Books about puberty - do any not buy into the gender woo?

[FraterculaArctica]

Eldest DC is at the age I want to buy him a "growing up" book. He hasn't asked many questions about puberty/sex/relationships so far so I need to take some initiative here.

Can anyone recommend any books that cover this without buying into the gender woo, but still published more recently than the Dark Ages?

This one avoids all the woo and is factual. It's a slim volume. https://usborne.com/gb/whats-happening-to-me-boy-9780746076637

Thank you so much!

I also recommend the 'What's happening to me?' books.
I went into Waterstones and read through them all when looking for my DD. It was the only one I felt was suitable and appropriate, some of them were awful.

I've got a couple from around 2010(ish). I'll have a look for them and link them here.

I'd be happy to pass them on if they're out of print or (ahem) amended. We could pass them from family to family like sacred texts in mediaeval times.

Actually fuck that we should openly publish our own.

I was about to start a similar thread asking for recommendations for books suitable for a 5 year old about the body and also how babies are made - any suggestions? Sorry to hijack

From my MIL I pinched the Usborne books from the 90s that DH had when he was a kid - "Growing up" and "Facts of life". They are biologically factual and straightforward and inclusive of gay, lesbian and bisexual relationships too. A nice side effect is the illustrations with plenty of women with short hair, men with long hair and earrings. The cover is a woman with short hair, jeans and a baggy vest over a button down shirt, lots of GNC characters inside the book as well which I appreciate.

Great, I'm glad to hear it may not be a totally lost cause. I am not sure exactly what they will be telling them in PSHCE this year but keen to get something that sticks to the biological facts to counteract that!

Oooh well - if you want to get into the PSHE stuff, I'm in the thick of it at the moment at our school and have managed to get them to open a consultation on our PSHE policy. Remember that you as a parent have a right to see everything they're teaching, including lesson plans (they might not email these to you but you have a right to view them in school if you set up a meeting). There is tonnes of info on https://safeschoolsallianceuk.net/schools-resources-and-policies/ and https://sex-matters.org/take-action/school-check/

It's been amazing to see that when just one person speaks up, loads of others do as well!

Why not have a conversation instead. He will work out the “facts” soon enough for himself, not your hateful mindset.

What "hateful mindset" would that be then?

I bought "Growing Up" from eBay for this exact reason!

I had it as a kid and remembered it as being pretty good. Obviously being from the 90s there is no gender woo. Some of the info on sanitary products is a bit of of date - nothing on mooncups or period pants - but I have already chatted with DD about this a few times and she sees me deal with period pants and cups so not an issue for us.

I completely LOVE the style of the illustrations and as the 90s are back in fashion she thinks it looks retro cool rather than old fashioned.

@WellExactly2 I got How Did I Begin for DS around that age and it's really good.

How Did I Begin? amzn.eu/d/c09ybU5

I'm still trying to parse that one, let alone make sense of it.

(not you, the pp)

I respect your right to profess your faith, which I don't think is hateful, I just don't happen to share your beliefs. Those of us who believe that sex is real generally want to make sure our kids are taught biological facts, and not the "facts" that genderism believes.

Well yes indeed, it's not 'hateful' to know that sex is immutable and it matters. Indeed it's rather poor form on MN for a poster to suggest that a legally protected belief in the importance of a piece of biological fact and common sense is in any way 'hateful'.

For DDs https://www.millihill.co.uk/books/my-period/

We had some great Robert Winston ones, very clear and covered physical and emotional changes. I think they were published by DK I’ll see if I can dig them out. Also the Usborne books as above.

I can't remember, was Milli Hill anti gender woo? The book looks great and would like to buy it for DD.

I hate that we need to check that books meant to be teaching girls about their bodies aren't teaching them that some girls can have penises.

I literally just found a book like this in a charity shop yesterday! It's American, annoyingly, so some of the spellings are a bit dodge, but I doubt your 5 year old will care!

It's called 'It's NOT the Stork!' and it's aimed at age 4+. Haven't fully read it, but I've flicked through and it looks great.

@WellExactly2 I've just googled it and it seems to have been published in the UK under the name "Let's Talk"- it has the same cover.

https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/harris-robie-h/let-s-talk-about-girls-boys-babies-bodie/9780744540857?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs4m6ufjrhQMVkIZQBh1b9w2UEAQYBSABEgLocvD_BwE#GOR001975254

Secondhand ones from around 2010 on eBay.

Milli Hill is incredibly anti gender woo to great personal cost. She has been slandered and cancelled by those in her profession (birthing - she was the founder of the positive birth movement and also wrote give birth like a feminist which is fab). My period is a great book which my dd found really helpful.

@2mummies1baby thanks so much!

Lord Robert Winston does a book. it's good. Called Help your kids with growing up. No gender woo

Thank you, I remember her now..I will get the book.