This comprehensive list of sex education books for 8 year olds will help parents with starting tricky conversations with their 8 year old about the birds and bees or the facts of life.
Eight is an age that many parents start to think about sex education for the first time. Especially as they start to see the first signs of puberty in their child. Or they recall that awkward talk that their own parents gave them, when they were a child.
Thankfully sex education has changed over the years, and we now know that one awkward conversation is not enough. Today we encourage many conversations that start when children are young. If you’re unsure about what sex education can look like for your family, go and watch the video in my blogpost about what sex education in the home can look like.
Many of the sex education books for 8 year olds that are inside this list, will help you with starting open and honest conversations with your 8 year old.
You’ll find a wide range of books inside this list. Some of the books are what I call an ‘all in one’ book ie books that include nearly everything that you need to talk about with your child. Whereas other books are more specific and are focused on just one topic, like diversity, sexual intercourse or consent.
Now, if you reach a point of overwhelm, then you’ll want to have a look at my list of favourite sex education books. These are the books that I always seem to be recommending to parents. CLICK HERE to look at the 10 best sex education books.
If it is a particular topic that you’re interested in, then you’ll find books by the topic in the main list of Sex Education Books for Children. And if you’re looking for a book for a different aged child, then you’ll want to look at the age-appropriate list of sex education books.
If you want to learn more about getting started with sex education for 8 year olds, then you should look at this age-specific sex education guide for eight year olds.
You’ll find more information about sex education in my Sex Education 101 page.
Quick Index
Bodies
Body image
Body safety
Consent
Dating
Diversity & Inclusion
Families & Relationships
Feelings
Gender
Growing up
Inclusive Books
Internet safety
NOTE: Before passing any book to your child or reading the book with your child, 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. You need to choose books that reflect your values and the messages you want your child to receive.
Sex education books for 8 year olds
Bodies
Anatomy: A Cutaway Look Inside the Human Body by Jeane-Claude Druvert
The Fantastic Body by Howard Bennett
My Pop-Up Body Book by Jennie Maizels and William Petty
Professor Astro Cat’s Human Body Odyssey by Dominic Walliman
The Great Big Body Book by Mary Hoffman
Anatomicum by Katie Wiederman & Jennifer Z Paxton
First Body Book by Clive Gifford
Your Growing Body and Remarkable Reproductive System by Paul Mason
Your Body and You. Looking after your body by Anita Ganeri
Body safety
Hayden-Reece Learns a Valuable Lesson that Private Means ‘Just for You’ by Holly-ann Martin
Matilda Learns a Valuable Lesson by Holly-ann Martin
Gary just didn’t know the rules by Holly-ann Martin
Let’s Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent and Respect
Inside Out: Your body is amazing inside and out and only belongs to you by Dr Mary Jo Podgurski
Under Our Clothes: Our First Talk About Our Bodies by Dr Jillian Roberts
Miles is the Boss of His Body by Samantha Kurtzman-Counter & Abbie Schiller
Consent (for kids) by Rachel Brian
Only For Me by Michelle Derrig
My Invisible Line by Sarah Rahal and Katie Preston-Toepfer
Your body and you. Body privacy by Anita Ganeri
From my Heads to my Toes, I Say What Goes by Charlotte Barkla
A Sexual Abuse Prevention Course for Parents
Your Body Rocks by Emily Lauren Dick
