How Sex Works: A Clear, Comprehensive Guide for Teenagers to Emotional, Physical, and Sexual Maturity

Discusses puberty, emotional development, sexual activity, contraception, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and sex crimes

Gr. 7-10. Too large for tucking into a pocket or purse, this probably won't be checked out by embarrassed or sensitive teens. Plenty of graphics, including head shots of young adults, give it great appeal, though. The text, sprinkled with sidebars and question-answer boxes, succinctly introduces a wide array of concerns--from puberty to love to pregnancy and reproductive health. The coverage is straightforward (there's a comment about sexual experimentation, for instance, and frank discussion of oral sex). But the authors give some things short shrift. For instance, what's said about "sexual preference" is supportive but slight, and the section "how sex works," with sketches illustrating two positions for sex, ignores gays and lesbians. Photographs showing insertion of birth control devices, including the female condom, are one of the book's best features. There are also many sketches, colorful diagrams, and charts. This is a mixed bag to be sure, and it's certainly no replacement for The New Teenage Body Book (1992). But it's an attractively appointed overview that addresses many basic questions. Stephanie Zvirin