Author | Robie Harris |
---|---|
Illustrator | Michael Emberley |
Language | English |
Subject | Human sexuality |
Publisher | Candlewick Press |
Publication date | November 1, 1999 |
Publication place | United States |
Media type | |
Pages | 81 |
ISBN | 978-0-7636-0051-8 |
OCLC | 40433137 |
612.6 | |
LC Class | QP251.5 .H37 1999 |
Preceded by | It's Perfectly Normal |
It's So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families is a 1999 children's book about pregnancy and childbirth. It is written by Robie Harris and illustrated by Michael Emberley. [1]
The book is intended for tweens, a slightly older demographic than Harris' previous books on sex education, It's Not the Stork and It's Perfectly Normal . [2] [3] It deals with topics related to sexual reproduction, human sexuality, relationships, sexually transmitted infection, and safe sex practices. Educational cartoon illustrations provide visuals of processes such as fetal development. [4] [5] The information is presented alongside the commentary of two characters, a curious bird and a bee who finds the topic embarrassing, acting as emotional stand ins for the readers. [3] [5]
An updated edition of the book which included information about internet safety was published in 2014, alongside an expanded edition of It's Perfectly Normal. [6]
The book received praise for its informative content, age appropriate humor and approachable writing style. [5] [4] [3] [7] Publishers Weekly praised the book's "informal yet informed perspective" and usefulness as an educational resource. [5] K. J. Dell'Antonia of The New York Times praised its illustrations, particularly a "glorious, life-sized image of the fetus in the womb." [6] Kirkus Reviews wrote that it "expertly walk the line between frankness and bluntness, keeping the actual sex act under the covers, and nimbly explaining how abuse differs from normal human contact and affection." [4] Common Sense Media awarded the book four out of five stars. [3]
Both Kailen Stover of Scary Mommy and Carrie R. Wheadon of Common Sense Media recommended the book as a way for parents to open up a dialogue about sex and their personal values. [2] [3]
It received an award for Notable Children's Books from the American Library Association (ALA) in 2000. [8] The book has subsequently been included in several publications' lists of the best books for teaching sex education, including New York Times, [9] Bustle, [10] Scary Mommy, [2] She Knows, [11] and Redbook . [12]
The book was frequently challenged by groups who objected to the inclusion of information about sexuality in children's books, including homosexuality, abortion and masturbation. However, it was subject to less controversy than It's Perfectly Normal . [13] It appeared as #37 in the ALA's list of Most Banned Books during the 2000–2009 decade. [14] In 2014, a petition for the National Library Board (NLB) to reinstate the book and others which had been removed received 3,800 signatures. [15] After The Straits Times reported that these books were removed because of customer feedback, the NLB stated that they had actually been removed because of an internal review. [16] It appeared on Salon.com's 2014 list of the most controversial sex ed books of all time. [17]
Lois Ann Lowry is an American writer. She is the author of several books for children and young adults, including The Giver Quartet, Number the Stars, and Rabble Starkey. She is known for writing about difficult subject matters, dystopias, and complex themes in works for young audiences.
Show Me! is a sex education book by photographer Will McBride. It appeared in 1974 in German under the title Zeig Mal!, written with psychiatrist Helga Fleischhauer-Hardt for children and their parents. It was translated into English a year later and was widely available in bookstores on both sides of the Atlantic for many years, but later became subject to expanded child pornography laws in jurisdictions including the United States. In Germany, the book was followed in 1990 by a second edition that included, among other additions, a discussion of the AIDS epidemic.
Shane and Sia Barbi, popularly known as The Barbi Twins, are American identical twins, cover models, co-authors, and frequently nude spokespersons as part of their animal rights advocacy.
Goosebumps is a series of children's horror novels written by American author R. L. Stine. The protagonists in these stories are teens or pre-teens who find themselves in frightening circumstances, often involving the supernatural, the paranormal or the occult. Between 1992 and 1997, sixty-two books were published under the Goosebumps umbrella title. R. L. Stine also wrote various spin-off series, including, Goosebumps Series 2000, Give Yourself Goosebumps, Tales to Give You Goosebumps, Goosebumps Triple Header, Goosebumps HorrorLand, Goosebumps Most Wanted and Goosebumps SlappyWorld. Additionally, there was a series called Goosebumps Gold that was never released.
