FICTION

Tell Me About Sex, Grandma

by Anastasia HIGGINBOTHAM
illus. by Anastasia Higginbotham. 64p. (Ordinary Terrible Things: Bk. 3). Feminist Pr. Apr. 2017. Tr $17.95. ISBN 9781558614192.
COPY ISBN
Gr 3–5—A refreshing, positive response to a child's questions about sex. The narrator musters enough courage to ask his grandmother about the topic. Grandma shuts her laptop and asks, "Well, whattaya wanna know?" and is very quick to dispel the notion that sex is bad. It isn't, but it is a private, grown-up thing. The narrator pauses and takes a few moments to get ready for more queries. Grandma focuses not on the mechanics of sex but on its dynamics. Her direct and honest approach and the narrator's cautious but curious tone result in a bold discussion of sexuality. Above all, the author emphasizes that people have the right to make their own choices about sex, now and always. Higginbotham's collage illustrations largely center on the interaction between the two characters.
VERDICT For the inquisitive, thoughtful child not quite ready to learn about the biological nuances of sex.
Reviewed by Elaine Baran Black, Georgia Public Library Service, Atlanta , Feb 01, 2017

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