What's a good book for a pre-teen about sex?

[Warning]

My almost 12 year-old son has begun expressing an interest in the opposite sex. We've found out he's been looking up some stuff on the internet (mostly of the "nekkid girlz" variety) so obviously he's curious. We've had "the talk" with him several times and in several ways since he was 7 or 8 so he understands the biology and we're not embarrassed to frankly discuss things with him. I just don't want him stumbling onto Lemon Party or chogglepants at his age and have him end up climbing a clocktower with a rifle.

But I'm thinking maybe there might be a book out there suitable for his age that would give him a lot more information about the biology and stuff and maybe serve as a springboard for more conversations. Any recommendations?

[Gary Whitta]

You say chogglepants like it's a bad thing.

[theKevin]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/Pb1253.jpg

[Bill Dungsroman]

I'd say The Joy of Sex by Alex Comfort but not only is it ridiculously outdated (unless there's a newer version out - ah, there is (http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Sex-Revised-Completely-Updated/dp/1400046149/ref=pd_sim_b_title_1)), it's full of nudie pics and he'll probably just beat off to it instead of read it.

[AndrewM]

This (http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Happening-Body-Revised-Third/dp/1557047650/) is the book I was given, I think. (a different edition, as you might imagine) It has a lot of information.

But I don't think anything will prepare you for the horrors of the internet.

[Athryn]

This (http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780812929904-9) is the book I read (an earlier edition also, natch) and I thought it was really great. It's written from interviews with other kids, and so it has a good viewpoint.

I wouldn't recommend the Joy of Sex, that's more about how to have sex than surviving puberty. :P

[Leah C]

I was given The "What's Happening to My Body" Book. In addition to that, Joy of Sex and the Kama Sutra were conveniently placed on the family bookshelf with the teen/young adult books. Sure they're not exactly about surviving puberty, but they certainly took the mystery out of sex and made it not such a big deal.

[Aeon221]

Don't take away the mystery, how cruel of you!

[Lunch of Kong]

I think it's probably better to just have stuff like this on the bookshelf instead of saying "here kid, read this.". Takes the embarrassment out of things, ya know?

Also, find an issue of penthouse forum on ebay, and stick it with the old D&D stuff that you keep in the closet. Just to make it authentic.

[Fugitive]

(mostly of the "nekkid girlz" variety)
Oddly enough, a GIS on "nekkid girlz", even with safesearch off, only returns seven results, none of which are actually nekkid girlz.

(Though if you remove the quotes, you'd better not be at work.)

[krokodile]

Playboy is considerably mild, when it comes to Porn.

At least, I think its mild.

Your son, however, should wait until at least 15-16 before dipping into daddy's Playboy collection.

I was never given a book on Sex, or Puberty. Basically got the Birds and the Bee's talk, and even then, it was;

Dad - "You learned about Sex in school, right?"
Me - "Yeah, kinda."
Dad - "Just remember to use a condom"

Wonderful advice.

[SergioBAM]

twogirlsonecup that should set him off on the right foot; it's all down-hill from there.

[Warning]

I was never given a book on Sex, or Puberty. Basically got the Birds and the Bee's talk, and even then, it was;

Dad - "You learned about Sex in school, right?"
Me - "Yeah, kinda."
Dad - "Just remember to use a condom"

Wonderful advice.
Yeah my entire sex education from my dad happened in two short conversations.

1) "Dad what are the birds and the bees?" "Birds fly and bees go buzz. If you want to know more you have to wait until you are older." I was 9 at the time.

2) Me leaving for college. He approached me nervously and said "You um... er... you know about rubbers right?" Yeah dad. I know about them. Thanks.

[theKevin]

I was never given a book on Sex, or Puberty. Basically got the Birds and the Bee's talk, and even then, it was;

Dad - "You learned about Sex in school, right?"
Me - "Yeah, kinda."
Dad - "Just remember to use a condom"

Wonderful advice.

That is oddly familiar. My dad decided to dispel this wisdom on me after the two of us just watched a Trojan commerical, too.

[Scrax]

My sister was in college at the time and had several Human Sexuality books. Surely she wouldn't notice them missing during my long shower sessions....

[FIDGAF]

I was given The "What's Happening to My Body" Book. In addition to that, Joy of Sex and the Kama Sutra were conveniently placed on the family bookshelf with the teen/young adult books. Sure they're not exactly about surviving puberty, but they certainly took the mystery out of sex and made it not such a big deal.

My folks did about the same thing, making sure that there were several informative books available. Not only did it take the "WTF?" out of sex, it taught me that sex was a two way street nice and early. Never had any complaints so I guess I can thank the folks for providing me the ability to learn more than just "Stick it in, move, finish, roll over and sleep".

