Boys, Girls & Body Science: A First Book About Facts of Life Hardcover – Unabridged, October 1, 2002

Excellent book for approaching this awkward subject, I highly recommend! I have a B.A. in Psychology with a focus on child development but was still nervous about discussing this topic with my 3rd almost 4th grade daughter (it's different when it's your kid!). I wasn't sure my daughter was ready, but she has been asking tons of questions and I thought it was time, before she started asking someone else!! I wanted to check out books on this topic to help with the wording, as I was worried I would say too much, more than she needed to know for first discussion on this topic - I just wanted help to get the basic questions answered from a professional who has talked to many kids and families, I found that from this author.I checked out 6 or 7 other books before deciding on this one. This book explains everything in a no nonsense, no big deal way, has great illustrations and answers ALL the questions I wanted to cover without getting too hung up on details. It discusses how a baby is made with a mom and dad (does not cover alternate lifestyles/conception methods) which was a good fit for our family and situation. Discussed regular birth and c-section, which is good for kids born both ways. Basically went from start of baby-making ending with how babies are born and why they have a belly button. It could not have been done better. I was so pleased with this book and think it is very well done, you can't go wrong. I feel confident now as I approach discussing this topic with my daughter.

I took a chance buying this book when no-one had written any reviews about it, but the publisher write-up looked so good I had to give it a try - and I am quite glad I did. In the book, Meg, a nurse, is invited to a classroom to explain about what she calls 'body science' (reproduction). In a most gentle, sensitive, and delicate manner, she teaches the children to think about 'embarrassing' things in the way that a scientist would, then she goes on to teach about those 'embarrassing' subjects. This book is written on a very basic level, big illustrations and only a few paragraphs of text on each page, obviously written for a younger audience. The book perceptively takes into account what the children's responses and reactions may be, which makes the reader feel like they are understood, and makes them feel at ease. My 8 year old daughter understood everything and was not 'grossed out' at all, to her it was all very matter-of-fact, but my 10 year old son groaned a big 'yuck' at the one unavoidably direct sentence in the whole book (there is no way around explaining the nitty-gritty of how babies are made...) My 10 year old son's reaction should not deter you from buying this book, I don't think anyone could present this material any better. My 13 year old son liked the book and learned from it but said it was written for younger kids. I am very pleased with this book and will be using it for my two youngest children when they are old enough to be ready for it. I highly recommend this book.

In my opinion, this book is for kids ages 10 and up. My 10 and 11 year old kids had to skip a few pages because they were too graphic for them. But the style, both pictures and text, is more like a K-3 picture book, so it would not be appropiate for 12 and up, nor does it have enough info for that age. There is a small window of age/ maturity and family believes for which this book is appropriate. It is especially well suited for a child who avoids books and does not like reading but is mature enough for the topic. It reads easy and fast. Personally, I disliked framing human sexuality and reproduction in the context of "being good scientists". If you call your nose "nose" you are not a scientist, neither are you one if you call other parts of the body by their proper name.8 months after I bought and rated this book I am adding a star to it. The book had been on a book shelf since we first looked at it and my younger one, who has gone through reproductive education at school recently, took it off the shelf and both looked at it again, so I am glad it was there for them to use it. And maybe the window of appropriateness is a little widers, given that kids mature at different ages.

Great book starting for age 10 for a boy, this book does talk about same sex partners/marriage if that concerns you. But it is an amazing book when the talk needs to happen and for boys who are very curious about sex and women's and men's bodies. Highly recommend.

I purchased this book for my son when he was eight. I had already had a very generic conversation about where babies came from but when he started asking more questions about what certain body parts looked like and how they functioned, I knew I needed some help. This book is great because it reads like a story but still explains things in a scientific way. I’d say it’s perfect for kids in the 7 to 10 year old age group.

I wanted a more traditional book to share with my 9 y/o son. This book fit the bill - didn't get into homosexuality or even masturbation. And the pictures were drawings (cartoonish, similar to what you see on the cover) and perfect for my son. While I did want traditional basics, I do wish it got into body changes and puberty. It didn't get into any changes that boys and girls bodies go thru...nothing on girls cycles, hair, voice changes, breast, wet dreams, nothing. It also didn't talk about breast feeding.. I discussed everything with my son first, then showed him the book so that he could read it on his own, let it sink in, and then ask questions and refer back to the book later. I'll be saving the book for his two younger siblings. His sister might need something that gets into girls' body changes, though.