Spot: Real Girls on Periods, Growing Up, and Finding Your Groove. Dickerson, Karle. 2005.
From PMS to first bras to fluctuating feelings, this sassy yet safe book reaches out to girls in their own words, helping them to understand the changes happening in their bodies. (Preteen)
J 612.661 FAV Everything You Need to Know About Growth Spurts and Delayed Growth. Favor, Lesli. 2002.
The physical and emotional changes that are typical in adolescence for both female and male children are outlined. (Preteen & Teen)
J 612.661 KEL You Ought to Know: A Guy’s Guide to Sex. Kelly, Bill. 2000.
The physical and emotional changes boys experience during puberty are explained. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J 612.661 MAD Ready, Set, Grow!: A What’s Happening to My Body Book for Younger Girls. Madaras, Lynda. 2003.
The changes in younger girls’ bodies as they grow older are discussed, including understanding what puberty is, weight and height changes, and menstruation. (Preteen)
J 612.66108352 SHA Body Talk: A Girl’s Guide to What’s Happening to Your Body. Shaw, Victoria. 1999.
An overview of the physical and emotional changes brought about by puberty in girls is given. (Preteen & Teen)
J 612.662 MAR Getting Your Period: A Book About Menstruation. Marzollo, Jean. 1989.
Puberty in females, beginning menstruation, and emotions are discussed, as well as a brief discussion on puberty in males, intercourse, and diseases. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J 613.0433 CRU Don’t Sweat It!: Every Body’s Answers to Questions You Don’t Want to Ask. Crump, Marguerite. 2002.
This is an introduction to the common concerns of adolescence, such as acne and body odor, and other physical changes of puberty. It also offers tips on caring for oneself from head to toe. (Preteen & Teen)
J 613.0433 GRO Growing Up: A Handbook to Becoming an Adult. 1993.
Volume 4: Understanding Sexuality
Volume 5: Recognizing Your Emotions
These are illustrated guides, published by World Book, with recommended reading lists and hotline numbers. (Preteen & Teen)
J 646.77 KEL Dating and Relating: A Guy’s Guide to Girls. Kelly, Tara. 2000.
Boys’ relationships with girls are covered as they begin adolescence, including puberty, friendships, dating, and sex. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J BYARS Bingo Brown’s Guide to Romance. Byars, Betsy.
Bingo Brown’s work on his definitive “Guide to Romance” hits a snag when his long-distance girlfriend Melissa returns unexpectedly from Oklahoma. (Intermediate, Grades 4 & Up) |
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JH BLUME Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Blume, Judy.
Faced with the difficulties of growing up, a twelve-year-old girl talks over her problems with her own private God.
(Intermediate, Grades 4 & Up) |
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JH BLUME Then Again, Maybe I Won’t. Blume, Judy.
Thirteen-year-old Tony deals with puberty and his family’s newfound wealth. (Intermediate, Grades 4 & Up) |
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PARENT COLLECTION |
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J PARENT 305.235 DAL The Teenage Guy’s Survival Guide: the Real Deal on Girls, Growing Up, and Other Guy Stuff. Daldry, Jeremy. 1999.
A humorous guide for boys offers advice on relationships, body changes, and social life. (Teen)
J PARENT 306.7 WES Dr. Ruth Talks to Kids: Where You Came From, How Your Body Changes, and What Sex Is All About. Westheimer, Ruth. 1998.
Dr. Ruth explains the physical and psychological changes that occur when a child grows up. (Intermediate, Grades 4 & Up) |
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J PARENT 306.707 COL Asking About Sex & Growing Up: A Question & Answer Book for Boys & Girls. Cole, Joanna. 1988
A question-and-answer format is used to give detailed but brief answers to questions on puberty, intercourse, pregnancy, and diseases. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J PARENT 306.70835 ARR Sex, Boys & You: Be Your Own Best Girlfriend. Arredia, Joni. 1998.