Tricky People by Crystal Hardstaff
Consent
What is Consent? Why is it Important? And Other Big Questions by Louise Spilbury & Yas Necati
Let’s Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent and Respect
Nonnie Talks About Consent by Mary Jo Podgurski
The Great Big Hug by Isy Abraham-Raveson
Consent (for kids) by Rachel Brian
Kit and Arlo Find a Way: Teaching Consent to 8-12 year olds by Ingrid Laguna and Vanessa Hamilton
Yes! No! A first conversation about consent by Megan Madison
Everybody, every body by Emmalinda MacLean
From my Heads to my Toes, I Say What Goes by Charlotte Barkla
Diversity & inclusion
Who We Are! All about being the same and being different by Robie H. Harris
It’s Okay to be Different by Todd Parr
Mummy Never Told Me by Babette Cole
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
The Barefoot Book of Children by Tessa Strickland, Kate Depalma and David Dean
Giraffes Can’t Dance story by Giles Andreae
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
Our Skin. A first conversation about race by Megan Madison
It Isn’t Rude to be Nude by Rosie Haine
Your Body and You. You’re unique by Anita Ganeri
Be who you are by Todd Parr
Hello Every Body! by Samantha Curcio
We Are All People by Zanni Louise
Included by Jayneen Sanders
Families & Relationships
Who’s in my family? All about our families by Robie H. Harris
The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman & Ros Aquith
All About Families by Felicity Brooks
A Color Named Love by M. Ellery
Play and Learn PaperDoll Families by Cath Hakanson
A Family is a Family by Sara O’Leary
Together: A First Conversation About Love by Megan Madison
Hello Every Body! by Samantha Curcio
The Family Tree by Sean Dixon
Hope by Jayneen Sanders
Feelings
Just Feel: How to be stronger, happier, healthier and more by Malika Chopra
Your Mind Matters: Your Emotions by Honor Head
When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
Michael Rosen’s Sad Book by Michael Rosen
Shy Spaghetti and Excited Eggs: A Kid’s Menu of Feelings by Marc Nemiroff and Jane Annunziata
When I’m Feeling Scared by Trace Moroney
When I Feel Good About Myself by Cornelia Maude Spelman
Visiting Feelings by Lauren Rubenstein
Today I Feel Silly, and Other Moods That Make My Day by Jamie Lee Curtis
My Many Coloured Days by Dr Seuss
The Huge Bag of Worries by Virginia Ironside
The Scared Book by Debra Tidball
Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett
Be Brave by Karen Rochester
Feelings by Aliki
The Great Big Book of Feelings by Mary Hoffman
Talking About Feelings by Jayneen Sanders
Be the Difference by Jayneen Sanders
Gender
The Kid’s Guide to Gender Identity by Brook Pessin-Whedbee
What is Gender? How Does It Define Us? And Other Big Questions for Kids by Juno Dawson
Nonnie Talks About Gender by Mary Jo Podgurski
You Be You! The Kid’s Guide to Gender, Sexuality and Family by Jonathan Branfman
What is masculinity? Why does it matter and other big questions
Play & Learn PaperDoll Friends by Cath Hakanson
Play and Learn PaperDoll Families by Cath Hakanson
Play and Learn PaperDoll Superheroes by Cath Hakanson
Being You: A first conversation about gender by Megan Madison
What are Your Words A Book About Pronouns by Katherine Locke
A House for Everyone by Jo Hirst
The Pronoun Book by Cassandra Jules Corrigan
Pink, Blue and You by Elise Gravel
Gender Identity for Kids by Andy Passchier
Growing up
A Smart Girl’s Guide to Drama, Rumors & Secrets by American Girl
A Smart Girl’s Guide to Friendship Troubles by American Girl
Girl Stuff 8–12: Your real guide to the pre-teen years: Book Review
Someday by Alison McGhee
Beautiful Girl Celebrating the Wonders of Your Body by Christiane Northrup
Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson
Positively Izzy By Terri Libenson
