Welcome to Sex: Your no-silly-questions guide to sexuality, pleasure and figuring it out

by Melissa Kang, Yumi Stynes

Welcome to Sex is a frank, age-appropriate introductory guide to sex and sexuality for teens of all genders, from the creators of the best-selling guides Welcome to Your Period, Welcome to Consent and Welcome to Your Boobs.   There’s no denying it – sex can be pretty tricky ... and talking about sex can feel weird and so uncomfortable. But it doesn’t have to be that way!   This little book is packed with honest advice on everything you need to know about how to know when you're ready and reasons not to have sex, exploring pleasure on your own to becoming sexually intimate with others, contraception and staying safe, how to communicate about sex, wobbly starts and awkward moments (including talking to your parents about sex).  Welcome to Sex is inclusive, reassuring and all about keeping sex fun, real, and shame-free. With case studies, first-person accounts and questions from real teens, Welcome to Sex will help readers navigate their sexual debuts with confidence!

What Is Sex?  Parents And Carers And Awkward Conversations  Getting Intimate With Myself  Orgasms  Sexual And Gender Identities  What The Outside World Is Telling Us About Sex  Myths About Sex  Reasons To Not Have Sex  How It Feelings, Flirting And Falling In Love  What Can Actually Happen With Another Person?  Wobbly Starts  Relationships  Looking After Myself And My Partner  Pregnancy Lowdown  Awkward Sex Moments And Other Challenges  Is Something Wrong?  Keeping Safe Accolades for Welcome to A 2023 Readings Books bestseller Shortlisted for the 2024 Indie Book Awards for Young Adults A 2023 Better Read Than Dead Top-Three Bestseller One of Readings' 100 Bestselling Kids & YA Books of 2023 Other books in the Welcome to Welcome to ConsentWelcome to Your PeriodWelcome to Your Boobs

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, Health, Childrens

Paperback

First published May 17, 2023

Reviews

[LoopsReads · Rating 1 out of 5]

I understand educating our children but not everything in this book is necessary and that’s my issue.
It’s like a beginners guide to basic Kama sutra. Teaching kids things such as fingering and scissoring.
Excuse me but there is no reason to educate children on this in a picture book format.
Yeah you might be proud as a parent to be cool and open minded but truth is, this is very twisted, like pornography but in cartoons with a paragraph of “how you can do it too”. No. Who thought this was ok? Terrible book.
Take it back to when we found these diagrams in science books that explained anatomy and the basic functions of inter coarse. Kids don’t need to learn the sexual preferences and the positions … I still can’t believe that had a picture of two people 69ing and is targeted for 12-14 year olds

[Emily Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, nonjudgmental, comprehensive and compassionate guide to all things sexuality and pleasure. I think kids and teenagers will get a lot out of this! I wish something like this had existed when I was young.

[C. ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Highly inappropriate for an EIGHT-YEAR-OLD to read. An eight-year-old (for example) does NOT need to know about different sexual positions, sending nudes, and so forth. Our media is already pornified as is. Why take away children’s innocence? You noticed it’s also a certain ✨ party ✨ contributing to the sexualization of children? Should you talk to your children at an appropriate age about sex? Yes. In an age appropriate matter. Should we encourage children to protect their bodies at an early age? Of course. But should a child as early as eight really know about anal sex? NO. Let children be children. The internet is rampant with adults who will harm children, as well as the outside world. Now it’s in schools, library sections, and curriculum? This is grooming disguised as something educational.

[Oliwia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not suitable for children.

[Rambling Reviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

No way this is appropriate for an 8 YEAR OLD.

Are you kidding me??

EDIT: Revisiting this, I want to be clear that I am ALL for changing the conversation around sex and (genuinely) age-appropriate education that raises confident adults that understand and value their bodies. Believe me. I do NOT believe that being sex-positive or body positive should look like this book.

[Cat Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond excited to of gotten my hands on this book. Incredibly well written and one of my favourite sex teaching tools. Kids need to know these things they also need real words and giving teens the words to use to explain what they are going through is so empowering!!!

[emma ✧✧*･ﾟ* ☆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

why the actual fuck is this a kids book?

[Tegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 24, I still learnt from this book, and I will have no qualms recommending it to anyone looking for an informative, educational, wholistic and inclusive resource to teach their children and teens about sex.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been quite controversial lately, and I don’t understand why. Written and endorsed by experts in the field of sex education (including a medical doctor), this book explains a gamut of topics in a pragmatic and accessible way. Young people have an innate curiosity about sex, and it is better for them to access accurate information from a reliable source. I also love how inclusive it is to the LGBTQIA community, and covers a variety of sexual behaviour. As a parent of tweens, I am grateful for this resource.

[Janice Tremayne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Graphic content of sex for as young as eight years old. This book should have never been published.

[H · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not appropriate for 8 year old in any way, there’s ways to have open and honest discussions and information about sex, in an age appropriate way and this surely isn’t it.

[Sophie W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be inclusive, educational and informative. There wasn’t anything in there that kids aren’t exposed to via other forms of media or isn’t being covered in schools or discussed on the playground. I really disagree with the idea that this book is ‘grooming’ or ‘encouraging kids to have sex’, quite the opposite actually. It’s just encouraging teens to understand and respect their own bodily autonomy. My advice for parents would be to read the book yourself first if you’re unsure. If you don’t want to let your teen read it than that’s your prerogative (you know your child best), but it basically just answers any questions they might have and helps them make safe, informed choices for when they do become sexually active - whenever that may be.

