Books for Teens & Preteens about Sex

Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions:

Healthy sex ed. books or DVDs for teens

May 2009

I would like recommendations for positive books, DVDs for teens who have all the basics but now need more explicit sex ed. Much thanks. concerned mom

I found several good books for my teen son. One is an Our Bodies, Our Selves for teens. Very matter of fact and covers lots of ground. The other is a black covered paperback called ''100 Questions You'd Never Ask Your Parent'' by Elisabeth Henderson and Dr. Nancy Armstrong. I thing he devoured most of it at the first sitting. It has answers to questions about pot, alcohol, smoking, stds, slang about sex, contraceptives, etc. all in age appropriate short answers. Health Educator Mom

I've been working with teens and parents for over 12 years. There are a number of great resources out there, but I think I need to know more about the age of your child and your own perspective on teenage sexuality before I would hazard a recommendation. Absent that, I would say that the most important resource your child has is you. Parents forget (or don't know) that they are the most important voice in the life of their child, even in the high school years. Every study in the last decade confirms this. You still have great influence. Don't abdicate your own voice too soon! Feel free to email me offline if you're interested. Erik

Our Bodies Ourselves is excellent. They put out both a teen version and a larger, more complete edition. Brenda

Pre Teen Boy Book about Sexuality

Nov 2008

I am looking for a book to give my nephew about his body and changes it goes through in puberty. He is almost 13, and very interested in sex, I want him to have a resource that is informative. PreTeen Boy Auntie

I highly recommend 'It's Perfectly Normal' by Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley. It was recommended to me as a resource by a friend who does puberty education (aka 'sex ed'). The illustrations are excellent, and the two characters - a bird (who wants to know all about sex) and a bee (who is pretty embarrassed by everything) are an informative hoot. Our now 13-year- old son found it a good resource, and I'm not afraid to leave it out where our six year old can read it, too. The author does have a separate book for ages seven and up titled 'It's So Amazing' but so far I haven't gone that route since I've been able to answer the six year old's questions. Deborah