Tell Me: What Children Really Want to Know About Bodies, Sex and Emotions

Description

An honest and funny book for children aged 8 and up who really want to know about bodies, sex and emotions -and aren't afraid to ask. How much sex education do children need? As much as they ask for, says leading sex educationist Katharina von der Gathen in this book about navigating puberty. And exactly what do children want to know? Ask them! What is so important about the body? Why do bodies grow hair? Why do people kiss? Is it embarrassing to have sex? Why do breasts hang down? What does it feel like to be in love? Can a grandmother have children? What is a hormone? Can a child fart when it's inside a mother's body? What is sexy? Expert Katharina von der Gathen collects 99 questions asked anonymously by children in the classroom about the human body, love and sexuality -the questions are real and the answers are both inclusive, respectful and direct. Funny images help give children the information they really want to know in a form they can relate to without feeling embarrassed, making this a perfect sex education book for children and teenagers, parents and teachers. "Children should be familiar with their bodies from an early age. They need words for the various parts of a body, they should learn to name their feelings, to stand up for themselves, to feel strong in their bodies and to keep boundaries without feeling bad." Katharina von der Gathen Designed to be read with spine on top, this age-appropriate book is a handy resource for every family and school classroom discussing puberty, consent and sexuality from ages 8 and up.

Katharina von der Gathen was born in 1972. She works in the area of sex education with children and adolescents from a wide range of backgrounds. She lives in Bonn with her husband and four children. Anke Kuhl, born in 1970, is one of Germany's leading children's book illustrators, whose awards include the German Youth Literature Award in 2011. She lives in Frankfurt with her husband and two children.

The illustrations are gentle and often humorous without being childish or silly. They add another layer of understanding to the questions and answers and help take some of the potential awkwardness out of the content matter. -- The Sapling Tell Me provides a wonderful way for children to address their curiosity safely on their own, or begin a more in-depth conversation with a parent or teacher. There is lots of nonjudgmental information about consent, identity, puberty and more, and sweetly humorous cartoon illustrations accompany each question (including naked genitals, so be prepared for some giggles as children learn). -- Ako Journal What I like about this book is that the questions are in no particular order so you can read the book any which way or dip in and out. You can also look up specific questions in the back of the book. Some of the questions are expected, but many are not. Tell Me is amusing and cute as it is eye opening. -- NZ Booklovers "The questions cover a lot of ground from more general questions - "What's so important about bodies anyway?" and "What makes sex fun?" and "Is it embarrassing to have sex?" - to specific ones about anatomy, sexuality, gender identity, reproduction, and much more. Von der Gathen takes their answers very seriously, never engaging in a patronizing tone. She is refreshingly honest. Unflinching even, with an economy of information; she answers many of these questions in two to three paragraphs." -- Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast Funny and frank, this will be an important resource for many kids. -- Kirkus Reviews One of the best books on the topics of bodies, sex, and emotions that I've encountered. -- School Library Journal