Robie H. Harris (1940-2024) is the New York Times
best-selling author of the acclaimed Family Library series—It’s
Perfectly Normal, It’s So Amazing!, and It’s Not the
Stork!—illustrated by Michael Emberley; CRASH! BOOM! A Math Tale,
illustrated by Chris Chatterton; and Somewhere, illustrated by
Armando Mariño. She is also the author of the Let’s Talk About You
and Me series, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott, and many
other books for young children.
Michael Emberley is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of
Design. He is the illustrator of many books for children, including
several collaborations with Robie H. Harris: It's So Amazing, It's
Perfectly Normal, Happy Birth Day!, Hi New Baby!, and three picture
books in the Growing Up series, books that tell stories and facts
about the first five years of life.
Straightforward, informative, and personable…This book will be
accessible to its intended audience, comforting in its clarity and
directness, and useful to a wide range of readers.
—School Library Journal (starred review)
Harris’ respectful writing targets children’s natural curiosity
without cloaking matters in obfuscating language.
—Booklist (starred review)
In their previous landmark volumes . . . Harris and Emberley
established themselves as the purveyors of reader-friendly,
straightforward information on human sexuality for readers as young
as seven. Here they successfully tackle the big questions . . . for
even younger kids.
—The Horn Book (starred review)
An excellent introduction to babies’ origins for youngest curious
minds.
—Publishers Weekly (featured in Children’s Notes: True
Companions)
Emberley's cartoon cast, a celebration of demographic diversity, do
double duty as helpful diagrams of body parts and fetal
development, and as examples of loving families in action.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
A happy addition to the Harris-Emberley family.
—Kirkus Reviews
Many parents will like this book’s direct approach.
—Wall Street Journal
This informative book covers everything from why boys and girls
have different body parts to how a baby is born.
—Parents
The book is written in clear, straightforward language and
accompanied by cartoon illustrations.
—Columbus Dispatch (included in a list of the top children’s books
of the year)
Adults will gratefully draw on the book's frank language and
friendly tone when talking things over with their kids in the car
or at the zoo… This must-have family resource addresses all kinds
of such funny misconceptions, supplying instead the real facts of
life.
—San Francisco Chronicle
Tackles the sensitive subject of human reproduction with delicacy
and honesty.
—Baltimore’s Child
We recommend these books for parents, teachers, librarians, health
professionals and clergy as trusted and accessible resources to get
answers and information about how to talk to youth about
sexuality.
—The Parent Buzz
There's a direct correlation between fear of naming body parts and
kids' interest in finding out about them…The lucky ones discover
the Robie Harris/Michael Emberley books…
—Newbery winner Susan Patron, quoted in PW Children's Bookshelf
Well-laced with humorous illustrations and diagrams that convey
information as well as maintain the cheerful, even exuberant, ‘it’s
perfectly natural’ tone of this book.
—Toronto Globe & Mail
Pure sterling. . . . No family with young children (or naïve young
adults?) should miss this one.
—Sacramento Bee
A perfect starting point for sex education.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Simple language and colorful illustrations present straightforward
and easily understood topics that are sometimes controversial.
—Library Media Connection
For matter-of-fact coverage of everything from a child’s first
questions about where babies come from to a teenager looking to
read about transgender issues, you can’t go wrong with “It’s
Perfectly Normal,” from the author Robie H. Harris and the
illustrator Michael Emberley (celebrating its 20th anniversary this
year) or with “It’s So Amazing” and their book for even younger
children, “It’s Not the Stork.” Leave them lying around the house
(after reading them yourself) and you’re bound to start some good
conversations with children under 10, and give yourself the
opportunity to approach older children.
—Motherlode (NYT blog)
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