Positive and practical advice for young teens is given on issues such as self-esteem and developing healthy relationships. (Preteen & Teen)
J PARENT DVD 612.6 BIR
The Birds, The Bees, and Me for Girls. 2003.
The Birds, The Bees, and Me for Boys. 2003.
This video introduces puberty, sex, and childbirth to kids. (Ages 8-14) |
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J PARENT 612.6 COL Mommy Laid an Egg! Or Where Do Babies Come From. Cole, Babette. 1993.
Two children explain to their parents, using their own illustrations, where babies come from. (Young Children, Ages 3 & Up) |
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J PARENT 612.6 HAR It’s So Amazing! A Book About Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families. Harris, Robie. 1999.
Using bird and bee cartoons, Harris presents straightforward explanations of sexual development, love, reproduction, adoption, sexually transmitted diseases, and more. (Intermediate, Grades 3 & Up) |
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J PARENT 612.6 PRI Everybody has a Bellybutton: Your Life Before You Were Born. Pringle, Laurence. 1997.
Everybody has a bellybutton, but what is its purpose? Laurence Pringle provides the answer in this look at life from a single cell to birth. (All Ages) |
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J PARENT 612.6 ROY Where Do Babies Come From? Royston, Angela, 1996.
This picture book discusses how life begins. (Young Children, Ages 3 & Up) |
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J PARENT 612.6 SAL Amazing You: Getting Smart about Your Private Parts. Saltz, Gail. 2005.
Clear and age-appropriate information about reproduction, birth, and the differences between boys’ and girls’ bodies is presented.
(Young Children, Ages 3 & Up) |
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J PARENT 612.607 BER Flight of the Stork: What Children Think (& When) About Sex & Family Building. Bernstein, Anne. 1994.
Just how differently do children think about sex and birth than adults? This is examined with suggestions for discussing these issues with them, including adoption and assisted reproductive technology. (Parent) |
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J PARENT 612.63 COL How You Were Born. Cole, Joanna. 1993.
Photographs and simple language explain conception, growth of the fetus, and childbirth. (Young Children, Ages 3 & Up) |
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J PARENT 612.63 COL When You Were Inside Mommy. Cole, Joanna. 2001.
Young children are introduced to the concepts of pregnancy and childbirth. (Young Children, Ages 3 & Up) |
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J PARENT 612.63 MAY “Where Did I Come From?” The Facts of Life Without Any Nonsense & With Illustrations. Mayle, Peter. 1990.
The differences between men and women, as well as intercourse, pregnancy, are childbirth are explained. (Intermediate, Grades 4 & Up) |
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J PARENT VIDEO 612.63 WHE “Where Did I Come From?” 2001.
This animated story follows the love of an everyday couple through the birth of their child. (Intermediate, Grades 4 & Up) |
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J PARENT 612.661 GRA What’s Going on Down There?: Answers to Questions Boys Find Hard to Ask. Gravelle, Karen. 1998.
The physical and emotional changes that occur in boys (and, to a lesser extent, girls) during puberty are described and a discussion of sexual activity, homosexuality, AIDs, and other related topics is included. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J PARENT 612.661 GUR From Boys to Men: All About Adolescence and You. Gurian, Michael. 1999.
Questions about the physical, emotional, sexual, and social changes that teenage boys undergo during adolescence are answered. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J PARENT 612.661 JUK Growing Up: It’s a Girl Thing: Straight Talk About First Bras. Jukes, Mavis. 1998.
Pre-adolescent girls are given an explanation of the changes that puberty brings to their bodies, including information about menstruation. (Preteen) |
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J PARENT 612.661 JUK It’s A Girl Thing: How to Stay Healthy, Safe and in Charge. Jukes, Mavis. 1996.
This is a candid discussion about female development and sexuality in a conversational style covering topics ranging from body changes, drug abuse, sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J PARENT VIDEO 612.661 JUS
Just Around the Corner for Boys. 2000.
