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We Need to Talk About Vaginas: An IMPORTANT Book About Vulvas, Periods, Puberty, and Sex!
Do you know the difference between a vagina and a vulva? If you’re not sure, We Need to Talk About Vaginas by TikToker Dr. Allison K. Rodgers could be for you!There are lots of reasons why we don’t talk about vaginas. It can be embarrassing to discuss your vagina with your parents, we can feel confused about the changes that are happening to our bodies, and nobody else talks about vaginas—so why should you?But KNOWLEDGE IS POWER people! The more we know about our vaginas and vulvas the better equipped we will be to deal with our bodies in the future. In this beautifully illustrated book Dr. Allison K. Rodgers simply explains everything from why we have periods to sex and consent in the age of social media. You’ll learn the correct names for everything, realize pubic hair is TOTALLY NORMAL, and discover the magical self-cleaning properties of vaginas.
Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2023
About the author
Allison K. Rodgers
1 book2 followersDr. Allison K. Rodgers is an Obstetrics and Gynecology doctor based in Chicago, Illinois. She discusses common issues for young women with her daughter on her TikTok account―from how to deal with menstrual cramps to coping with embarrassing parents!
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 12, 2023
This was in a box donated to my Little Free Library and I just had to read it. Filled with colorful images to go with everything related to our most sacred body area, it was a fascinating read. I even, at 66, actually learned something! There are different kinds of hymens! I think this book should be on the shelf of every young lady to inform and prepare. I’m certainly going to share it!
January 23, 2024
It was very informative and an easy to undetstand book. Might buy this book and keep it safe for eventual future children to have as a first read about this topic.
January 24, 2024
Where was this book when I was a kid?
August 16, 2024
Great book for all young uterus owners to learn in an age appropriate way about puberty, periods and more. For those that may feel some topics aren't appropriate for their 10-14 year old - I would ask you to think hard about if it is inappropriate for them to learn about or if it's simply a topic that you aren't comfortable discussing. Let's not force body insecurities on the next generation by refusing to talk about vaginas, periods and natural bodily functions.
March 12, 2024
This is one of the best books on female puberty. It’s well researched and written by a doctor. It’s presented in an easy to understand way. She covers everything. The pictures and the information is so much more than I got at that age.
This was a great book to hand to my child have her read it and then discuss (if she had questions - which one kid did and the other didn’t).
Highly recommend.
This was a great book to hand to my child have her read it and then discuss (if she had questions - which one kid did and the other didn’t).
Highly recommend.
May 25, 2023
My almost 11 year old daughter asked to take this out from the library. I am always open and honest with any questions she has. I read it first and then let her read it. It is straightforward and filled with proper terminology. It opened up a couple of questions and discussions. My only 'complaint' is that it mentioned transgenderism with a two page spread and that was it. I feel like that is a topic that deserves more information. It seemed like an afterthought to put in the book. Overall, would recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the female body and what goes on inside it.
August 23, 2025
I wish I had this book growing up! I love it! So informative and colorful. Excited to share this book with my future babies, all genders. :)
June 27, 2023
A must read!!
July 11, 2025
Great educational and diverse book for talking about “girl stuff”
March 29, 2023
Incredibly informative book that everyone should read! The intro says this book is for "vagina owners," which I love but also think it should be for everyone. We should all know about how our bodies function and if you plan to have a relationship with someone who has a body different than yours, it's important to know about their body, too. I think this book is better than other puberty books because there is a lot more diversity in these pages. Dr. Allison Rodgers simply explains everything from why we have periods to sex and consent in the age of social media. You'll learn the correct names for everything, too. I imagine this will end up on all the banned book lists next year *boo* because some people (see 1 star review below) think learning about your body in an illustrated guide is porn. For the record, porn is: printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings. This book is meant to educate, not to stimulate. This educational and empowering book normalizes change and difference and starts to address the issue of body shaming and period shaming. There is still so much work to be done, but this is a start.
March 21, 2023
A really frank and fabulous look at vaginal health and many of the related topics that young people need to learn about. However, I do feel like a few opportunities were missed to make the book more gender inclusive. It's possible to talk about the history and stigma of female health while also mentioning that not everyone who has a vagina is female. This didn't get brought up until quite late in the book, and even then I don't feel like that connection was really made. That said, the information was sound and easy to understand and the illustrations were diverse. Very scientific and approachable.
