Must-read for book clubs, PTAs, faith groups + anyone who cares about raising healthy kids
If there's any book you take the time to read this year, this is the one. I LOVE this book. On the surface, it's about how to talk to kids about sex. Maybe you didn't think you wanted to read an entire book about that, but Bonnie Rough keeps us engaged, entertained, laughing, and thinking all the way through. Whether you're a parent, a grandparent (my mom and dad both read and loved it), or just curious about how your own life has been shaped by culture in the most intimate ways, you must read this book. Even though Rough has journalist roots (recent articles NY Times, Atlantic, Wash Post), she shares her own family's hilarious missteps in talking about bodies early on, and what they learned living, for a time, in Holland--where the Dutch shrug at nudity, start sex ed in kindergarten, and provide actual rules for playing doctor. (The Dutch also enjoy low abortion and teen-pregnancy rates and high measures of gender equity.) Beyond Birds & Bees offers the revolutionary wish that our kids grow up feeling joy in their bodies, confidence in their identities, and, ultimately, (gasp) pleasure in sex. Parenting groups and book clubs will find much to discuss. I learned so much, not just for my kids but for myself, and the wonderful blend of storytelling, investigation, and reflection made this a joy to read. Plus, I listened to it on audiobook, which was a THRILL because, as we were navigating ice, I had my (full disclosure) dear friend and writing partner Bonnie in my ears.