Real Friends book by Shannon Hale and Leuyen Pham
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Your Body and You. Growing and Changing by Anita Ganeri
Inclusive Books
Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg
Nonnie Talks About Puberty by Mary Jo Podgurski
Vaginas and Periods 101 by Christian Hoeger and Kristen Lilla
Let’s Look at Different Body Parts Cards by Sex Ed Rescue
The Every Body Book : The Lgbtq+ Inclusive Guide for Kids About Sex, Gender, Bodies, and Families by Rachel Simon
Play & Learn PaperDoll Friends by Cath Hakanson
Making A Baby: An Inclusive Guide to How Every Family Begins by Rachel Greener
How do You Make a Baby by Anna Fiske
Play and Learn PaperDoll Families by Cath Hakanson
Play and Learn PaperDoll Superheroes by Cath Hakanson
The Parent’s Guide to Explaining Sex by Cath Hakanson
Celebrate Your Body. The Ultimate Puberty Book for Girls by Sonya Reece Taylor
Welcome to Your Boobs by Yumi Stynes & Dr Melissa Kang
Hello Every Body! by Samantha Curcio
Growing Up. by Rachel Greener
TEMPUS Period Tracker App (perfect for tweens & teens)
Internet safety
Not For Kids! by Liz Walker
Hayden-Reece Learns What to do if Children See Private Pictures or Private Movies by Holly-ann Martin
Good Pictures Bad Pictures JR by Kristen Jenson
The Tweeting Galah by Kim Maslin
Someone should have told me by Holly-ann Martin
What’s So Yummy?: All About Eating Well and Feeling Good by Robie H. Harris
Nerdy Bird Tweets by Aaron Reynolds
Once Upon a Time… online by David Bedford
Chicken Clicking by Jeanne Willis
Staying Safe Online by Louie Stowell
The Surfing Penguin by Kim Maslin
On the Internet: Our First Talk About Online Safety by Dr Jillian Roberts
The Things We Can’t Unsee by Kerri Isham
Your Mind Matters: Social Media and You by Honor Head
The Fabulous Friend Machine by Nick Bland
Keeping Safe on the Web with Kyle the Kingfish by Safe Surfer NZ
Put a Lid on It: Exposing the Porn Trap by Emily Olivia
Lucy’s family launches into the cyber-world!: Cyber safety can be fun by Nina Du Thaler
Dennis and his Online Gaming Adventure! Cyber safety can be fun by Nina Du Thaler
Lizzy’s Triumph Over Cyber-bullying! Cyber safety can be fun by Nina Du Thaler
Tom tames his online world: Cyber safety can be fun by Nina Du Thaler
Elle gets a mobile phone: Cyber safety can be fun by Nina Du Thaler
IVF (Assisted Reproduction) Books
Where Did I Really Come From by Narelle Wickham
21st Century Guide to the Birds and Bees by Belinda Messer and Rosie Luik
It’s so Amazing: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families by Robie H. Harris
Special Me: For IVF Families by Tara Mitchell
Making A Baby: An Inclusive Guide to How Every Family Begins by Rachel Greener
Play and Learn PaperDoll Families by Cath Hakanson
Love
Someday by Alison McGhee
Love is Love by Michael Genhart
Tadpole’s Promise by Jeanne Willis
When I’m Feeling Love by Trace Moroney
Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian
A Color Named Love by M. Ellery
Nonnie Talks About Relationships by Mary Jo Podgurski
LOVE: Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
Slug in Love by Rache Bright
You Made me a Mother by Laurenne Sala
Together: A First Conversation About Love by Megan Madison
LGBTQI+ kids
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Masturbation
What’s the big secret? by Laurie Krasny Brown
It’s so Amazing: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families by Robie H. Harris
Everybody Masturbates (for boys) by Christian YoungMiller
Everybody Masturbates (for girls) by Christian YoungMiller
A Kid’s First Book About Sex by Joani Blank
Amazing You book by Gail Saltz
Tell Me About Sex, Grandma! By Anastasia Higginbotham
Your Body Rocks by Emily Lauren Dick
Pornography
Not For Kids! by Liz Walker