However, I would say it is more suitable for 14-15 year olds.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so needed!
Thanks, Melissa and Yumi, for writing an educational resource for teens and young adults. No stone is left unturned, and there is an emphasis on safety and values.
I don't see how any portion of the book is grooming children, and those who take issue with it perhaps need to ask themselves the real reason they have an issue with it.
There is so much shame/stigma attached to sex. This book will help shift the sex being taboo culture.

[Jodie Raitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is outstanding and I’m so grateful for it when it comes to educating my kids about sex. I’m not easily embarrassed, however my kids are - particularly when it comes to such sensitive information and I would much rather my kids accessed this book, rather than accidentally stumbling across porn and thinking that’s what sex looks like. Given that the average age for an Australian kid to watch porn is 9, it’s super scary to think that it’s the only sex education some kids are going to get.

Thanks Yumi & team - another outstanding book!

[Ella Maree 🤎📖🦢]

😃👍🏻

[Adnamy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow this book was awful
The text awkward (vagina owners / people who have penises - blue flaps ! Really ugh)
The illustrations worse (really ugly to have 3 nostrils situated between the eyes - yuk)
The “facts” …… boring & incorrect
And it was repetitive…
Bad editing

Zero “readability” - small fine print hidden amidst screaming colours, placed erratically all over the page - particularly the jarring red inserts with blurred white letters
Aesthetically horrid

[Nerida · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for teenagers. I read it to see when I wanted to give it to my 12 year old and I was so pleased by the inclusive language and subjects covered. I am going to read Welcome to Consent now.

[Lachlan Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, age-appropriate book. Kids need to learn this information at some stage and this book teaches them well. Let’s be honest: they’re already experimenting,so the more they know to protect themselves, the better

[Lord Bathcanoe of Snark · Rating 1 out of 5]

In my opinion anyone who believes that this book is appropriate reading for children should probably be in prison, or at the very least receiving some form of therapy.

[Penny Harders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to see what the big deal was and try to understand the reason that it was pulled from shelves recently. The only reason I can think of is very plain and simple! MISOGYNY AND HOMOPHOBIA (surprise, surprise).

This book discusses important topics such as consent, gender and sex characteristics, masturbation, hygiene, sexual orientation/identity, coming out, culture, ethnicity and religious influence on sex, pornography’s influence on sex, stereotypes, contraception, STIs, pregnancy and abortion and abuse (sexual, emotional and physical). All of these topics are an important part of sexual education for teenagers/young adults. The only reason that I can think of why people are infuriated by this book is due to the authors discussing the oppression of women and female pleasure.

This books wouldn’t even need to be published if parents could teach their children about ALL the different types of sex, not just the heterosexual variety that promotes degredation and submission of women.
It’s the system that needs to be changed, not the content of this book. 🎤

[Susan Farr · Rating 1 out of 5]

PARENTS BE WARNED!!! Preview ALL of this book before giving to your 12-15 year old.

The publishers blurb sound great.

The book is supposedly aimed at 12-15 year olds, however the actual book goes way past the information most tweens would want or need. "Inclusive, fun, real and shame-free" very quickly moves onto topics most would consider wildly inappropriate for a child just learning about periods, crushes, feelings and sex. The great parts of this book are overshadowed by the explicit and unsuitable parts and the poorly chosen age recommendation.

Parts of this book boarder on R rated and definitely should be previewed by parents prior to giving to a tween or young teen.

Certainly a lot of talking points for an older teen.

[Rey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is well researched, written, and presented. It speaks about the variety of experiences from people of all walks of life without judgement.

The book presents all views on sex with compassion and understanding, showing teens and parents that their way of seeing sex, sexuality, and personal health is likely not as uncommon as they think.

It has well-presented information about consent and sexual experience in a way that is age appropriate for an adolescent starting to think about intimacy and relationships.

An excellent resource for families, teens, and parents alike

[David Ciardi · Rating 1 out of 5]

DISGUSTING!!!!! REMOVE THIS BOOK!!!! THIS IS NOT A CHILD'S BOOK !!!!!

The books that are sold to children should be taken off the shelves as it is inappropriate forms of education and grooming of children, absolutely disgusting. Children should be learning abc's numbers, geography, developing friendships and social skills, life skills, not LGTBIQ+A-Z

* Welcome to Sex * Welcome to consent * Queer Chameleon and Friends

[Una-Jane Winfield · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought “welcome to sex!” Would be bad…
But OMG- reading is believing!

In the first 10 pages
"Sex is anything anyone thinks it is
It’s all abt pleasure (only)
Straight is boring
Traditional is wrong
Parents don’t know the truth abt sex…
8-15yo’s are no longer kids…
Sex isn’t intimate

It’s narrow minded and DANGEROUS to think otherwise".

This book is utterly irresponsible and dangerous to children. What are the publishers Grant Publishing thinking of??

[Elisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really cool to see something made for teens that covers not only the important health considerations around sex, but with pleasure in mind too. Really strives to be inclusive too. I read it with my kids and students in mind and would recommend it as a resource for young people from around High School age upward.

[Ruth Bonetti · Rating 1 out of 5]

The blurb touts this as "age-appropriate". It covers topics that are thoroughly inappropriate for 'tweens or young teens and would only confuse children. Sadly, this is suspiciously akin to child-grooming. That Big W sells such R rated books reflects badly on them.

[Vader · Rating 1 out of 5]

I saw an article and thought they must be wrong. So i went and read the book, and parents be warned. Watch what your children read! If I could mark this a 0 stars I would.

Shame on the publisher and authors for marketing this for children.

[Voyt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quote: "One person might gently tickle or lick the area around the anus before making contact with the actual skin of the butthole with their penis".

This is filth written for children by these perverts or pedophiles. Outrageous! 🤮
What is happening in our world !

[Waqas]

Hi

Need to review that books for kids

[Annie Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant