Friday, September 28, 2018

Perfectly Normal

Harris, R. & Emberley, M. (1994). It’s perfectly normal. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
“It’s Perfectly Normal” is an informational book that covers a variety of topics including puberty, sexual health, child birth, and more.  The information is well researched and factual.  Selling over one million copies, this book is targeted for readers 10 years old and up.  The book begins with an introduction that addresses frequent questions about changing bodies, sex, and even sexual desire.  It proceeds to give information about sexual orientation and puberty.  The book is sectioned off into six major sections with subheadings for more detailed information found in the table of contents.  There is an index in the back with pages to take notes for users to reference to and find information quick.  The message the book is focused on is that you are perfectly normal.  Body type, life style choices, and decisions one makes is perfectly normal.  The last section of the book focuses on healthy and smart choices.  Now that the reader has the correct information regarding these issues, you must be wise and be healthy.  Emberley’s watercolor and pencil artwork are graphic and factual which may come as a surprise for readers considering these are illustrations and not photographs.  In my opinion, the pictures present the information well enough to ease curiosity, but does not seem as offensive because they are not real photographs.  I was surprised this book is for ages 10 years and older.  After more research about topics needing to be discussed and students having more and more questions the younger they get, it is smart to have a place for students to gain real information and not second hand tales.  The authors provide other factual books for young readers including “It’s Not the Stork” and “It’s So Amazing” which explains birth, babies, and how pregnancy occurs. 

  

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