What’s the big secret? by Laurie Krasny Brown

Book Review

An overview of the book

What’s the Big Secret? Talking about sex with girls and boys by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown, is one of those ‘cover everything’ books, in regards to bodies, how babies are made, pregnancy and more. And it is kept nice and simple ie there is not too much information! This book was written by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown. This is a great book that was published in 1997, so nearly 20 years ago. But it is a great little book that hasn’t dated at all. It covers the basics of what kids need to know about growing up, bodies and how babies are made.

What’s the Big Secretis like most other sex education books, when it comes to talking to school-aged kids about sex. So, it starts off with how boys and girls are the same but they are also different. When it comes to things like clothes and hair, it means that sometimes we can all look the same. But there is a way to tell us apart – our genitals are different (vulva/penis/etc). I love the way the authors display the discomfort and giggling that can happen when we talk about genitals.

The book also talks about how boys stand up to urinate and girls sit down (kids actually find this fact very interesting). Then it talks about the different names of the body parts and that we should use the correct names and not silly names. It also acknowledges that it is okay to be interested in your body and to have a look at it and to be curious about other parts but to remember to do this in private. What’s the Big Secret?  also talks about masturbation ie you can touch your genitals and it feels nice, but you have to do that in private. It also talks about the fact that our bodies can feel nice when they are touched. They follow this up with some rules about touching. It talks about it being okay to be hugged and touched if you want to.

What’s the Big Secret? then starts to talk about how babies are made, reminding us that all animals reproduce. So what does it take to make a human baby? Basically, it says the sperm and egg meet during sexual intercourse ie when a man puts his penis into the woman’s vagina. So it is kept nice and simple ie we don’t have descriptions of couples on top of each other having sex.

Then it talks about the baby growing on the inside of the mother, how the mother is waiting for the baby to come, and then the babies birth. It talks about vaginal birth and not a caesarean birth.

All in all though, What’s the Big Secret? is a good little book, and talks about the things that kids are curious about.  It is a little old fashioned though, in regards to the fact that it doesn’t talk about the alternative ways that babies are made (IVF, surrogacy), and gender (transgender).  But, considering that it was written nearly 2o years ago, that is to be expected.

What’s the Big Secret? Talking about sex with girls and boys by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown, covers a range of different topics but has a nice and simple age-appropriate description of how to start a baby. It would be a good book to start with if you want a book that covers more than one topic and doesn’t provide too much information.

Ideal Age

Ideal for children aged 6 to 9 years.

Buy this book

Buy a copy of What’s the Big Secret? Talking about sex with girls and boys by Laurie Krasny Brown from Amazon.

Video Transcription

A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener

Hey there!

So, let’s talk about this awesome book called Talking About Sex with Girls and Boys by Laurie Krasny Brown and Mark Brown. It’s a little gem that was first published way back in 1997, almost 20 years ago! But you know what? It’s still a fantastic resource. The illustrations and diagrams inside are timeless.

This book covers all the basics that kids need to know about growing up, their bodies, and how babies are made. It starts off by explaining how boys and girls are similar and different. It’s not just about clothes or hair, there are other ways to tell them apart, and we’ll get to that.

The book also talks about feelings and then dives into an anatomy lesson. There might be a bit of giggling and embarrassment, but that’s totally normal. There’s a little diagram where a girl points out the different parts, and it even explains how boys pee standing up and girls pee sitting down. Kids can get curious about these things, right?

It’s important to use the correct names for body parts and not silly names. The book encourages kids to be interested in their bodies and explore them, but it also emphasizes the importance of respecting privacy. It mentions that sometimes touching certain parts can feel nice, but it’s something that should be done in private. And of course, it talks about the rules of being touched and consent.

The book also covers the topic of new babies and how they are made. It explains that all animals reproduce and how sperm and egg meet during sexual activity. It keeps it simple and straightforward, without going into explicit details. It even talks about the baby growing inside and the process of giving birth vaginally.

Now, I should mention that this book doesn’t talk about other ways babies can be born, like through a Caesarean section. But hey, you can always explain that some babies are born differently. The most important thing is that it provides the information kids want to know at their age without overwhelming them.

Overall, this is a great little book. It covers a lot of important content, but it does so in a concise and easy-to-understand way. It’s the kind of book you can read in one sitting with your kids. Just keep in mind that there are a few things that might need updating, like the idea that all boys have penises, which we know isn’t true for everyone. But hey, that’s something that can be easily addressed.

I hope this review helps! Cheers!

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