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 enlarge | Author: Robie H. Harris
Creator: Michael Emberley
Publisher: Candlewick
Category: Book
List Price: $12.99
Buy New: $7.20
You Save: $5.79 (45%)
New (32) Used (11) from $7.20
Rating:  62 reviews
Sales Rank: 2454
Media: Paperback
Edition: 10 Upd Anv
Reading Level: Young Adult
Pages: 96
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 10 x 8.3 x 0.2
ISBN: 0763624330
Dewey Decimal Number: 613.9071
UPC: 732483004335
EAN: 9780763624330
ASIN: 0763624330
Publication Date: July 22, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: 100% Brand New! - Ships Today! Identical to Amazon's book in every way. Flawless! Not a cheap Remainder or Book Club Copy! *We recommend Expedited Shipping option for much faster mail delivery
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 21-25 of 62
 The Foreskin is Perfectly Normal - Circumcision is Not January 1, 2008
James Loewen (Vancouver, BC Canada)
1 out of 19 found this review helpful
"It's Perfectly Normal" is a great looking book aimed at informing children about their natural sexual development. I give the author Robie H. Harris and illustrator Michael Emberley credit for creating a book with appeal for a wide range of ages, though it certainly invites ire from those who have a distorted view of human sexuality and wish to deprive their offspring of information, in the same way (no doubt) that they were so deprived.
Perhaps in an effort to maintain the status quo and not raise issues with children who have been cut, the information presented here about male circumcision is to an astute reader highly questionable. The author states, "Some babies have their foreskins removed a few days after they are born, by a doctor or a specially trained religious person." The very curious structure of this sentence appears to put the infant in control of the situation. Quite the opposite of the reality of infant circumcision, in which the child has no say in the matter.
Harris goes on to state, "Although a circumcised penis looks different than an uncircumcised penis, both work the same way and equally well."
The falseness of that statement is readily apparent to anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of male genital structure and function. The natural penis has a mobile shaft of its own erogenous skin to facilitate maximal pleasure and function. This highly enervated skin is very dense with specialized nerve endings. For a genitally intact boy the investigation and discovery of his glans as his foreskin begins to naturally retract is part of his normal sexual development. For a boy who has been circumcised there is no such discovery, in fact he will have to accommodate the information that someone, who felt they knew better than nature, cut off the movable part of his penis.
Findings from a recent penile sensitivity test concluded that circumcision ablates the most sensitive parts of the penis. Fathering Magazine reported, "Depending on how "tightly" one was cut 20 to 80 percent of the sexually sensitive tissue was removed."
Given the author's ability to discuss other potentially controversial topics, (she devotes a whole chapter to abortion) the few words on circumcision are severely lacking; perhaps she is even being deliberately obtuse. Had she devoted her considerable skills to fairly and honestly presenting the issues around infant circumcision with the same care she gave abortion this book would have received a much higher rating from me.
 Joe Camel for the "Reproductive Health" Industry November 30, 2007
Stuart
35 out of 78 found this review helpful
To me it seems that the PURPOSE of this book is to ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO HAVE SEX, show them how to have sex, and that anything they feel like doing is "perfectly normal" (with the aid of "harmless" cartoons). I took a look at this book and was dismayed how both graphic and slanted it was, especially considering that this book is supposed to be for 10-year-olds (who comes up with these recommended ages anyhow?)! Definitely will NOT be showing it to my daughter!
I believe that the use of cartoons to promote sex to children is akin to the Joe Camel advertisements for cigarettes...cartoons appeal to children. Just like cigarettes are not appropriate for a 10-year old, neither is this book. The reason I make this comparison is because this book is used as a free promotional item by organizations and corporations (such as Planned Parenthood) which profit from providing health services chiefly to people who engage in sex...the riskier (it's perfectly normal) the more profitable, and if an unwanted pregnancy occurs...$$$). This book is deceiving and is really advertising aimed at your child. Why do I think believe this?
This book is chock-full of things I would not want to show a child including people having sex, masturbating, a girl squatting and bent over with her genitals exposed and just scores of drawings throughout of naked people (I might add also that the drawings are poorly executed).
This book will show your child how to use just about any method of birth control but unlike a truthful source makes no mentions of the risks involved with hormonal birth control and I found it misleading at best to liken an STD to a cold or flu.
I also observed that out of the 28 topics, only one (#24) did not show any cartoons at all...abortion. It also lists 9 reasons why a woman should get an abortion but not one why she shouldn't. I see some bias here (which is undoubtedly why the nation's largest abortion provider gives this book away to children free of charge).
A strange aspect of this book is that the author finds it necessary to state that "the ancient Greeks thought that love between two men was the highest form of love" and goes on to explain that homosexual warriors were most feared (p. 17). Ironically neither in this section nor the sexual abuse section (#25) does the author mention that the MOST COMMON form of homosexual relationship in Greece was "paiderastia" or a man having sex with a boy. I think if the author wants to use the ancient Greeks as an example they should explain the situation a little more accurately.
Please, when it comes time for you to teach your child about sex, don't just hand them a book (especially this one). Please, sit down and TALK WITH them. Don't let Joe Camel fool your child into thinking that just any type of behavior is perfectly normal...
 It's Perfectly Normal August 18, 2007
Sandra E. Strickland (Lawrenceville, GA)
5 out of 10 found this review helpful
I love this book! I purchased it for my almost 11 year old granddaughter.
It speaks frankly and is very easy to understand. The drawings are anatomically correct without being lewd. The material is presented in a "no nonsense" way which promotes understanding but is not judgemental.
Wish I had this when I was a young girl.
The real test will be my granddaughter's comments when she reads it.
Honest, relaxed & absolutely educational August 5, 2007
Heather L. Kinsey (Suffolk, VA)
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
I, too, was really surprised by the scattered negative reviews of this book. My husband, daughter and I have read less than half of it together, but have enjoyed its friendly, informative style and already the parent-child lines of communication are solidly set and wide open.
I purchased the book several months ago for my 8 yo daughter in anticipation of questions I could already feel coming. Not a month afterward I discovered our pediatrician has a copy in her office and recommends it to other parents. I admit to being a little apprehensive about showing my 8 yo some of the more graphic drawings (they are cartoonish, but still correct), but we have been able to share many deep conversations that started with one basic question.
This is not a book you hand over to your child and offer to answer any questions later - share it, read it, discuss it together and enjoy knowing you have reinforced reliable information, a positive self image and a strong relationship with your son or daughter.
An Excellent Learning Tool May 28, 2007
Karla Linden (Atlanta, GA)
8 out of 12 found this review helpful
WOW - this is a fabulous book - I found it at my local library when searching for something balanced and informational for my husband to show my 10 year-old step-son.
I think the illustrations, while accurate, are not lewd or pornographic, and quite frankly I'm stunned by the negative reviews of this book. The fact that it has been listed to be banned amazes me.
I believe that the best deterrent to unwanted teenage pregnancy, abortion, STDs, etc., is educating young people about positive human sexuality.
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