Hayden-Reece Learns What to do if Children See Private Pictures or Private Movies by Holly-ann Martin
Good Pictures Bad Pictures JR by Kristen Jenson
Someone should have told me by Holly-ann Martin
Nonnie Talks About Trauma by Mary-Jo Podgurski
Staying Safe Online by Louie Stowell
The Things We Can’t Unsee by Kerri Isham
Keeping Safe on the Web with Kyle the Kingfish by Safe Surfer NZ
Put a Lid on It: Exposing the Porn Trap by Emily Olivia
Pregnancy & Birthing
Our New Baby Inside by Mick Manning
Being Born by Sheila Kitzinger and Lennart Nilsson
Baby on the Way by William & Martha Sears
Hello Baby by Jenni Overend
The Pregnant Body Book: The Complete Illustrated Guide from Conception to Birth
There’s a House Inside my Mummy by Giles Andreae
The Facts of Life: a 3D book by Jonathan Miller and David Pelham
Dealing With Our New Baby by Jane Lacey
My Moms Having A Baby by Dori Hillestad Butler
Nine Months: Before a Baby Is Born by Miranda Paul
Play and Learn PaperDoll Families by Cath Hakanson
Private body parts (or genitals)
Vaginas and Periods 101 by Christian Hoeger and Kristen Lilla
Let’s Look at Different Body Parts Cards by Sex Ed Rescue
Helmets and Hoses by Tricia LaVoice
The Parents’ Guide to Private Body Parts by Cath Hakanson
The P Word: A Manual for Mammals by Dr. David L. Hu
What’s Down There? A book about girl bodies for curious kids by Alex Waldron
That’s My Willy: A book about boy bodies for curious kids by Alex Waldron
Protective behaviours
Hayden-Reece Learns a Valuable Lesson that Private Means ‘Just for You’ by Holly-ann Martin
Some Secrets Should Never be Kept by Jayneen Sanders
Matilda Learns a Valuable Lesson by Holly-ann Martin
Gary just didn’t know the rules by Holly-ann Martin
My Private Parts are Private by Robert D. Edelman
Inside Out: Your body is amazing inside and out and only belongs to you by Dr Mary Jo Podgurski
I have a little secret by Kimberley McEwan
Miles is the Boss of His Body by Samantha Kurtzman-Counter & Abbie Schiller
Listening to My Body by Gabi Garcia
Those are My Private Parts by Diane Hansen
The Scared Book by Debra Tidball
The Trouble With Secrets by Karen Johnsen
My Body Is Special and Belongs to Me! by Sally Berenzeig and Cherie Benjoseph
Only For Me by Michelle Derrig
My Body is Mine by Peter Osilaja
Jack Teaches His Friends to Be KidSafe! by Sally Berenzeig and Cherie Benjoseph
I Said No! a Kid-To-Kid Guide to Keeping Your Private Parts Private by Kimberly King
I Can Play It Safe by Alison Feigh
Be Brave by Karen Rochester
My Invisible Line by Sarah Rahal and Katie Preston-Toepfer
A Sexual Abuse Prevention Course for Parents
Tricky People by Crystal Hardstaff
Puberty
Hair in Funny Places by Babette Cole
The Care and Keeping of You 1 (American Girl) by Cara Natterson
Ready, Set, Grow! book by Lynda Madaras
Secret Boys’ Business: Book Review
Secret Girls’ Business: Book Review
I’m a Boy: My Changing Body by Shelley Metten
I’m a Girl: My Changing Body by Shelley Metten
So That’s What’s Happening by Gina Dawson
Nonnie Talks About Puberty by Mary Jo Podgurski
Changing You: A Guide to Body Changes and Sexuality by Gail Saltz
Lift-the-Flap Questions & Answers about Growing Up by Katie Daynes (Usborne Books)
How Will I Grow by Mick Manning
When Boys and Girls Become Men and Women by Jorg Muller and Dagmar Geisler
My Body’s Changing: A Boy’s Guide to Growing Up by Anita Ganeri
My Body’s Changing: A Girl’s Guide to Growing Up by Anita Ganeri
Bunk 9’s Guide to Growing Up by Adah Nuchi
Growing Up. by Rachel Greener
Sexual intercourse (or how babies are made)
The Amazing True Story of How Babies Are Made by Fiona Katauskas
Where Did I Really Come From by Narelle Wickham
21st Century Guide to the Birds and Bees by Belinda Messer and Rosie Luik
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle: Should you buy it?
