Book Review
An overview of the book
Mummy Laid an Egg, by Babette Cole, is a really fun but educational read about how babies are made!
There aren’t many sex education books out there that are a pleasure to read, but Babette Cole has managed to do it!
This book DOES talk about sexual intercourse (sort of).
Mummy Laid an Egg, is all about how babies are made. It talks about:
- Mum and Dad decide that it is time to tell the kids how babies are made
- they tell them all the made-up reasons that kids are commonly told
- girls are made from sugar and spice and boys are made from slugs and snails
- delivered by dinosaurs
- make them out of gingerbread
- find them under stones
- grown from seeds
- squeeze them out of tubes
- mummy laid an egg
- the kids laugh and tell their parents ‘what a load of rubbish’, and tell them that they were nearly right about seed, the tube and the egg
- kids proceed to tell parents how babies are really made
- mummy has eggs inside her tummy
- daddy has seeds in seed pods outside his body
- daddy has a tube and the seeds from the pods come out of it
- the tube goes into mummy’s tummy through a hole, and the seeds swim inside using their tales – an arrow points from the penis to the vulva
- drawings of the different ways that mums and dads fit together – on a space hopper, on a skateboard, etc
- once the seeds are inside mum, the sperm race to see who gets to the egg first – winner gets the egg and it starts to grow into a baby
- baby gets bigger and mummy gets fatter as the baby grows
- and then the baby pops out – drawing of it coming out between the mummy’s legs
- everyone has babies – animals too!
So, as you can see, Mummy Laid an Egg, is pretty comprehensive. It is over 20 years old but is still quite relevant for this day and age.
But, it does just talk about the traditional way that babies are made ie ‘penis in vagina’ sex. Nowadays babies are also made in other ways, such as IVF, with egg and/or sperm donation, adoption and/or surrogacy. So if your child wasn’t conceived the traditional way, you will need to let your child know that babies are also made in other ways eg IVF.
When we first start talking to kids about sexual intercourse, we tend to keep it pretty simple and talk about it in a very general way. We don’t fill in the details until they become more interested and begin to ask for more details. Talking to kids about sex, is a bit like learning to read, you need to understand the sounds before you can begin to sound out the words.
Reading tips
Make sure you have a look at the book, Mummy Laid an Egg, first (before you read it to your child)! That way you will know what to expect. You can find some tips on how to read ‘sex ed’ books here.
This book does talk about sexual intercourse. So do make sure that you go and have a look at it first – before you read it with your child! Don’t do what I did, and read it without looking at it first. I almost died when I came to the sex page!
Mummy Laid an Egg, by Babette Cole, is the only book that I know of, that makes a story out of how babies are made! It is a fun read, factual and well worth owning!
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 5 to 7 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Mummy Laid an Egg from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! Let’s dive into the book Mummy Laid an Egg by Babette Cole, one of my all-time favorite authors when it comes to discussing sexuality with kids. This book has been around for a while, but trust me, it hasn’t lost its charm. It tackles the traditional way babies are made, you know, penis and vagina, heterosexual sex. So, let me give you a quick rundown.
First off, the story starts with Mom and Dad realizing they need to talk to their kids about how babies are made. They debunk all the silly myths like finding babies in the garden or making them out of gingerbread. They also touch on some factual stuff, like how eggs can be compared to seeds in your ovary or how they come out of tubes where the ovary is located. Then, it gets to the fun part where Mummy lays an egg and, voila, babies are born! They all have a good laugh and decide to show the kids how it really happens.
The book mentions that Mom has eggs, but they’re inside her tummy. Now, you don’t have to get too specific with the details. I started reading this book to my kids when they were around four or five years old, and even my six-year-old is still interested in it. So, you can keep it general and avoid using terms like uteruses, ovens, and ovaries if you prefer. Instead, the book refers to Dad having seeds in little seed pods (which is a much nicer way of saying testicles, right?). Then, it explains that Daddy has a tube where the seeds come out and go into Mommy’s tummy. Simple and easy to understand, right? No need to get into the nitty-gritty details at this age.
Believe me, kids don’t really want all the specifics. Even after reading this book countless times over the years, my kids have never asked me about the intimate details. They’re just grasping the basic concepts at this stage. But hey, if you want to provide more information, go for it! Just keep in mind that it might not stick with them right away. They don’t really need all the details just yet.
Now, there’s a page in this book that used to make me a bit uncomfortable. I would quickly turn it, hoping my kids wouldn’t notice. But you know what? I eventually let them take a closer look, and they would peer at it curiously, trying to figure out what was going on. They never said anything until recently when one of them asked, Is that how babies are really made? I just chuckled and reassured them that it was just a silly illustration. Then, the book goes on to show the big sperm race and how the baby grows inside Mommy’s tummy until it’s time to come out. It’s a lovely journey.
I absolutely love the humor that Babette Cole brings to her books. Kids adore them because they’re so much more fun to read than dry educational ones. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with educational books, but if you can find something that’s entertaining, it’s even better! This book does a great job of explaining that babies are made through sexual intercourse, which is important for kids to know. But if you’re just starting to explore books about sex with your kids, it might be easier to begin with something less specific, something that won’t make you feel as embarrassed. Trust me, I’m a big believer in reading books about sex and related topics with kids. Start gently, with books that won’t overwhelm you, and gradually work your way up to more detailed ones. Oh, and there’s another book I’ll talk about next time that could be a great starting point. Stay tuned!
I hope you found this helpful, and I encourage you to go out and buy this fantastic book. I absolutely love Babette Cole’s work! Cheers!
