Amazing You: Getting Smart about Your Private Parts: A First Guide to Body Awareness for Pre-Schoolers

by Gail Saltz

Book Overview

"Mom, where do babies come from?"

Many parents live in fear of the day their child asks that question--which inevitably happens, often as early as the preschool years. Here is a picture book designed especially for young children who are becoming sexually aware but aren't ready to learn about sexual intercourse. Written with warmth and honesty, Amazing You! presents clear and age-appropriate information about reproduction, birth, and the...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0525473890
• ISBN13: 9780525473893
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 11.3" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

Great Book

I was looking for a book to use to start talking with my almost 5-year-old about sex. I thought this book was great. It has age-appropriate cartoons and text. I thought that after reading it to my daughter she might have some questions, but she seemed to take it in stride. We've always spoken without embarrassment about body parts and the introduction of the idea of eggs and sperm or babies coming through a vagina didn't seem to phase her. The book does not mention intercourse, which was fine because she didn't ask how the egg and sperm met or arrived in the uterus, so I guess that will come later. When I added that it did hurt when my vagina stretched for her and her brother to come out she said, "oh man, I'm only going to have one baby then." Her little brother looked at the cartoon of the baby in the uterus, pointed to the umbilical cord and said, "baby penis." Funny. I think it's a great introduction and starting point for other conversations (c-sections, circumcision, nurse-midwives, etc.)

Overall a Very Good Book

My 3 year old and I like this book quite a bit. I'm a pretty liberal mom so the graphic yet tasteful illustrations of private parts and the frontal nudity of grown adults doesn't bother me in the least nor does it seem to faze her. Some adults might be freaked out by this so I wouldn't give it as a gift unless you're sure the parents won't faint from embarrassment. I was a bit bothered by a few things though such as the sentence, "But what about the other parts, the parts that nobody else but you sees?" I don't think there are any preschoolers who are the soul viewer or toucher of their private parts. I still need to do hygiene on my daughter, as do her grandparents, and preschool teachers. And, of course, the doctor sees her private parts. I think this book missed an opportunity to explain when and who it is appropriate to show one's genitals to and when it's inappropriate. There is an illustration of an ovum with a face drawn on it. This may not be a big deal but my daughter was confused by the bodyless head. And trying to explain it was a bit difficult. One other thing was this passage, "The baby will come out of the mother's vagina, which is very, very stretchy. It stretches wide enough for the baby to come out and then goes back to the way it was before." Well--I wasn't very, very stretchy. My daughter was born by c-section as (If I am correct) 20% of babies are now a days. I would have liked to have seen c-sections mentioned since there are so many kids that come into the world this way. I'm really just mildly nit-picking this wonderful book. The few problems I have mentioned as bothering me can be turned around and be grounds for starting a dialogue with your child.

EXCELLENT!

Finally a book that provides basic pictures of ALL parts of the body for a toddler. Very Simple and easy to follow and gives the necessary pictures to help kids learn about their bodies, especially the "private areas".

Age Appropriate, Honest Information for Young Children

This book is an excellent tool for providing accurate answers in a relaxed manner for preschool and kindergarten-age children who are beginning to ask questions about their bodies. The illustrations are bright, colorful and engaging for both children and parents alike. The information is presented in a straightfoward manner, but still leaves room for fun. We have only recently expanded our sexuality education program to include Kindergarten through sixth grade and this book has been wonderful addition to our sexuality education library for our very young students.