Book Review
A short overview of this book
Boys, Girls and Body Science by Meg Hickling is a well-known Canadian book that explains the facts of life to children in a straight-forward way.
It provides a general introduction to sex education, and answers questions kids may have about where babies come from, how they are made, the difference between boys and girls, which body parts are private, pregnancy, birthing and more.
This is a vintage book, published in 2002, that is still very popular with parents. So it is based around a child having a mother and a father.
THIS BOOK DOES TALK ABOUT SEXUAL INTERCOURSE.
You can learn more on this page, about how to talk to kids about sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 6 to 9 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Boys, Girls and Body Science by Meg Hickling from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, and I’m here to talk about a vintage sex education book that’s still super popular today. It’s called Sex Ed Rescue, and it’s not only a website packed with helpful resources and blog posts to guide you in talking to your kids about sex, but also a YouTube channel with loads of book reviews and videos to help you have open and honest conversations with your little ones.
Now, let’s dive into this gem of a book written by Meg Hickling, a nurse from Canada, back in the 80s (or maybe even earlier!). Believe it or not, parents in my Facebook group are still buying and reading these books with their kids today. So, I got my hands on a vintage copy because, you know, I love the charm of second-hand books.
This book is quite big, like seriously big. Just look at it compared to my hand! The edition I have is from 2002, so it’s been updated and has some lovely artwork inside.
The book is all about how babies are made and understanding our bodies. It’s like one of those books that helps you have the talk with your kids, you know? It covers topics like body science, explaining the differences between boys and girls. It also talks about private parts and labels them as genitals, both on the outside and inside. And guess what? It even has pictures of different penises, including circumcised and uncircumcised ones. Plus, it doesn’t shy away from mentioning the vulva, vagina, and clitoris. Pretty progressive for its time, right?
The book also explains what you need to make a baby and goes into detail about the process. Now, keep in mind that these books mainly focus on sex in the context of baby-making, because that’s usually how we introduce the topic to kids. As they grow older, we can talk about the fact that sex is also something adults do for fun and pleasure, and it’s a part of relationships. The book touches on values too, mentioning that some families believe you should be married before having sex. It’s a nice way to approach the topic, I think.
Oh, and it doesn’t stop there! The book goes on to talk about the uterus and other organs involved in pregnancy, how the baby grows, and even shows pictures of different ways babies can be born, including C-sections. It wraps up with a sweet mention of the belly button, where it all started when the baby was implanted in the uterus lining. Aww, so cute!
Now, let’s be real. This book may not be completely up to date with all the diverse family structures we have today, like having two moms or two dads, or even adoption. But hey, for its generation, it covers all the essential information your kids need to know when they’re starting to learn about the facts of life. It’s a simple and straightforward overview.
So there you have it, folks! This book is a treasure trove of relevant information, even after all these years. It’s a great resource to help you navigate those sometimes tricky conversations with your kids. Cheers!
