Book Review
A short overview of this book
How Babies Are Made by Andrew C. Andry is a vintage book that explains how babies are made. Now, I have a confession to make. I absolutely love this book as it is one of the few books that starts off by describing how plants, chickens and puppies are made. It talks about sexual intercourse, shows the sperm going into the vagina but doesn’t show the penis going into the vagina. The book is very matter-of-fact and gets straight to the point (a refreshing trait of most vintage books).
Now despite this book first being published in 1968 (revised since) it is a really popular book with parents.
You can learn more on this page, about how to talk to kids about sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 5 to 8 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of How Babies Are Made by Andrew C. Andry from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, and welcome to Sex Ed Rescue. I’ve got a vintage book from the Sixties on how babies are made that I want to talk about today.
Sex Ed Rescue is all about making sex education easier for parents and kids. I’ve got a YouTube channel where I review books like this one, and I also have a website where I help parents find a better way to start sex education with their kids.
So, let’s dive into this vintage gem. I’ve had this book for ages, and recently someone in our Facebook group asked about it because their kids were curious about how babies, puppies, and kittens are made. This book was published in the late 1960s and you can still find copies online.
The book is called How Babies Are Made and it’s written by Andrew C. Sandra and Steven Shep, with illustrations by Blake Hampton. What I really love about this book are the stunning paper pictures. It takes you on a journey through how different living beings reproduce, starting with plants and their ovaries, and even how bees help with pollination.
Then it moves on to animals, talking about eggs, sperm, and how chickens and dogs make babies. Yes, it does show pictures of chickens mating and dogs doing their thing. Some people might find it a little surprising, but I think it’s important to show kids the natural process in a straightforward way.
Finally, it covers humans. It explains how sperm fertilizes an egg, and although it doesn’t have an actual picture of the penis going into the vagina, it does a good job of explaining what happens. The book also shows the growth of the baby and the process of birth.
Now, keep in mind that this book is from the late 60s, so it doesn’t cover modern methods like IVF, and it only talks about vaginal delivery. But hey, for its time, it’s pretty impressive that they even included a bit of cultural diversity at the back.
I really like this book because it not only explains how human babies are made, but it also shows how other animals reproduce. It’s refreshingly different from modern books, which sometimes shy away from showing these natural processes. I believe that children need a matter-of-fact approach to sex education, and this book delivers just that.
I hope this review was helpful and gave you a good sense of what to expect from this vintage gem. I personally love it for its beautiful illustrations and straightforward approach. So, if you’re interested in learning more about sex education, check out Sex Ed Rescue on YouTube and my website.
Cheers!