June 17, 2023
I love a good banned book. I haven't seen this one banned, but something tells me there's a conservative parent frothing at the mouth somewhere over it.
It's exactly what it says on the tin: a guide to vaginas and the people who have them.
The language is inclusive and makes a distinction between what girls go through vs. people who have vaginas that don't identify as girls. It's not a deep dive but a good entry-level overview of the most important bits.
For kids who can't have certain conversations with their parents, it would be a great way to learn essential facts about having a vagina and all that may entail. For kids who can have these conversations, it's still a good jumping off point to encourage continued discussion.
It also briefly covers safety in a modern context. It addressed sexting and directly stated that while minors can consent to a sexual activity with an adult, it will never be legal consent, which I appreciated.
Kids are sending sexual material to younger and younger every day. The book took a very pragmatic approach in appealing to the permanency of the situation; you will never have control over what happens to those pictures. Even if the person you send it to is trustworthy, those around them can betray them, their physical device can be lost or hacked, and there are leaks from supposedly airtight online databases all the time. And though it shouldn't because you're a victim, it can affect job prospects or future college admissions. I liked seeing all the potential consequences laid out without shaming a child for having done it already or wanting to do it.
I liked that even when (rightfully) advising against sexual contact with an adult or older figure, it took into account the agency of the child. Yes, you as a child can technically 'invite' interest. However, it will never actually be consent. I think that's really important to point out to kids because sexually abused children tend to feel a lot of guilt particularly when they feel as if they 'started it' by doing x,y, z. It will never be consent regardless of what they did or did not do because of their minor status. The framing was a fantastic way to put consent into perspective for a kid who might be struggling with what they perceive as their own complicity in an assault or violation.
High recommendation: Everyone could benefit from giving this a gander.
It's exactly what it says on the tin: a guide to vaginas and the people who have them.
The language is inclusive and makes a distinction between what girls go through vs. people who have vaginas that don't identify as girls. It's not a deep dive but a good entry-level overview of the most important bits.
For kids who can't have certain conversations with their parents, it would be a great way to learn essential facts about having a vagina and all that may entail. For kids who can have these conversations, it's still a good jumping off point to encourage continued discussion.
It also briefly covers safety in a modern context. It addressed sexting and directly stated that while minors can consent to a sexual activity with an adult, it will never be legal consent, which I appreciated.
Kids are sending sexual material to younger and younger every day. The book took a very pragmatic approach in appealing to the permanency of the situation; you will never have control over what happens to those pictures. Even if the person you send it to is trustworthy, those around them can betray them, their physical device can be lost or hacked, and there are leaks from supposedly airtight online databases all the time. And though it shouldn't because you're a victim, it can affect job prospects or future college admissions. I liked seeing all the potential consequences laid out without shaming a child for having done it already or wanting to do it.
I liked that even when (rightfully) advising against sexual contact with an adult or older figure, it took into account the agency of the child. Yes, you as a child can technically 'invite' interest. However, it will never actually be consent. I think that's really important to point out to kids because sexually abused children tend to feel a lot of guilt particularly when they feel as if they 'started it' by doing x,y, z. It will never be consent regardless of what they did or did not do because of their minor status. The framing was a fantastic way to put consent into perspective for a kid who might be struggling with what they perceive as their own complicity in an assault or violation.
High recommendation: Everyone could benefit from giving this a gander.
June 15, 2023
A MUST have book!
When I say 'must have' book I really mean it. It's marketed for the 10-12 age range and it's certainly a book I think should be available in libraries and schools. It's not just a book for girls either. It's so important to have accurate information for young people about bodies. If we can give them facts then there is no need for them to try and find information in more dangerous arenas such as the internet or from hearsay. Often this information isn't factual or can lead to very different search outcomes than the enquirer was hoping for.
We Need to Talk About Vaginas is packed full of facts. Firstly, there's a large chance that you're incorrectly labelling a vagina - you probably mean a vulva. This is just the start of what is a highly informative book written expertly for the age range intended. I've added images of the index page so you can see exactly what the book contents are.
The illustrations from Annika Le Large are sensitively drawn and there is real skill in her ability to draw images of topics some may find a little uncomfortable in a way that is very much inclusive, warm and accepting.
A triumph of a non-fiction title and oozing a body positive message.
If you've not already discovered children's non-fiction publisher Neon Squid I highly recommend checking them out. Every non-fiction title I've read of theirs has been superb and truly absorbing even as an adult reader. Publisher kindly sent for review.