Heather Has Two Mommies is a children's book written by Lesléa Newman with illustrations by Diana Souza. First published in 1989, it was one of the first pieces of LGBTQ+ children's literature to garner broad attention.
The National Library Board (NLB) is a statutory board under the purview of the Ministry of Digital Development and Information of the government of Singapore. The board manages the public libraries throughout the country.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a series of three collections of short horror stories for children, written by Alvin Schwartz and originally illustrated by Stephen Gammell. In 2011, HarperCollins published editions featuring new art by Brett Helquist, causing mass controversy among fans of Gammell. Subsequent printings have restored the original Gammell art. The titles of the books are Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1981), More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1984), and Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones (1991).
King & King is a children's picture book co-authored and co-illustrated by Stern Nijland and Linda De Haan. King & King tells the story of a young prince whose mother is forcing him to find his princess. However, after meeting many princesses, the prince falls in love with another prince. King & King was originally written in Frisian and has since been published in ten languages. The book's illustrations have received both positive and negative reviews, as has the storyline. The book has been analyzed for both its usefulness in the classroom and its challenges to social norms.
And Tango Makes Three is a children's book written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole which was published in 2005. The book tells the story of two male penguins, Roy and Silo, who create a family together. With the help of the zookeeper, Mr. Gramsay, Roy and Silo are given an egg which they help hatch. The female chick, that completes their family, is consequently named "Tango" by the zookeepers. The book was based on the true story of Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins who formed a pair bond in New York's Central Park Zoo.
Sonya Sones is an American poet and author. She has written seven young adult novels in verse and one novel in verse for adults. The American Library Association (ALA) has named her one of the most frequently challenged authors of the 21st century.
Jackpot is the name of three superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first incarnation of Jackpot, Sara Ehret, first appeared in Spider-Man: Swing Shift, and was created by writer Dan Slott and artist Phil Jimenez. The second incarnation, Alana Jobson, debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #545. In August 2023, Mary Jane Watson was announced to be taking up the mantle as the third Jackpot.
It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health is a children's book written by Robie Harris and illustrated by Michael Emberley. The purpose of the book is to inform preadolescent children about puberty by exploring different definitions of sex. It was first published in 1994 by Candlewick Press and has since been updated several times with new information. It's also been published under the title Let's Talk About Sex in the UK. Harris was prompted to write It's Perfectly Normal by her editor so young individuals would understand aspects of sexual health. The book has won multiple accolades and appraisal for its accurate information and its normalization of body changes and human sexuality. However, it has also been a source of controversy because of its graphic images that some consider inappropriate for the targeted age range. Many of Harris' books, including It's Perfectly Normal, have appeared on the American Library Association's Most Challenged Books list frequently since 2005. It's Perfectly Normal has additional anniversary editions that were published in 2004, 2009, and 2014. The book has also been translated in 27 languages.
Robie Harris was an American author. She wrote more than 30 children's books, including the frequently challenged It's Perfectly Normal (1994) and It's so Amazing (1999).
Fifty Shades of Grey is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It became the first installment in the Fifty Shades novel series that follows the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business magnate, Christian Grey. It contains explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving BDSM.
Fifty Shades is a series of erotic novels by British author E. L. James, initially a trilogy consisting of Fifty Shades of Grey (2011), Fifty Shades Darker (2012) and Fifty Shades Freed (2012). The series traces the deepening relationship between college graduate Anastasia Steele and young businessman Christian Grey. Christian introduces Ana to the world of BDSM.
Katie Rain Hill is an American transgender activist and author. In 2014, she published the award-winning autobiographical book Rethinking Normal (2014).
Scary Mommy is a website that produces content targeting mothers, specifically focusing on parenting, motherhood, current events, and pop culture. The site is owned by Bustle Digital Group, and the website is based in New York City.
Devorah Blachor is an American writer, journalist, humorist and essayist who was born in New York.
Mary Jo Podgurski is an educator known for her work on adolescent sexual health and development, and childbirth education. She has been recognized within Washington PA and at the national level for her educational activities in the realm of teenager health.
The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls by Valorie Lee Schaefer is an educational children's book about puberty, female health and hygiene. It was written for readers aged eight years and older, and does not mention sex or sexuality. The book was first published in 1998 by American Girl, a U.S. doll company, under its Advice Library imprint.