Customer Reviews

The What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys: A Growing Up Guide for Parents and Sons

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My parents bought this book for me when I was becoming a teenager, and it helped a lot. Reading the book was a lot more comfortable than talking with my parents would have been. The personal ancedotes scattered throughout help to make the reader feel "normal". I'd recommend this to any parent, or just a kid who's curious.

I had no problem teaching my girls about the birds and the bees. But when it came time to talk to my son about erections, wet-dreams, etc. I was lost. I read this book first to learn all the stuff I didn't know about boys development and then shared it with my son when he was ready. Gives you a good basis for conversation. Another book I recently read that you'll find really helpful: Perfect Parenting (Dictionary of 1000 Parenting Tips) by Elizabeth Pantley

I bought the third edition of this book hoping it would be something my ten year old son could refer to if he has questions he is embarassed to talk about. The book is very factual without being overly clinical, but some of the topics discussed at lenght are more suited for older teens. The exhaustive list of slang names for male and female body parts really isn't necessary -- adolescent boys seem to do well in that department all by themselves! I also feel that the chapter "Girls and Puberty" has far more detail than a pre-teen boy needs or can handle. The book would be much better if it were presented in a loose-leaf format so I could give my son the sections he is able to handle at his age. I also wonder why the author has removed chapters on the important topics of birth control and STD's, which she says were in her previous edition. The book will certainly help me in my talks with my son, but I'm still looking for the right book for him to read on his own.

As a mother of boys coming up to teen-age, I scoured the shelves for the appropriate 'Birds and Bees' book and chose this one. I've read it cover to cover and found nothing to object to. It presents all the facts you could need, with a calm, reassuring tone, but as important, it promotes an attitude of respect for self and others in the confusing area of teen sexuality.

I was looking for a book for my stepson, (he's almost 12) and noticed that this book received a lot of positive reviews- so thought I'd try it. I just wanted a book that my wife and I could read first; turn him loose with it on his own, then talk with him afterwards about what he thought of it. Unfortunately, we won't be giving it to him, and here's why:
This book doesn't really relate to 8 to 15 yr old boys- on their own level. The words are way too big, and the book's approach is way too clinical. I remember being a teenagage boy, and I think it's safe to say that if you try to work words like "bulbourethral glands" or "pre-ejaculatory fluid" into the conversation- you lose 'em REAL fast. No kid would EVER sit around reading it! Then about every 10th page, you'd find a crude drawing of everything from simply naked boys; to cross-sections of penises, breasts, and vaginas. It ranged from clinical to slightly creepy, and just put yourself in the shoes of a teenage boy: you may want to know what it feels like to touch a female breast, but cross-sections of milk ducts can be a little scary to think about. And really- who actually needs an arrow pointing to a "nipple", in order to know what (or where) it is? "Oh THAT's a nipple! How illuminating! Can't WAIT to get my hands on that uterine lining"!:-) Which brings me to my main complaint about the book: We searched cover to cover, but found NO sense of humor in the approach- and I believe that if you want to help teenage boys to be comfortable about the topic of sexuality - you need that. Let's just say that if you want to give your teenage boy a book that he'll actually read, enjoy,and benefit from - Keep looking.

I initially borrowed an earlier edition of this book to read, as my son is 11 years old. My husband is very uncomfortable in discussing puberty with his son, and even with me. He was a very late bloomer and therefore, not a great resource on when things may occur or start to occur in my son. I read the book and then sat down one night with my son. As we sat on the couch, I read the book to him, as he looked on. We laughed some, we talked some, we giggled some, we learned a lot. His father came in during our conversation and sat down. Dad then was able to become part of a discussion that had already started and did not have to bring up himself. This worked great for our
family. I found humor, so did my son. It did have a lot of slang terms, but every child may not know exactly what they mean, and this way, my son now does and can be better educated in the slang and in the correct names. Too graphic? I do not thinks so, there were certainly some chapters we did not address
at this time, as they are more appropriate for another (older) time. The book is around the house so he can read it as he wants, there is nothing in the book that I do not want him to know. Very educational for me as well as I grew up in a family of females and therefore had no idea at what ages certain things happened to boys. My son then was able to talk to me about some of the changes that were happening to him. He then had other questions? I was able to discuss these questions with him intelligently and comfortable in my facts. He was very nervous about going through puberty, now he is not. I believe this a book for the family, not just to be handed to the child. Every child has questions that need to be answered, this book has most of the answers. I found it nonjudgemental. It did not discuss abstenance in its chapter on birth control, I wish it had, but the book will help us as a family discuss the topic of birth control and we can add in our moral values as we teach, learn and discuss.

This book seems to be very complete in its information, but I cannot agree with the reading level (9-12) for it! My son is almost 11 and is simply not ready to absorb this much detailed information. Some of the chapters I would love for him to read on his own, yet I cannot give him the book and tell him to avoid certain sections. So, I am keeping it for the future when I feel he is ready, maybe a year or so, and in the meantime am using it as my own reference for discussions with him. I am getting some other books that are aren't as "mature" for him to peruse right now... such as the workbook by the same author.

I'm a guy teen, and I found this book to guide me through theroughest times during puberty. It's very informative, and it answereda whole lot of my questions...it makes you feel comfortable with yourself. I highly recomend it.

This was an excellent book for my stepson who will soon turn 13. It may be a little too advanced for younger boys unless you pick and choose what to discuss with them. I wouldn't hand over the book until they were at least 12, but that's a parent's choice. And yes, the book was a little shocking at first, but my parents never explained my body or sex the way this book does. It is very clinical, but do we want our kids to learn the "street" terminology or the actual words? They DO need to know that a woman's breasts are not just objects of desire, but a source of nourishment for children. Understanding our bodies is half the battle to sexuality. Instead of turning a blind eye to why my son was always in the bathroom, we now understand what he is experiencing. This book has helped our family have an open and honest discussion that was free of judgment and shame. We want to ensure that what he learns about sex comes from his parents and not what he hears from his misguided friends.

I was having a hard time finding an appropriate book to give my 11 year old son on this subject, of maturing, when I found this one. I had bought and read others and disliked them for many reasons. Some contained silly cartoons, while others went too in depth with regard to contraceptives and other areas I wasn't comfortable with. This book was just what I was looking for - the simple facts, given straightforward and without being silly. There are illustrations, but not silly or cartoonish, more in the style one would find in a medical book.