Summer reading, anyone? ISH current reading list

ByJennifer Gibson

We receive lots of requests from families for resources to support them in conversations with the children and youth in their lives. We have compiled a comprehensive a list of books we feel are excellent starting and continuing points for these conversations. Many of these books are available to borrow through your local library branch or you can purchase them through your local (Bolen Books, Ivy’s, Munro’s, Tanner’s) or online booksellers.

ISH encourages each family to review materials for appropriateness for their own family’s values, beliefs, and situation.  Titles appearing in bold are favourites of ours.

We’re always on the lookout for new resources so if you have suggestions of great resources, please contact us!

Reading List 2015 [PDF]

For Adults/Parents/Caregivers

  • The New Speaking of Sex: What Your Children Need to Know and When They Need to Know it. By Meg Hickling.
  • Sex & Sensibility. By Deborah Roffman.
  • Talk to Me First. By Deborah Roffman.
  • got teens? By Logan Levkoff and Jennifer Wider
  • Beyond the Bird and the Bees: Fostering Your Child’s Healthy Sexual Development in Today’s World. By Beverly Engel.
  • My Teen has Had Sex. By Maureen E. Lyon and Christina Brenda Antonaides
  • For Goodness Sex: Changing the Way We Talk to Teens about Sexuality, Values and Health. By Al Vernacchio
  • The Transgender Child: A handbook for Families and Professionals. By  Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper
  • Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community.

For Preschool and Primary Children

  • What Makes a Baby? By Cory Silverberg
  • Who has What?; What’s in There?; and Who’s in my Family? 3 books for preschool children. By Robie Harris
  • I loVe my Family By Tammy Troute Wood (A story about IVF for young children)
  • Amazing You. By Gail Saltz
  • Boys, Girls and Body Science. By Meg Hickling
  • It’s Not the Stork. By Robie Harris
  • The Bare Naked Book. By Kathy Stinson
  • Belly Buttons are Navels. By Mark Schoen
  • Some Secrets Should Not Be Kept. By Debra Byrne
  • Talk about Touch. By Sandy Kleven
  • The Very Touching Book. By Jan Hindman
  • Where Did I Come From? By Peter Mayle
  • What’s The Big Secret? By Laurie Brown
  • It’s So Amazing. By Robie Harris
  • The Family Book. By Todd Parr
  • We Belong Together: A Book about Adoption and Families Together. By Todd Parr

Same-Sex Families

  • And Tango Makes Three. By Just Richardsons
  • Asha’s Mums. By Rosamund Elwin and Michelle Paulse
  • A Tale of Two Daddies By Vanita Oelschalger
  • Daddy, Papa, and Me. By Leslea Newman
  • Molly’s Family By Nancy Garden
  • Uncle Bobby’s Wedding By Sarah Prarinen

 Gender Exploration

  • 10,000 Dresses. By Marcus Ewert and Rex Ray (grade 1-3)
  • All I Want To Be Is Me. By Phyllis Rothblatt (Pre K-3)
  • Be Who You Are. By Jennifer Carr (grade 1-4)
  • Gracefully Grayson. By Ami Polonsky (grades 5-7)
  • By Ellen Wittlinger (grade 9+)
  • By James St. James (grade 9+)

For Children Near/In Puberty

  • It’s Perfectly Normal. By Robie Harris
  • What’s Happening to Me? By Peter Mayle
  • Me, Myself and I. By Louside Spilsbury
  • Growing Up Inside and Out. By Kira Vermond
  • Hair, There and Everywhere. By Jacqui Bailey
  • Sex, Puberty and All That Stuff. By Jacqui Bailey
  • Will Puberty Last My Whole Life? By Julie Metzger and Robert Lehman
  • Usborne Facts of Life Growing Up. By Susan Meredith
  • On Your Mark, Get Set Grow By Lynda Madaras (for younger boys – early tween age)
  • Ready, Set , Grow By Lynda Madaras (for younger girls –early  tween age)
  • What’s Happening to My Body book for boys. By Lynda Madaras
  • What’s Happening to My Body book for girls. By Lynda Madaras
  • Puberty Boy. By Geoff Price
  • Puberty Girl. By Shushann Movsessian
  • Girl to Girl By Sarah O’Leary Burningham
  • What’s Happening to Me? Usborne Books (Boys Edition – Alex Firth Girls Edition – Susan Meredith)
  • The Boy’s Body Book. By Kelli Dunham
  • The Girl’s Body Book. By Kelli Dunham

For Older Youth

  • S.E.X. By Heather Corrina
  • 100 QUESTIONS you’d never ask your parents. By Elisabeth Henderson & Nancy Armstrong
  • doing it right By Bronwen Pardes
  • Virgin Sex for Girls. And Virgin Sex for Boys. By Dr. Darcy Luadzers
  • The Little Black Book for Girlz. St. Stephen’s Community House
  • The Little Black Book for Boyz. St. Stephen’s Community House
  • Queer – The Ultimate LGBT Guide for Teens. By Kathy Belge and Marke Bieschke
  • What if? Answers to Questions about what it means to be Gay and Lesbian. By Eric Marcus
  • Not Your Mother’s Meatloaf: A Sex Education Comic Book: Saiya Miller & Liza Riley, editors.

 

For Families with Children with Learning Challenges

An excellent lending library is available through the Sunny Hill Health Centre in Vancouver. Visit their  website to search resources by specific inquiries.

Jennifer Gibson MA, is the Coordinator of Community Education Services. She is a professional sexual health educator whose knowledge, sense of humour, enthusiasm, and comfort level give her the unique ability to make sexual health education accessible and easy to relate to.

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