Where Do Babies Come From?

by Angela Royston

A gentle, reassuring book that answers a child's first questions about how life begins. Follow this simple photographic story and discover the natural cycle behind the birth of a seedling, duckling, kitten, and baby.

Genres: Science, Childrens, Parenting, Nonfiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published April 3, 1996

About the author

Here is some brief information about myself.

I’m interested in science because it helps us to understand the world. I enjoy finding out about new things and then working out how to write about them in a way that is both clear (and accurate) but which also conveys my own excitement and interest. I particularly like writing books that are fun, and I have been lucky to have had so many chances to do so.

I was born in Yorkshire in England, but grew up in Stranraer, a small town in south-west Scotland. I graduated from Edinburgh University and then came down to London, where I have lived ever since. I enjoy reading novels, watching films, and walking in the countryside.

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best one I've found so far. Addresses plant, animal, and human reproduction. Very tactful and loving.

Haven't read it to the boys yet. We'll probably read it next time Samuel brings up the pregnancy and babies thing, which he does periodically.

[Mai · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book answers this simple yet complicated Question " where Do babies come from?",it is explained for kids in a very simple yet scientific way.

[Amber Garrett Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very gentle introduction to how babies, seedlings, ducklings, and kittens come to be. Appropriate for ages 2+, the book explains through short sentences and pictures that most living things start life as a small egg. Just as a flower’s egg joins with pollen to produce seedlings, so a female’s egg joins with a male’s sperm to make a kitten, a duckling, a human baby. There’s no mention of sexual intercourse.

If I were reading this book to my young kids, I would make one small change. The last two sentences read, “Children grow up into adults. Adults become mothers or fathers.” I would instead say, “Children grow up into adults. Some adults become mothers or fathers,” and then have a conversation about how one day, when they’re young adults themselves, they will get to ask God if He is calling them to get married and become a parent. This is a great book to start laying the foundation about what Christian marriage is and how a large part of the kingdom work of most Christian marriages is raising children.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for ages 3 and up. It's a great beginner explanation book. It does discuss the joining of eggs and sperm but not the act of sex. I would say this book is a lot more palatable for adults to read to children than some of the other material out there.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great first book about sex. It talks about how living things (flowers, birds, cats, people)come from sperm which meet tiny eggs. It shows what kittens look like inside the mommy cat, and what a baby looks like inside a human mommy.

[Dolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that introduces the concept of reproduction in a straightforward, but not-too-graphic way. It is honest, basic, and is the perfect introduction for younger children. Cute pictures that keep a child's interest and a great way to start a conversation.

[bookworm22 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good introductory book about reproduction. Appropriate for very young child or just a good introduction.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

no pics of anatomy or people in bed together. very nice introduction to animal reproduction