Harris, R. (2009). It’s Perfectly Normal. MA: Candlewick Press.
It's Perfectly Normal is an award-winning book about sexual education and puberty. It's honest, straightforward, and scientific. It is a controversial guide to the body and how to deal with learning about sexuality, reproduction, and the diversity of the human body. It details what to expect as you experience puberty and more. Written as more of a manual than a novel or story, it makes it easy to read in a beginning to end manner or as a referential guide that can be picked up and read from anywhere in the text.
Beginning the first chapters, the book deals with learning about the body, covering everything from puberty, to reproduction and sexual health. Continuing in the next part, it talks about birth control, pregnancy and birth. It then tackles the topics that the book has been deemed controversial for. It teaches about sexual abuse, being gay or lesbian, bi-sexuality and trans-gendered people. Finally, it includes sexual health and the dangers of STD's, HIV and AIDS.
While this book is contentious from the point of view of some, at least there is a resource available that may be a teaching tool for younger readers with questions that might not have someone they can go to for answers. I will say honestly, the pictures are a little iffy and somewhat comical, but I think it was meant to be completely open and left nothing to the imagination. One thing that stands out amongst Havinghurt’s theories of adolescents is the acceptance of physique. I think this book addressed any and all confusion and leaves no stone unturned. It also ties into accepting more mature relations with the opposite sex as it introduces sexual topics that are not a normal topic in most conversations. I am having a hard time assigning this book an appropriate age range. While it addressed puberty, I would not feel like the graphic nature is appropriate for middle school or elementary.
**Required YA novel
Other books to consider for learning about puberty:
What's Happening to Me? A Guide to Puberty by: Peter Mayle
Book Trailer
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