Doing It Right: Making Smart, Safe, and Satisfying Choices About Sex (Paperback)

by Bronwen Pardes (Author)

Editorial Reviews

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.

From Booklist
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 Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (March 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141691823X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416918233
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #676,033 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pardes Has a Great Voice for Talking to Teens!, April 20, 2007

By	M. B. Donnelly (Falls Church, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Pardes (dubbed `The Sex Lady' by her students) has a superb "voice" for dishing sex advice to adolescents. As a middle school teacher, I know all too well how difficult it can be to strike the right tone in talking to pre-teens and teens. If you talk to them too simply, they think (rightly so) that you're patronizing them; if you talk to them as you would an adult, then their eyes glaze over and all is lost. It is a fine line. What is remarkable about Doing It Right is that Pardes achieves that delicate balance by talking to this age group in a way that is neither condescending nor complicated -- she just gives her readers the facts on sex matters in a manner that is down-to-earth, unbiased, and often funny. For young adults who read this book, not only will Doing it Right be an important source of information on some of the biggest issues they face today, but even more importantly, Pardes' accessible writing style will read like a candid conversation with the cool big sister they wish they had.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pardes' Doing it Right is Just What Teens and Parents Need, March 29, 2007

By	SN.Alper (USA) - See all my reviews

The age-old dilemna that has been the theme of so many comedy routines -- how the heck does one explain to teenagers who are discovering their own sexuality what it all means? -- is answered in this insightful, user-friendly guide. Parents who are not quite sure how to confront it? Buy this book. Teens whose parents aren't explaining, or whose friends are talking nonsense about sex? Buy this book. Make no mistake. The issue is not whether teens should have sex: they are, and they will. The issue is, when they have it, do they have any idea what it is, and how to protect themselves from harm? Important as well, Pardes conveys through her non-judgmental style that teens need not feel guilty about the fact that God has given them sexual feelings. They can then make their choices without guilt, and with full information -- a tremendous service.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible resource, March 7, 2007

By	D. Reinhardt (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a breath of fresh air this book is!

As a parent of a pre-teen girl, I'm concerned that the messages we give our teens about sex emphasizes the wrong things and omits critical information. The author does a remarkable job of cutting through the confusion around sex to expose some deep truths about making smart and satisfying choices.

The book is written for teens, but would be a valuable resource for any parent who wants to put honesty at the center of the conversations they have with their teens about sex.