Hair in Funny Places [Hardcover]

Babette Cole (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Brandishing her outrageously sly sense of humor, Cole (Mommy Laid an Egg) tweaks the topic of puberty in all of its glory, with predictably boisterous results. Here, in response to a girl's query to her teddy bear about the process of growing up, she whips up "Mr. and Mrs. Hormone" and their dog, a vile little trio who "live inside you" and "mix the potions that turn children into adults." Typical of Cole's no-holds-barred approach, the girl's parents are used as examples ("your mom sprouted small bosoms and hair in funny places"). She touches briefly on everything from menstruation ("She found a tiny drop of blood in her underpants") to acne and body odor ("He wanted to kiss the girls but Mr. and Mrs. Hormone had made him pimply and smelly"), erections ("Inside his penis, Mr. Hormone was lurking with another dollop of the mixture. This made it grow big and small whenever it wanted") and nocturnal emissions ("some sticky stuff actually came out"). The watercolors are equally candid, and the gleeful depictions of naked bodies may raise adults' eyebrows but children will laugh out loud. Cole's madcap style leaves no room for embarrassment; it could pave the way for more informative discussions between kids and adults. Ages 7-up. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-While there is a plethora of sex-education books for young readers, this picture book concentrates on how hormones affect young people during puberty. Ted, an animated stuffed bear, explains to his young owner about her parents' entry into adolescence. "Mr. and Mrs. Hormone-are in charge of growing up-[they] mix the potions that turn children into adults." The physical and emotional effects of their concoctions are discussed, including hair growth, pimples, menstruation ("Then she found a tiny drop of blood in her underpants!"), and wet dreams ("Then some sticky stuff actually came out"). No biological terms are used-only surface descriptions. As in so many of her books, Cole tackles this subject with lighthearted humor. The illustrations are a partner in the storytelling. Mr. and Mrs. Hormone are depicted as grotesque, pimple-covered, horned, hairy, and rotund mad scientists. The sweet-faced pubescent teens react honestly to their body changes with exuberance, worry, and anger. The naked cartoon characters have no modesty. While this title does not explain reproduction, it does serve as a loose introduction to hormonal change. Unfortunately, the breezy, irreverent style that's evident in both the text and illustrations limits the book's appeal to its target audience. Thus, its value is supplemental, not essential.
Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (January 1, 1900)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786805900
• ISBN-13: 978-0786805907
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Health > Maturing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, not frightening!, September 10, 2003

By 

Nicola Ferguson (North Vancouver, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hair in Funny Places (Hardcover)

This is a book which takes a lighthearted, but nevertheless informative, view on puberty. If you have not chosen to be open with sex information for your children, you had better not read this book (see previous reviews.)If, however, you want to introduce your child to this scary time in their lives in a fun and open way, this IS the book for you. It is not a book for very young children unless you are comfortable with the questions about subjects such as nocturnal emissions. I believe that the objections to this book are cultural and very indicative of North American prudery. It is very interesting to compare these comments with those on Amazon.uk

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hormones as Halloween Creatures, September 4, 2006

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hair in Funny Places (Hardcover)

I'm all for sex education and honest explanations about the onset of puberty, and I think it would be pretty difficult to do this without naked bodies. So, for all those decrying this book's critics with charges of prudery (!)--it just ain't necessarily so.

The problem is Cole's apparent adoption of the (often Western) notion that puberty is something that happens to your body, begun by some sort of intruding foreign when you reach a certain age. Instead, other cultures view this as the very natural realization of potentials that were there all along. Ms. Cole, who is one of my favorite author/illustrators in other contexts, shows the HORMONES as ugly monsters, who create "potions" that invade your body. While this conception may echo a pre-teen's feelings about the mysterious chemicals that cause all those changes, it would be better to present things in a more positive and certainly a more realistic light. Yes, play it for humor and exaggeration, reflect the feelings, but don't offer as the sole explanation an "invasion" physiology that presents a negative, externalized view of puberty.

The book is too childish and oversimplified for pre-adolescents, and too anthropomorphized and frightening for grade schoolers. While some may think the nudity, the "frank" (though brief) talk about nocturnal emissions, menstruation, and sexual attraction is bold and brave, to me it talks down to kids, as if their comprehension and their sensibilities can't go beyond "Where the WIld Things Are" creatures. Perhaps the very, very young will get some laughs, and a good adult presentation would go a long way in making this more acceptable, but I would recommend viewing this book at a library, bookstore, or a friend's house before buying it. Obviously it's a personal decision, but in my view, Babette Cole's authorship did not ensure a great book this time around.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Silly Prudery, November 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: HAIR IN FUNNY PLACES (Hardcover)

Heaven forbid, this book has actually got naked bodies in it! *How terrible...*. But wait, don't we all have a body like that? And isn't it a responsible thing to do to prepare your children for what is going to happen to their body?
This is a great book! We need to be open with our children - or we'll end up with a teenage pregnancy on our hands. Here is a fun, non-threatening way to introduce the subject of puberty to your children. Read it with them, and YOU are in control of how you talk about it, and just how much you want to tell them. Honestly, the easiest way to deal with it is just to tell them what the 'sticky stuff' is when they ask. Done and over with, they won't ask again, or try to find out from *really* inappropriate sources! ... or else, find out when it's too late!
This book is one great way of bringing up the subject of puberty.