When I say 'must have' book I really mean it. It's marketed for the 10-12 age range and it's certainly a book I think should be available in libraries and schools. It's not just a book for girls either. It's so important to have accurate information for young people about bodies. If we can give them facts then there is no need for them to try and find information in more dangerous arenas such as the internet or from hearsay. Often this information isn't factual or can lead to very different search outcomes than the enquirer was hoping for.
We Need to Talk About Vaginas is packed full of facts. Firstly, there's a large chance that you're incorrectly labelling a vagina - you probably mean a vulva. This is just the start of what is a highly informative book written expertly for the age range intended. I've added images of the index page so you can see exactly what the book contents are.
The illustrations from Annika Le Large are sensitively drawn and there is real skill in her ability to draw images of topics some may find a little uncomfortable in a way that is very much inclusive, warm and accepting.
A triumph of a non-fiction title and oozing a body positive message.
If you've not already discovered children's non-fiction publisher Neon Squid I highly recommend checking them out. Every non-fiction title I've read of theirs has been superb and truly absorbing even as an adult reader. Publisher kindly sent for review.
December 25, 2024
This is the book I needed as a teenager and desperately wanted (and still needed) in my 20s. Just simple and direct explanations about what this is all about. And yet it was not readily available until now. A good video review of this book (found at https://sexedrescue.com/we-need-to-ta...) notes that this is the only book she knows about for tweens on the subject.
We Need to Talk about Vaginas covers the basics in a direct and clear way with lots of supportive visuals: where everything is located, what it’s all called, what’s actually going on in your uterus to make you bleed, what’s going on during conception, what you should talk to your doctor about and what you don’t need to worry about, proper hygiene and care, how it’s completely normal to be different in multiple ways from blood colour to your scent to what your vulva looks like. We’re different. It’s normal. Know your body so that if or when something becomes not normal for you, you notice. All of this presented in an easy-to-understand way.
Dr. Rogers mostly focuses on the female reproductive system, but she diverts to more social issues around sexuality in the final pages. While consent, sexting, and masturbation all made sense to include – though not specifically about vaginas, vulvas, etc., these subjects are all things that are directly related to sexuality and her target audience’s health and well-being – her chapter on gender identity seems out a place. This section is necessary, but Rogers didn’t link it to her main subject. It’s just there. Kind of an, “Oh, by the way,” moment in the book rather than a, “Some girls don’t have vaginas and some boys do and that may be related to gender. Here’s some information on gender identity.” She also doesn’t include any mention of intersexuality, which is another normal kind of different. It would have tied nicely to the discussions on gender and sexual variation.
Overall, this a great book with a lot of helpful information. Too bad it took so long for one to appear. I hope it opens the door for more accessible books on human reproduction and encourages people who wanted more than Rogers provided in some chapters to expand on those topics in their own books.
We Need to Talk about Vaginas covers the basics in a direct and clear way with lots of supportive visuals: where everything is located, what it’s all called, what’s actually going on in your uterus to make you bleed, what’s going on during conception, what you should talk to your doctor about and what you don’t need to worry about, proper hygiene and care, how it’s completely normal to be different in multiple ways from blood colour to your scent to what your vulva looks like. We’re different. It’s normal. Know your body so that if or when something becomes not normal for you, you notice. All of this presented in an easy-to-understand way.
Dr. Rogers mostly focuses on the female reproductive system, but she diverts to more social issues around sexuality in the final pages. While consent, sexting, and masturbation all made sense to include – though not specifically about vaginas, vulvas, etc., these subjects are all things that are directly related to sexuality and her target audience’s health and well-being – her chapter on gender identity seems out a place. This section is necessary, but Rogers didn’t link it to her main subject. It’s just there. Kind of an, “Oh, by the way,” moment in the book rather than a, “Some girls don’t have vaginas and some boys do and that may be related to gender. Here’s some information on gender identity.” She also doesn’t include any mention of intersexuality, which is another normal kind of different. It would have tied nicely to the discussions on gender and sexual variation.
Overall, this a great book with a lot of helpful information. Too bad it took so long for one to appear. I hope it opens the door for more accessible books on human reproduction and encourages people who wanted more than Rogers provided in some chapters to expand on those topics in their own books.
