16 Great Books About Sex for Kids of All Ages

Talking to your kids about sex is an important and necessary part of parenting. Sure, it’s one that many of us dread. And yes, it can be weird and awkward. But it doesn’t have to be! Whether you’re looking for ways to practice sex-positive parenting, or just want some resources to help you explain the birds and bees to your kids, these sex education books can be a huge help.

Sex education books for young kids.

It’s never too early to start talking about sex and sex education with your kids. As long as you use age-appropriate language and resources, you can make sure kids ages 3-8 have all the information they need.

• What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg, ideal for ages 3-7. This quirky book goes into how babies get here, with an age-appropriate focus on genetics. It helps kids understand that not everyone has a baby the same way.
• Amazing You: Getting Smart About Your Private Parts by Gail Saltz, ideal for ages 3-7. This bright picture book is a great way to introduce young kids to their reproductive physiology.
• It’s Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends by Robie H. Harris, ideal for ages 4-8. A funny, interesting book about how babies really get here, complete with illustrations. There’s even a part at the end that explains why families look different, and good and bad touches.
• The Bare Naked Book by Kathy Stinson, ideal for ages 2-5. This is the perfect book for introducing toddlers to the human body!
• My Body! What I Say Goes! by Jayneen Sanders, ideal for ages 3 and up. Kids are never too long to learn about body autonomy, boundaries, and empowerment. This book covers it all!

Sex education books for tweens.

Ah, this is when things start to get a little tricky! Puberty and hormones and emotions, oh my!

• Sex is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU by Cory Silverberg, ideal for ages 7-10. This award-winning book introduces tweens to gender, bodies, and relationships. 

• Will Puberty Last My Whole Life?: REAL Answers to REAL Questions from Preteens About Body Changes, Sex, and Other Growing-Up Stuff by Julie Metzger RN, MN, ideal for ages 9-12. Help tweens understand all those changes that are happening in their bodies with this helpful book. 

• It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health by Robie H. Harris, ideal for ages 10 and up. This book is full of accurate information that tweens need as they head into those teen years. It even covers subjects like gender identity, safe internet use, and emergency contraception. 

• What’s Going on Down There?: A Boy’s Guide to Growing Up by Karen Gravelle, ideal for ages 11-13. This guide to puberty for boys gets into a lot of detail, so it may be too advanced for a younger tween. But it’s a great resource for older tweens and young teens.

• The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Younger Girls by Valorie Schaefer, ideal for ages 8-12. OK, I know it’s an American Girl book, but we have this and it is FANTASTIC. It covers everything, from bras to periods. 

Sex education books for teens.

Now we’re getting to the good stuff! And by good, I mean completely terrifying. I’m over five years away from having a teen, but I will be buying all of these and reading them very soon.

• Changing Bodies, Changing Lives by Ruth Bell, ideal for ages 12-17. This book was created by the author and members of the Teem Book Project, and it is inspired by the classic Our Bodies, Ourselves. It has the latest information on sex, sexual identity, dating violence, body image, and more.

• S.E.X, second edition: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties by Heather Corinna, ideal for ages 12 and up. This book tackles the big subjects, and provides information in a straightforward, shame-free way.

• Body Drama: Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues, Real Answers by Nancy Amanda Redd, ideal for ages 12 and up. A guide to developing bodies and minds, with an emphasis on body-positivity and societal standards. 

• Sex, Puberty, and All That Stuff: A Guide to Growing Up by Jacqui Bailey, ideal for ages 12 and up. Written with teens in mind, this straightforward and frank book delivers much-needed information in language they can relate to. 

Bonus sex education books.

• Not All Princesses Dress in Pink by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple, ideal for ages 3-8. This amazing book is all about teaching girls that they can be anything that they want. 

• I Am Jazz by Jazz Jennings and Jessica Herthel, ideal for ages 4-8. Whether or not your own child identifies as trans, this book is a great resource for helping kids understand gender and gender identity.

Have you read any of these sex education books with your own children? Or do you have a favorite not mentioned here? I’d love to hear from you!

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