"Where Did I Come From?"
by Peter Mayle
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.38 You Save: $4.57 (46%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.39 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of "Where Did I Come From?"
Book Review: Fabulous, truthful, lighthearted and ideal for children.
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this for my daughter seventeen years ago. I was determined she would know the facts so wouldn't learn the harmful nonsense that I did as a child, and that taking the mystery out of sex and treating the fact casually was the healthiest way to go about her sex education. The toughest thing about it was that, having treated it as practical information with no hush-hush nonsense, I occasionally had to read it to her as a bedtime story, at her request, I couldn't refuse without making it into a big deal or making it seem naughty and secretive. That was slightly embarassing but I hid it and got over it and eventually she moved on to other books. She did NOT turn out to be promiscuous, as another reviewer suggests would inevitably happen. With the mystery taken away from the subject, she formed a very healthy attitude to sex and was never mislead by the misinformation her peers bandied about due to their lack of knowledge and the heresay. She also grew up feeling that she could easily talk to me about sex and her body, if she ever wanted to, and that it wasn't a taboo subject between us. Too many people grow up making mistakes in their sex lives because they were never given the information that allowed them to make informed wise choices and talking to their parents about it was taboo. This book ensures that ignorance wont be their downfall and knowledge does not automatically lead to experimentation in the way lack of it often does. A brilliant book for children of seven upwards - obviously, parents choose when their children are ready to know the facts but don't leave it too late.Book Review: Don't get squeamish, this is what kids need to know
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm surprised to see that some people are concerned about the so-called explicitness of the pictures, the description about what sex entails, and about what an orgasm feels like. Maybe that might seem gratuitous to an adult reading it for the first time, but I can tell you that as a little kid, all the information I got from this book was welcome and did not harm me in any way whatsoever. My parents got me this book at least by the time I was in kindergarten or first grade.
From this book, my 6 year old self learned that sex was enjoyable, it came from love, it was not dirty, and it (basically) ended in a baby. I especially count myself lucky on learning that sex was enjoyable because I think too many girls are shamed away from their sexual feelings.
I am now 24 and just fine. I didn't have sex early in life, I am mostly comfortable with my sexuality, and I am conscious of my sexual health.
I don't agree that this book should be introduced at upper elementary level. You might notice reading the book that the tone is silly and seems geared more toward younger kids. This is because it's a little kids' book. I imagine if it had been introduced to me at 6th grade, I would have sneered at the pictures and then died of embarrassment.
If you'd like to wait until after your kids have gathered bits and pieces of semi-reliable information from their peers during most of elementary school before officially introducing sex to them, at least give them a book suitable for their age level. I remember "It's Perfectly Normal" was a good book during my preteen/teen years.
Book Review: Tastefully presented
Summary: 5 Stars
My parents used this book to help answer my questions about how babies are made when I was around 5 years old. This book provided just enough information to introduce me to the concept of sex and making babies without embarassing me too terribly much.
I notice that some reviewers worry that the book provides children with too much information or is too graphic. I find that the book would be incomplete if some of the information or the pictures were omitted. If they weren't included, I know I would have had many questions unanswered as a child. The tasteful illustrations included in the book helped me understand the book's content, rather than forcing me to fill in the gaps with inaccurate and possibly scary images that could have led to unhealthy views of sex.
As a child, I found myself really studying the pictures, cartoon images that are presented very tastefully and are actually sort of cute. The pictures do show the male and female anatomy, which is important information if a child is to understand how babies are made. They show a man and woman who love each other and are happy, things that would allow a child to have a positive and healthy perspective about sex and making a baby.
As a person who has had personal experience with this book as a child, I highly recommend it. I plan to use it with my own son in a few years.
(One last note: I believe this book is best suited for younger children that are asking questions or could be introduced to the topic of sex or making babies. It might be a bit juvenile for pre-teen.)
Book Review: It is age appropriate and great for teaching
Summary: 5 Stars
Unlike the previous reviewer I would read it to my crazy four year old except that I can envision him running around saying "Mom, mom look at my stiff [...]." I will; however, read it to him when he's five. I just read it to my 7 year old daughter and she had me read it 2 nights in a row. Her only comments were some giggling, a couple of "eww that's gross" and one "is this really true?" I bought it on Dr. Joy Browne's (the radio psychologist) recommendation and highly recommend it myself. Let's face it, it's just sex. Our children are exposed to violent and sexual images if allowed free rein with TV viewing. I see no problem with having my child know about sex. I would much rather have my children know the facts rather than find "facts" out from schoolmates. I wouldn't call the text or pictures graphic. It's cartoon pictures and what's wrong with showing human anatomy? The book doesn't show actual sex, just a naked man and woman while the author names the body parts. It actually was written for young children based on the vocabulary used by the author. I would've read it to my daughter at 5 if I had known about it. After all, it's just sex and we all do it, so what's wrong with an informed child? The book starts by naming male and female body parts and the differences between men and women. It then goes on to discuss Mom and Dad in bed and kissing and moves on to "making love" from arousal to orgasm and goes on to discuss how a baby is made right up through birth. Thorough enough and clear enough and if your child wants to ask questions they will.Book Review: Relax, it's sex
Summary: 5 Stars
My friends and I were talking about how we learned about sex and I was shocked to discover that well into their pre-teens, they knew little to nothing. I told them about this book and how I had first encountered it at a playmate's house when I was about 6 or 7. I had to see if it was still in print and am thrilled that it is.
Some people may think it's too much, too soon. That's for a parent to decide based on the questions your child is asking. By age 6, I had already seen the naked body, I had played "Doctor" with boys, my friends and I were already trying to make sense of our bodies and their parts and where we came from. If I had not had this book when I did, who knows what kind of wrong and harmful ideas I could have developed. Rather than the ideas of another child, rather than a filtered explanation, I had the benefit of a book filled with basic & correct information.
Contrary to some reviews, I did not grow up with loose morals or values because of this book. I have a healthy, positive vision of sex and all that it is at it's best. Which is another great point in the book: a clear idea of good touching and bad touching, regardless of who it comes from. The "graphic" decriptions of how it feels enabled me to understand the difference between molestation and healthy sex.
Should I ever be so fortunate to have children of my own, I am certain I will use this book as one of many tools to help them learn about themselves. I think it's multi-decade printing is a testament to it's value.