I minored in human sexuality, and have read through many books about sex and sexuality, including a few explaining "how babies are made" for kids. This book is hands-down one of the BEST that I have seen; not only was it written through a collaborative process with doctors, educators, parents/grandparents, scientists/researchers, and coordinators of all kinds of children's programs, amongst other individuals, but it is the first in a series of books designed to grow with your child in terms of their questions concerning babies, bodies, and sexuality. This is the first book (the second is "It's So Amazing," for ages 7 and up; the third is "It's Perfectly Normal," for ages 10 and up.) and answers the question of where babies come from in a way that doesn't center on one specific gender or ethnicity - both boys' and girls' bodies are illustrated in a very simple and factual manner, and all races and body types are illustrated. There are also chapters titled "All Kinds of Families" (discusses different numbers of children, parents, adoption, stepparents, foster parents, divorce, same-sex parents, etc.) and "Okay Touches, Not Okay Touches" (what/where your "privates" are and who can/can't touch them, etc.).

I bought this book for my nieces a few years ago, as they were coming up on that age when they were starting to have questions about the differences between boys and girls (as far as they were concerned, "girls have eyelashes, and boys have none!"). I've also re-examined the resources our parents used for when we were their ages, and was kind of horrified to see what they used (pretty misogynistic) and what was available at that time. For full disclosure as well, I worked in a bookstore, and was able to look through some of what was available and at hand, and I really couldn't find anything better than this book! For a topic that is as important to a child's development as this one, I would personally purchase this one for my children (if I had them).

I know that for some, the matter of circumcision is important, and the entirety of the discussion in the book is short, and is as follows: "The loose skin at the end of the penis is called the "foreskin." Some baby boys' foreskins are removed a few days after they are born. Some baby boys' foreskins are not removed. That's why some penises look different from other penises."

These authors also have other books that explain other life lessons in a "Let's Talk About You and Me" series that I haven't read but would only assume to be just as great as the others: "Who Has What?: All About Girls' Bodies and Boys' Bodies," "Who's In My Family?: All About Our Families," "What's in There?: All About Before You Were Born," and "What's So Yummy?: All About Eating Well and Feeling Good." ( )

1. Summary - This book is all about your body. How each person has parts to make them a boy or a girl, how those parts work, what they are called, and if it is okay or not okay to let others touch them. This book is very informative and very graphic although it doesn't show live pictures, it does show drawings.

2. Personal Reaction - Although this book was interesting, it was not at all what I expected. I thought I was going to read something a little more light than this. It was very detailed and I wouldn't feel comfortable using this in my class unless it was for a sex ed class.

3. Extension Ideas -
1. I don't plan on teaching sex Ed but if I did this would be a great book to ease my way into this topic.
2. There is one section of the book that speaks about why we call our special body parts private and what are "okay touches" and "not okay touches". If I had a problem with this in my class I would read this section of the book and discuss it with the class or maybe just send the book/section home to the parent/guardian.

Summary: It's NOT the Stork! is a book about "girls, boys, babies, bodies, families, and friends." The book touches on many important questions that kids have- the differences between girl and boy bodies, where babies really come from, how babies are made, okay touches/not okay touches, kinds of families, growing up, and friendships. There are two little friends that help tell the story too- bird and bee!

Personal Connection: I loved this book! I wish I had been read this book as a child- I KNOW I had all of these questions! It approaches every topic with a matter of fact, yet kid friendly explanation- with no fluff! There are helpful diagrams for children, sidebars with more information, and bird and bee help keep the topic light :)

Extras:
-Meet the author: https://www.teachingbooks.net/author_collection.cgi?id=16&mid=35
-Author personal website: http://www.michaelemberley.com/
-Interview: https://www.thegrommet.com/61-birds-bees-books-children-sex-education
***Mentioned in class- high quality non-fiction for kids

Application to Teaching: As much as I love the candid facts in this book, I would not feel comfortable keeping this in my classroom library! However, I would definitely use it for my own children when they start to have lots of questions! ( )

Summary: This is a book that teaches young children about different topics that pertain to their body. These topics include, the difference between boys and girls, how they were made, where babies one from, and many more. It goes through each developmental step using age-appropriate language so it is not confusing for small children.

Personal reaction: I thought that this was a really great book. I have a four and six year old and I have never discussed any of these topics with them. They have never asked so I never thought to talk about it. After reading this book I will definitely be going through it with them because I do think that it is important for children to know these kinds of things.

Extension ideas: I think that many of these topics parents may get upset if a teacher taught their child about it. Although I do think it is important for children to know things like the proper name for their private parts, I can definitely see some parents getting upset about a teacher discussing it with their child, so I would stay away from those topics completely. Chapters 11-20 covers pregnancy, fetal development, child birth, infant development, different types of families, good touches and bad touches, friendship, and growing up. I think that these topics would be okay to cover but I would probably still get permission from parents before discussing any of these topics. If I got the go-ahead I would teach children about pregnancy, a little about childbirth, and infant development. Especially if one of the students had a pregnant mother. I would bring fruit/vegetables to show the children the size that the baby is during each developmental stage during pregnancy. For infant development I would teach them the different stages that babies go through and we would discuss any new babies that the students have had in their family.

The book IT'S NOT THE STORK is a book for children of older ages. This book talks about the differences in boys and girls bodies. It also explains how babies are made in a way that is easy for kids to understand. I like the pictures in this book because it helps children to get to know their body better and the process of making a baby. This is a good book for the class when talking about puberty and the differences between boys and girls. ( )