April 14, 2026
The book begins with a page about protests, the father of gynecology (who operated on Black enslaved women without their consent), and female genital mutilation. The next page is about how other cultures and other time-periods viewed vaginas and wombs. While these topics are certainly worth talking about with our girls, I wish the book hadn’t started here. This isn’t information my 9yo daughter needs as she’s learning about her own vagina.
Pages 10-47 are great. There is lots of super helpful information about body parts and their names, puberty, eggs/fertilization (there is a drawing of how the penis fits into the vagina, fyi), pregnancy and birth, virginity, period care, hygiene, pubic hair, seeing a gynecologist (I’ll save these pages until my daughter is a little older), vaginal discharge, and smells. A wide variety of women’s body sizes, shapes, and colors is shown. The illustrations are very informative without being overwhelming or confusing. I’ll read these pages with my daughter and have intentional conversation with her about the amazing way God created her body to work.
The book concludes with sections on gender identity, sexting, consent, contraceptives, and masturbation. I’ll skip these pages as I have a particular way I want to speak to my daughter about gender identity and masturbation, she’s too young for contraceptives, and we’re already in conversation about consent and how to use technology safely. It’s information we’ll definitely get to in the next couple years, though. None of the information in these pages is “bad,” but the book isn’t written from a Christian perspective and doesn’t seek to tell girls God’s story about sexual stewardship.
Pages 10-47 are great. There is lots of super helpful information about body parts and their names, puberty, eggs/fertilization (there is a drawing of how the penis fits into the vagina, fyi), pregnancy and birth, virginity, period care, hygiene, pubic hair, seeing a gynecologist (I’ll save these pages until my daughter is a little older), vaginal discharge, and smells. A wide variety of women’s body sizes, shapes, and colors is shown. The illustrations are very informative without being overwhelming or confusing. I’ll read these pages with my daughter and have intentional conversation with her about the amazing way God created her body to work.
The book concludes with sections on gender identity, sexting, consent, contraceptives, and masturbation. I’ll skip these pages as I have a particular way I want to speak to my daughter about gender identity and masturbation, she’s too young for contraceptives, and we’re already in conversation about consent and how to use technology safely. It’s information we’ll definitely get to in the next couple years, though. None of the information in these pages is “bad,” but the book isn’t written from a Christian perspective and doesn’t seek to tell girls God’s story about sexual stewardship.
March 24, 2023
This book is a wonderful step in the right direction of getting correct, medically accurate information into the hands of kids experiencing and understanding puberty. The illustrations are clear and the language is concise. I was let down when the topic of sex was brought up. It mainly focuses on male and female relations. This could have been a great opportunity to also explain how sex looks like for same gendered individuals. There is a section on consent with was great to see! There is no history of women's sexuality though, so you will need a different book if you are looking for that. Overall, this was a great learning book for me to go through with my daughter. I will, however, seek out books that include more diverse points of view.
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
April 19, 2023
So, this is a very specific and pretty interesting book about the female body/people with vaginas that intended to educate girls 10 (if their period has started) and up, though I really feel like 12 and up is the more appropriate age. I would not recommend this to people who start their periods before 10. The target audience is definitely the age that is looking to explore their adult body, not so much one of preparation. This has more to do with the breath of information rather than the language itself. The language is extremely age appropriate. If anything, it's perhaps a bit too periphery for the intended audience. I do wish certain areas had been expanded on.
Overall, it's a pretty great sexual education title for biologically females presenting people.
Overall, it's a pretty great sexual education title for biologically females presenting people.
May 7, 2023
This book is a wonderful step in the right direction of getting correct, medically accurate information into the hands of kids experiencing and understanding puberty. The illustrations are clear and the language is concise. I was let down when the topic of sex was brought up. It mainly focuses on male and female relations. This could have been a great opportunity to also explain how sex looks like for same gendered individuals. There is a section on consent with was great to see! There is no history of women's sexuality though, so you will need a different book if you are looking for that. Overall, this was a great learning book for me to go through with my daughter. I will, however, seek out books that include more diverse points of view.
January 24, 2024
This is a very good sex ed book for young people with a vagina. It is medically accurate and provides a lot of really good information, and I think it’s an excellent resource for middle grade and early YA kids. It is inclusive and has a two page spread about gender identity, and the illustrations are highly inclusive too. I wish that I had a book like this when I was a kid, because it would have helped a lot in understanding my body, things I was experiencing, and also in dispelling harmful myths perpetuated by our society. Even as an adult, I learned some things reading it. This book could also help to facilitate some really important conversations between kids and their parents as well. This is an essential book for libraries, and for anyone needing this kind of resource.
