Boys, Girls & Body Science: A First Book about Facts of Life

The trusted classic that helps parents answer kids’ questions about bodies, sex, and boundaries without shame or confusion.

With humor and sensitivity, Boys, Girls & Body Science provides no-nonsense answers for children—and parents—with questions about sex. Specifically designed for young readers, Boys, Girls & Body Science walks children through the wonders of their bodies in a direct, easy-to-read manner.

The story begins with Nicholas, 7, and Jenny, 5, learning about different types of science in their class—from ecology to the digestive system. Then Meg Hickling, a guest speaker, comes to talk to them about a new type of science. Hickling talks about the "science names" for the children's body parts, about good and bad touches and about making babies. She coaches the children not to be embarrassed or shy about body science: "We are going to make this just like a science lesson, we will learn to think like a scientist and we will learn the scientific names for our private parts," she says.

Perfect for families, educators, and caregivers looking for:

• An age-appropriate introduction to human reproduction and where babies come from for children ages 5–8 
• The correct anatomical names for body parts presented in a clear, scientific way
• Guidance on teaching children about privacy, personal boundaries, and body safety
• A trusted resource for answering children's questions about bodies, reproduction, and sex without embarrassment or shame
• A classroom-tested approach developed by a Registered Nurse and sexual health educator
• A children's health education book for homes, schools, libraries, and counseling settings

Hickling is a Registered Nurse who has been teaching sexual education for over 25 years. She is an outstanding educator, and her ability to convey difficult material with sensitivity, gentle humor and warmth distinguishes her as a remarkable teacher and role model. In this latest publication, Hickling brings her award-winning lesson into the homes, schools and libraries of inquisitive children everywhere!

Meg Hickling is a Registered Nurse who has been a sexual-health educator for more than twenty-five years. Her ability to convey difficult material with sensitivity, gentle humour and warmth distinguishes her as a remarkable teacher and role model. Meg is the author of the runaway bestseller Speaking of Sex: What Your Children Need to Know and When They Need to Know It, which has become the resource for parents wishing to teach their children about sex. She is also the author of More Speaking of Sex and a video series, Sex Spelled Out for Parents. Meg Hickling is an Officer of the Order of BC and the Order of Canada. She lives in Vancouver.

Kim La Fave, a Governor General's Award-winning artist, is the illustrator of Amos's Sweater (by Janet Lunn) -- winner of the Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award for illustration -- Follow That Star (by Kenneth Oppel), I Am Small (by Cherrie Fitch), the bestselling The Bones and Skeleton Book (by Steven Cumbaa) and many other children's books. He lives in Roberts Creek, BC.