Best Inclusive Puberty Books for Children – Empowering Education
Welcome to my small (but growing) list of inclusive puberty books. I have created this list as I have noticed an increased demand from families wanting puberty books, including gender diversity.
What do you mean by inclusive? By inclusive, I mean puberty books that non-binary, transgender and gender-fluid children can read and feel included. For example, the book may talk about most girls having a vulva instead of all girls. Or they might talk about puberty for bodies with testicles or ovaries instead of boys and girls.
What do you mean by gender diversity? By gender diversity, I am referring to your sense of who you are – a boy or a girl, a man or a woman, both or neither. Most puberty books don’t reflect gender diversity as they are written for cisgender children and are based on a binary model, i.e. boy or girl (with no in-between). If you want to learn more about gender identity, then read this article – Gender identity, gender diversity and gender dysphoria: children and teenagers.
Why do inclusive books matter? Can you imagine reading books that lacked diversity and never reflected people like you? It makes children feel left out and alone, as they don’t see anyone else in books like them. So, inclusive books matter to children who are a minority. They also matter as they encourage all children to be inclusive and accepting of diversity, regardless of skin colour, disability or gender diversity. So, inclusive books matter because they help to make the world a better place.
Are inclusive books only for gender-diverse kids? Not at all, and I have noticed a growing number of families (without gender-diverse children) wanting inclusive puberty books. Why? Because they want their children to be inclusive and not discriminate against people who are different. Plus, reading inclusive books lets your child know that you’re a safe person to disclose gender diversity to.
NOTE: Before passing any book to your child or reading it with them, you should read it yourself first. I might think it is a great book for a certain age child or that the information is valuable, but you may disagree. Try to choose books that reflect your values and the messages you want your child to receive.
New books for children about puberty are constantly being published, so please contact me if you know of a book that should be included in this list.
You can find more children’s books about puberty, in the main list of puberty books. And you can also find a separate list of inclusive sex education books.
If you’re looking for more puberty resources, then don’t forget to visit my Puberty 101 page.
If you get overwhelmed and don’t know which book to grab, have a look at my list of favourite puberty books. These are the books that I am always recommending to parents. CLICK HERE to look at the 10 best puberty books.
Inclusive Puberty Books for Children
You’ll find a list of inclusive puberty books suitable for gender-diverse children and families who value inclusiveness.
All of the books on this topic are currently showing, and you can filter them by whether they do (or don’t) talk about sexual intercourse. Just click on the filter, and the appropriate books will appear.
If you find this list overwhelming, have a look at my favourite puberty books for kids, as these are the books I am always recommending to parents.
A NOTE ABOUT PUBERTY, SEX AND GENDER. Sex and gender exist on spectrums, and most puberty books don’t reflect this spectrum as they are binary (boy, girl). This page uses the term ‘inclusive’ to refer to puberty books inclusive of gender diversity. So, the inclusive puberty books are suitable for nonbinary and transgender children, as well as families that embrace inclusion and diversity. Click here to learn more about sex and gender.
If no books appear, there aren’t any books for a child of that age.
Find practical tools to educate kids about puberty in the Sex Ed Shop
These are some of the few inclusive puberty books written for children. As I find more, I will add them to this list. They are all really good books that you will find useful when talking about puberty.
If you’re looking for more puberty resources, then don’t forget to visit my Puberty 101 page. As you’ll find everything you need to know to get started with the puberty talk!
Happy reading!
❤️ Cath