Book Review
A short overview of this book
21st Century Guide to the Birds and Bees by Belinda Messer and Rosie Luik provides a very simple overview of how babies are made.
It talks about sexual intercourse but also the other ways that babies can be made, i.e. IVF, IUI, egg or sperm donation and surrogacy. It is a very straightforward book but is also very age-appropriate.
This book DOES talk about sexual intercourse.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 5 to 10 years.
Buy this book
✅ You can buy a copy of 21st Century Guide to the Birds and Bees by Belinda Messer and Rosie Luik from the Author.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak from Sex Ed Rescue, and I want to chat with you about this awesome book called 21st Century Guide to the Birds and the Bees by Belinda Messer and Rosie Lewis. It’s part of a series called IMEX Special, and there are other books on different topics too. This particular book was published back in 2014 by two moms who wanted to create a book that explains where babies come from.
Now, let me tell you, it’s actually a pretty neat little book. It talks about sperm and eggs, and even though it’s not medically accurate, it simplifies things in a way that’s perfect for young children. We don’t need to overwhelm them with all the technical details just yet. We’ll save that for when they’re a bit older, like when they’re studying rocket science in university!
So, the book starts off by explaining that when a woman wants to have a baby, she needs to find some sperm. And guess what? It shows a cute picture of a couple in bed, because that’s where they have sex, also known as making love. Sorry about the glare on the page, by the way. Then it goes on to show what’s inside the man’s bit (yes, we mean penis) with some sperm hanging out there.
On the other side, it shows the female bit (ovaries and eggs). The book talks about how the sperm has to find the egg, and they fall in love (metaphorically, of course) and make a baby. But hey, sometimes they don’t fall in love and still meet the right person to make a baby with. The book also covers other ways babies are made, like through IVF, intrauterine insemination, and even surrogacy. It’s important to know about all these options!
The book explains that the baby grows inside the woman and gets fed through the cord in the center. And when the baby is ready to come out, the woman goes into labor, and the baby can be born either through the vagina or through a cut in the tummy (which is called a C-section). Regardless of how the baby is made, the result is always the same: a beautiful baby.
Overall, I think this book is a great resource. It provides a simple and clear description of how babies are made, without showing explicit images. It’s important for kids to understand the basics at this age, like the in and out and the importance of lubrication. Sometimes kids can have funny ideas about how things work, so it’s good to give them accurate information in a way they can understand.
So there you have it! I hope this review helps you decide if this book is right for you. Cheers!