Just Around the Corner for Girls. 2000.
Topics such as the physical and emotional changes of puberty, maturation, and the importance of good hygiene and healthy habits are introduced. (Grades 3-5) |
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J PARENT 612.662 GRA The Period Book: Everything You Don’t Want to Ask (But Need to Know). Gravelle, Karen. 1996.
What happens at the onset of menstruation, going to the gynecologist, and how to handle various problems are explained. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J PARENT 612.662 LOU Period. Gardner-Loulan, Joann. 1991.
Detailed information for girls about menstruation is given. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J PARENT 613.04242 SCH The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls. Schaefer, Valorie. 1998.
This is a preteen girl’s guide to basic health and hygiene from braces to bras, pimples to periods, and hair care to healthy eating. (Preteen) |
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J PARENT 613.04243 BLA Girl Stuff: a Survival Guide to Growing Up. Blackstone, Margaret. 2000.
Both the physical and psychological aspects of puberty are explained in this guide for girls. (Intermediate, Grades 5 & Up) |
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J PARENT 613.907 GOR Did the Sun Shine Before You Were Born? A Sex Education Primer. Gordon, Sol. 1983.
Pregnancy and childbirth are discussed in a picture book format. (Young Children, Ages 3 & Up) |
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J PARENT 613.907 HAR It’s Perfectly Normal: A Book about Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex & Sexual Health. Harris, Robie. 1994.
Children’s questions about their developing bodies are answered in a reassuring and responsible way. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J PARENT 613.953 MAD The What’s Happening To My Body Book for Boys: A Growing Up Guide for Parents & Sons. Madaras, Lynda. 2000.
Detailed information for boys is presented on body changes (male and female), sexuality, and hygiene. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J PARENT 613.953 MAD The What’s Happening to My Body Book for Girls: A Growing Up Guide for Parents & Daughters. Madaras, Lynda. 2000.
Detailed information for girls is presented on body changes (male and female), sexuality, and hygiene. (Preteen & Teen) |
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J PARENT 618.2 BUT My Mom’s Having a Baby. Butler, Dori. 2005.
A child learns all about a baby’s development, and she traces his growth, month by month. This book gently answers all sorts of questions any sibling-to-be may have. (Young Children, Ages 5 & Up) |
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J PARENT 618.2 KIT Being Born. Kitzinger, Sheila. 1986.
Fetal development is explained from the developing baby’s point of view. Excellent photos of the developing fetus are included. (All Ages) |
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J PARENT 618.24 MUR What to Expect When Mommy’s Having a Baby. Murkoff, Heidi. 2000.
Questions about how a baby is created, how it grows, and how it comes out to join the family are answered. (Young Children, Ages 3 & Up) |
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J PARENT 618.24 SEA Baby on the Way. Sears, William. 2001
Some of the changes that take place in a family that is expecting a new addition are explained including the conflicting feelings of love and jealousy. (Young Children, Ages 2 & Up) |
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J PARENT VIDEO 618.4 LIZ Lizzie & the Baby: The Childbirth for Children Video. 1994.
This award-winning video discusses the facts and feelings involved with the birth of a sibling. (Young Children, Ages 2 & Up) |
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J PARENT 649.65 LEM A Chicken’s Guide to Talking Turkey with Your Kids about Sex. Leman, Kevin. 2004.
Family commentator and humorist Dr. Kevin Leman and human sexuality expert Kathy Flores Bell teamed up to write a book for parents on teaching their pubescent children (ages 8 to 14) about sex. (Adult)
Additional titles may be found in the Library’s online catalog under the following subject headings:
- Childbirth
- Menstruation
- Puberty
- Reproduction
- Sex instruction
- Sexual Ethics
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This list was prepared
by Youth Services at St. Charles Public Library,
(630) 584-9390.
Last revised 1/2006 |
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One South 6th Ave,
St Charles, IL 60174 • www.stcharleslibrary.org |
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