Book Review
A short overview of this book
What’s Happening to Tom by Kate E. Reynolds is a book about puberty for boys with autism and related conditions.
It discusses the changes that happen and how to look after your body as these changes happen. Includes wet dreams and erections, and focuses on the physical changes that happen.
Kate E. Reynolds also has other books that you may find helpful.
There is also a version of this books for girls – What’s happening to Ellie? A book about puberty for girls and young women with autism and related conditions. It is near identical to the Tom book, so if you like the Tom book, then you are going to like the Ellie book too!
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 10 to 14 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of What’s Happening to Tom by Kate E. Reynolds from Amazon.
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 today I want to talk about a fantastic book called What’s Happening to Tom? It’s a book specifically designed for boys and young men with autism and related conditions to help them understand puberty.
Now, what I love about this book is its simplicity and directness. It doesn’t overwhelm with too much information, but instead focuses on the basics. It starts off by explaining that as boys grow up, they start to notice changes in their bodies. For example, Tom discovers a hair while taking a shower and realizes that it’s a normal part of growing up. No need to worry about waking up one day completely covered in hair!
The book also addresses other common changes like acne, voice changes, body odor, and even wet dreams. It explains that wet dreams, or nocturnal emissions, are a normal part of growing up and happen to all boys. It even includes pictures of other boys masturbating to normalize this natural behavior. Tom learns to take care of himself by showering or bathing to stay clean and putting his wet sheets and pajamas in the laundry.
The book also touches on erections, explaining that they are a normal occurrence for boys and become more frequent during puberty due to hormones. It emphasizes that these changes happen gradually and that everyone goes through them. Tom realizes that growing up means he can do more things, just like his dad.
Overall, What’s Happening to Tom? is a simple, straightforward book that covers the important aspects of puberty. It doesn’t go into great detail about certain topics like masturbation, as there are other books that address that specifically. But I appreciate that this book focuses on one topic at a time, making it easier for both kids and parents to understand.
I hope this review helps you out. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Cheers!