July 28, 2023
While the book was incredibly informative, and the illustrations were great and showed a variety of different body types and ethnicities, it failed to hit the mark when it comes to trans men and nonbinary people. There is a short section where this is covered (poorly), and the book does not really even seem to acknowledge that not all people with vaginas are female.
Additionally, it mentions that penis/vagina sex is not the only type of sex, but then it does not elaborate on that, and the section on birth control and protection is really only aimed at that kind of sex.
tl;dr: informative and accessible but lacking in inclusivity
Additionally, it mentions that penis/vagina sex is not the only type of sex, but then it does not elaborate on that, and the section on birth control and protection is really only aimed at that kind of sex.
tl;dr: informative and accessible but lacking in inclusivity
May 7, 2023
Easy to read, informative book about vaginas and puberty for those who have them. Nothing is super explicit. It does cover safe sex practices and birth control options. It also covers gender identity and cisgender, and masturbation, as well as sexting (basically- don’t) and consent.
Given that girls are starting puberty at 8-9 now, I wouldn’t be opposed to my preteen reading this with me. I wouldn’t be concerned if she found this on a bookshelf. It’s a very basic intro to facts about the vagina and vulva and puberty associated with estrogen.
Given that girls are starting puberty at 8-9 now, I wouldn’t be opposed to my preteen reading this with me. I wouldn’t be concerned if she found this on a bookshelf. It’s a very basic intro to facts about the vagina and vulva and puberty associated with estrogen.
March 13, 2023
It’s truly disturbing what writers, illustrators, and publishers put out and promote to children these days. This book says for ten years old plus. I am not okay with my ten year old
Encouraged to go to an adult other than their parents on the serious topics. There’s books that cover these issues way better than this one. This one includes pornographic images. This one also discusses cisgender and transgender.
Encouraged to go to an adult other than their parents on the serious topics. There’s books that cover these issues way better than this one. This one includes pornographic images. This one also discusses cisgender and transgender.
January 24, 2024
I work in a library and was putting away books yesterday and came across this one. The title puts it all out there as far as the subject matter. It is a great book for girls to read to start them understanding their bodies and the changes they will see. It doesn't answer all questions, but it is a great start and leads the reader to think about other more personal questions they should be asking their parents or a doctor.
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January 9, 2026I grew up with American Girl’s THE CARE AND KEEPING OF YOU, which taught me so, so much during puberty and (pre)adolescence. When I saw this at my library, I picked it up because I wanted to see how this kind of information is being communicated to younger generations. Excited to say I learned some things I actually didn’t know! Being a woman is so cool, y’all. (Even though cramps are most definitely NOT, ha!)
July 15, 2023
An approachable, factual book for female anatomy owners who needs truthful answers. Written by gynecologist, mom, and TikTokker Dr. Allison Rodgers, this book provides necessary information for preteens and teens without misinformation that may come from other sources.
A much needed book in an absent field!
A much needed book in an absent field!
December 30, 2025
This book is so good and i wish i had this when i was younger. I bought this books as a guideline for me since i have a daughter + many questions about myself. This book is anatomically accurate and the illustration itself really helpful, yet i still hope that they’ll make “we need to talk about penis”😂😅
Like why not? As a mom i would like to know about my son if i have any😂
Like why not? As a mom i would like to know about my son if i have any😂
April 23, 2023
Great book explaining all that one needs to know about female reproductive organs. The fact it’s written by a gynecologist should dispel any notions of porn straight away. Anatomy is depicted in accessible images (think cartoons, not sterile med textbook). Appropriate read for guys or gals.
December 27, 2025
With two girls and minimal education that I received when I was little, I learned things reading this book. 🫠😶 I feel much more equipped to talk with my girls as they get older and navigate their changing bodies.
May 27, 2026
🏳️🌈 Be aware. There is a section (2 pages) about gender identity.
Overall this book was very educational for my 11 year old. It was nice to read that the things we are doing or how we are preparing are correct.
If you have a little girl who is curious about it, this book will be a lot of help.
Overall this book was very educational for my 11 year old. It was nice to read that the things we are doing or how we are preparing are correct.
If you have a little girl who is curious about it, this book will be a lot of help.
May 10, 2023
Where was this stuff when I was a kid?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews