From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up—As a sexuality educator at middle schools, high schools, and colleges, Pardes has had her share of the experience in the trenches, and shares some of the most commonly requested information. She is up-front and honest with her audience, not shying away from topics such as anal sex, masturbation, and readiness for a sexual relationship. She strives to give teens the information they need, without judgment, to make their own decisions. She freely discusses sex without love, reproductive anatomy, transitioning as a transsexual, and sexually transmitted diseases. Because she tries to do so much in one volume, some topics, such as STDs other than HIV, are mentioned but not covered in depth. The openness of this book will be a boon to teens looking for frank discussions of sexuality and making choices.—
Lynn Evarts, Sauk Prairie High School, Prairie du Sac, WI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Pardes is an HIV counselor who has led sex-ed classes in middle schools, high schools, and colleges, and she draws on her extensive experience instructing young people in this resource. An empowering, opening chapter sets the tone: "No matter what anyone tells you, what you do with your own body is up to you." Subsequent chapters, which often use a question-and-answer format based on teens' actual queries, delve into sexual anatomy, questions to consider before sex, contraception, safe-sex practices, homosexuality, masturbation, and sexual violence. Throughout, Pardes avoids a heterosexual bias, and her discussion of sexual activity is explicit and inclusive: dildos are briefly mentioned, for example. The facts are up-to-the-minute (there is a paragraph about the new vaccine against HPV), and the language is refreshingly clear, straightforward, and never judgmental. Pardes clearly defines the differences between emergency contraception (Plan B) and abortion pills as well as terms such as
transvestite, transgender, and
transsexual. Bolstered by excellent resource lists, this title stands out for its comprehensive, open coverage of teens' most urgent questions about sexuality.
Gillian EngbergCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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