[MyNameIsWill]

My folks did about the same thing, making sure that there were several informative books available. Not only did it take the "WTF?" out of sex, it taught me that sex was a two way street nice and early. Never had any complaints so I guess I can thank the folks for providing me the ability to learn more than just "Stick it in, move, finish, roll over and sleep".
Why you hatin'?

[Rimbo]

I wouldn't recommend the Joy of Sex, that's more about how to have sex than surviving puberty. :P

My parents handed me a book intended for kids by the same authors, The Facts of Love (http://www.amazon.com/Facts-Love-Living-Loving-Growing/dp/0517538393/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196111808&sr=8-6). It was excellent. It might be a bit dated by today's standards, as AIDS was barely a blip on anyone's radar back then (1982).

[Odysseus]

Rock stars...is there anything they don't know? (http://www.amazon.com/Dee-Sniders-Teenage-Survival-Guide/dp/0385238991/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196113635&sr=1-1)

[Murph]

I plan to write a book about this very subject. I plan to call it "Everybody Fucks."

[Brendan]

I was given The "What's Happening to My Body" Book. In addition to that, Joy of Sex and the Kama Sutra were conveniently placed on the family bookshelf with the teen/young adult books. Sure they're not exactly about surviving puberty, but they certainly took the mystery out of sex and made it not such a big deal.

My folks also had a badly hidden away copy of the Kama Sutra that I fondly look back on. I remember when I was about 9 reading up about the "horse in both stables." and thinking "You do WHAT!?".

[Robert Sharp]

My Mom read me a book when I was very young (8 maybe?). After she finished, I asked, "Mommy, do I HAVE to do that if I get married?" She said "No, but your wife might not be too happy if you don't."

[Jasper]

I'd say The Joy of Sex by Alex Comfort but not only is it ridiculously outdated (unless there's a newer version out - ah, there is (http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Sex-Revised-Completely-Updated/dp/1400046149/ref=pd_sim_b_title_1)), it's full of nudie pics and he'll probably just beat off to it instead of read it.
This is the best one I recall stumbling across as a kid. No nonsense, gets right to the point, has naked chicks to improve the chance of it being read. Bonus points for not being obviously written for kids.

I think it's probably better to just have stuff like this on the bookshelf instead of saying "here kid, read this.". Takes the embarrassment out of things, ya know?

Also, find an issue of penthouse forum on ebay, and stick it with the old D&D stuff that you keep in the closet. Just to make it authentic.
Penthouse Forum was the "hidden stash" find that I remember most as a kid; fantasy is as much a part of sex as the nuts and bolts. It's been so long since I've seen printed porn that I'm not sure if it's even still around though.

[DoomMunky]

I think it's probably better to just have stuff like this on the bookshelf instead of saying "here kid, read this.". Takes the embarrassment out of things, ya know?
My mom did this with a book called Boys and Sex. The instant I saw it on her bookshelf it was mine, and lived in my desk drawer for more than a year. Then my dumb buddies found it one night and it was right on the chapter about homosexuality. THAT night sucked.

[Supersport]

My mom did this with a book called Boys and Sex. The instant I saw it on her bookshelf it was mine, and lived in my desk drawer for more than a year. Then my dumb buddies found it one night and it was right on the chapter about homosexuality. THAT night sucked.

Literally?

[DoomMunky]

Literally?Oh, wow. Walked into THAT one.

[Anti-Bunny]

I got this one...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51071XGBGYL._AA240_.jpg
Which is pretty weird, considering it was right after he announced he was found positive....

[Flowers]

THE BIBLE.

[FIDGAF]

You sure know how to kill a thread Flowers... I lol'd.

[Robert Sharp]

Wow. That's what your parents used, Flowers? That explains a LOT.

Flowers: "So, umm...all I have to do is KNOW her and she can get pregnant?"

[Fugitive]

"If Moses could wait until he was 300 years old, then so can you!"

[AaronSofaer]

Wow. That's what your parents used, Flowers? That explains a LOT.

Flowers: "So, umm...all I have to do is KNOW her and she can get pregnant?"


"Know" is a mistranslation.

[Jasper]

No, really?

[Dirt]

They usually teach this in the 5th grade.

[RichVR]

Hell. I found this in the attic when I was 10 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portnoy's_Complaint

Took a long time to get over it. Some scary shit in there for a kid. When I was a little older I got the Time-Life book called Reproduction (I think). I had the whole library, back then.

When that one came in the mail, my mother said, "If you have any questions, ask your father."

It was kind of tame after Roth. But it cleared up a few misconceptions (ha ha). And introduced me to the world of masturbation. Thank you, Time-Life. Thank you.