How Did I Begin by Mick Manning
So That’s Where I Came from by Gina Dawson
Let’s Talk About the Birds and the Bees by Molly Potter
A Kid’s First Book About Sex by Joani Blank
Tell Me About Sex, Grandma! By Anastasia Higginbotham
The Facts of Life: a 3D book by Jonathan Miller and David Pelham
So That’s How I Began by Gina Dawson
Where Babies Come From by Rosemary Stones
Asking About Sex & Growing Up : A Question-and-Answer Book for Kids by Joanna Cole
Making A Baby: An Inclusive Guide to How Every Family Begins by Rachel Greener
How do You Make a Baby by Anna Fiske
Play and Learn PaperDoll Families by Cath Hakanson
How Babies Are Made by Andrew C. Andry
Was I in Mama’s Stomach, too? by Dagmar Geisler
The Parent’s Guide to Explaining Sex by Cath Hakanson
A Kid’s Guide to Bodies & Babies
The Amazing True Story of How Babies are Made TV
Sex education (books that cover everything)
The Amazing True Story of How Babies Are Made by Fiona Katauskas
What’s the big secret? by Laurie Krasny Brown
Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg
It’s so Amazing: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families by Robie H. Harris
Let’s Talk About the Birds and the Bees by Molly Potter
Amazing You book by Gail Saltz
Boys, Girls and Body Science by Meg Hickling
Where Babies Come From by Rosemary Stones
The Every Body Book : The Lgbtq+ Inclusive Guide for Kids About Sex, Gender, Bodies, and Families by Rachel Simon
My Body is Growing by Dagmar Geisler
When Boys and Girls Become Men and Women by Jorg Muller and Dagmar Geisler
Transgender & non binary
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Where babies come from
Where Willy Went by Nicholas Allan
Amazing You book by Gail Saltz
Grow : Secrets of Our DNA by Nicola Davies
The Great Big Book of Life by Mary Hoffman
Your Growing Body and Remarkable Reproductive System by Paul Mason
Nine Months: Before a Baby Is Born by Miranda Paul
Play and Learn PaperDoll Families by Cath Hakanson
The Parent’s Guide to Explaining Sex by Cath Hakanson
These are some of the many sex education books for 8 year olds that have been written. As I find more, I will add them to this list. They are all really good books that kids can read to find reliable and accurate information about love, sex and relationships. Plus they will help prepare you too!
Happy reading!
Resources to help with talking about puberty
My mission is to create resources that will help you to naturally talk to your kids about sex, all while respecting your personal values.
Which means that inside this website, you’ll find lots of resources to help you with talking to your child about puberty.
My Sex Ed 101 page includes all of the information on sex education. You’ll find lots of different blog posts to help you gain a better understandign of what sex education is all about.
You’ll find videos about sex education in my Sex Education Videos resource page that you can watch with your child or to learn more about sex education yourself.
You’ll also find an extensive range of children’s sex education books, for kids of all ages.Â
If you’re unsure about how to answer your child’s questions about sex, then I have the perfect book for you! The Sex Education Answer Book will give you age-specific answers to the most common questions kid’s ask parents about sex. Which means you don’t need to worry about finding a child-friendly explanation that your child understands.
If you need some help with explaining sexual intercourse to your child, then you may like my Masterclass on explaining sex for the very first time or my parent guide will also help you explain sex to your child in a way they will understand. It breaks sex down into simple steps that take the stress out of explaining!
Plus you will find plenty more sex education resources at the Sex Ed Shop.
And if you get stuck, feel free to get in touch! You can contact me here.