Any Body: A Comic Compendium of Important Facts and Feelings about Our Bodies

by Katharina von der Gathen, Anke Kuhl (Illustrator)

An honest, humorous and factual book for children and early teens who want to understand and feel at home with their own bodies. Sometimes we feel uncomfortable in our own skin, sometimes invincible. Expert Katharina von der Gathen's many years of experience working with children as a sex educator are the basis for this witty encyclopedia covering interesting facts about skin, hair and body functions alongside the questions that may affect us through puberty and beyond―gender identity, beauty, consent, self-confidence, how other people react and relate to us, and how they make us feel. With accessible and warm text, Any Body gently acknowledges common feelings of ambivalence about our bodies. Through showing body diversity and positivity, it encourages acceptance of self and others. The illustrations are relatably funny and include charts, cartoons and more―even a handy page of visual compliments. This compendium is an encouraging starting point for conversations with children navigating puberty and laying the foundations for body acceptance in a straightforward and highly entertaining way. Translated from the German edition by Shelley Tanaka. Katharina von der Gathen works in the area of sex education with children and adolescents from a wide range of backgrounds. She lives in Germany. Anke Kuhl is one of Germany's leading children's book illustrators, whose awards include the German Youth Literature Award in 2011. Praise for Any Body
"A whimsical, enlightening, and empowering volume to set readers on the path toward self-acceptance and body positivity.”―starred, Kirkus Reviews "This factual guide in an eye-catching package will appeal to curious browsers."― Booklist "A wonderfully browsable - and amusing! - book to help a kid understand their body and their feelings about it as they go through puberty.”―Youth Services Book Review Praise for Tell Me
"( Tell Me ) employs appropriate vocabulary that's respectful of the capabilities of their audience and calmly inclusive of variations in human and cultural experience....Funny and frank, this will be an important resource for many kids."― Kirkus Reviews "This is a great book of questions and answers that will spur discussion and help start or continue essential conversations about growing up."― San Francisco Book Review "One of the best books on the topics of bodies, sex, and emotions that I've encountered."― School Library Journal

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Childrens

92 pages, Hardcover

Published May 9, 2023

Reviews

[Marta Demianiuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Świetna książka o ciele, bardzo inkluzywna (choć byłoby świetnie, gdyby było trochę więcej na temat widocznych na ciele niepełnosprawności zamiast jednego akapitu) i zwracająca uwagę na to, że ciała są różne, ale każde pełni ważną rolę i powinniśmy je doceniać i kochać. Myślę, że ta książka może być świetnym prezentem dla nastolatków wchodzących właśnie w okres dojrzewania.

[HelloLasse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Den var okay, men stadig lidt for meget cis til min smag

[Chrupa w mig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tak jak „Odpowiedz mi” ta książka również mi się podobała. Ilustracje su pe ro we 🤌, napisana jest tak, że każdy zrozumie :) Pozycja obowiązkowa (według mnie) dla każdej osoby nastoletniej :)

[Jelka · Rating 4 out of 5]

A glossary of several body related topics.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in response to a large survey on how people see their bodies, this book shows that there are infinite ways to be at home in one’s body. By matter-of-factly showing a huge variety of body sizes and shapes in people of different races, as well as genders and sexual orientations, von der Gathen and Kuhl promise any reader that they are not alone. Matter-of-fact text and accurate but playful artwork show body parts (penises, breasts, vaginas, sagging bellies) and their quirks, and include ample descriptions of people with disabilities. What will really captivate the curious middle school reader are several spreads that show crowds of people with clothing, followed by the same people unclothed. Why shouldn’t kids know what older or fatter or disabled or transgender forms look like, when the media presents countless images of the unattainable perfect body? Reading this book will help kids understand that their imperfect body is the norm.

In addition to the images that confirm the variety of the human form, short descriptions of skin spots, body fluids, penis shapes, body quirks, etc. give a clear understanding of their function. On gender: “[it] is more than just two opposites; it is a whole range of feelings and ways of being.” Other highlights: a full page spread of hairstyles, from the austere to the wild; four spreads showing a family reunion at different times over 25 years; and “Beauty then & now,” which shows weird and wonderful fashion trends over the millennia. At the end are a questionnaire for the reader to take, a body outline where they can note what they like/dislike about their own body, and an index of chapter headings that can help a young reader zero in on a body aspect that they’re curious about. In all, this is a wonderfully browsable – and amusing! – book to help a kid understand their body and their feelings about it as they go through puberty.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Terrific exploration of the human body, exploring how bodies change over time and even how the reactions of others to our bodies often affects how we feel about them. There are foldouts on the front and back cover showing two different groups of varied individuals walking along a city street, and then beneath the flap, the same individuals are unclothed and their thoughts about their appearance are revealed in thought bubbles. Not only do the text and illustrations enthusiastically and accurately depict various body parts, but they also highlight changing beauty standards, how some individuals change or decorate their bodies, and information about different types of touch. One feature that is especially appealing shows one family gathering over time in four different images, starting in 1998 and ending in 2023. This allows readers to acknowledge that change in bodies is inevitable and that different changes occur in each body. Nevertheless, it's impossible to stop the passage of time and the aging process or death. The touches of humor and straightforward treatment of the topic makes this book a good introduction for just about anyone with an open mind or interested in understanding the body.

[MookNana · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent l resource! I wish I had this available to me when I was young. This is a frank and lighthearted exploration of all the wonderful shapes, sizes, and varieties of bodies. The tone is very matter-of-fact and open and there is an acknowledgement that we may have mixed feelings about our bodies given all the messages we're bombarded with.

Any tween would really benefit from having this--it's something they could come back to when they have questions or just need reassurance that they, and their feelings, are perfectly normal and probably more common than they think. It could be a great way to start conversations with kids at a time when that starts to get a bit more challenging. I would encourage parents to have a copy of this at home and it would make a great addition to school and community libraries too!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a unique non-fiction text that freely discusses all aspects of the human body, including body changes throughout the life span, disability, and feelings towards our bodies. The book includes many illustrations of naked people, while not graphic, they do include drawn images of reproductive organs. This book is probably one that should be introduced to children with adult guidance, but is one that I could see children going back to into their preteen and teen years to reference as their understanding of the human body and as their own body begins to change. The book uses appropriate language and descriptions, and teaches about important concepts, but parents should be ready to follow up and answer questions as needed. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

[RainyDayReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you grow up reading the American Girl book all about bodies “The Care and Keeping of You”? This book is very similar but for a bit older audience (maybe 10-14?). It is also updated to include important subjects like sexual orientation, tattoos, consent, disability, and more. I would put this in the hands of any tween. It is informative and interesting with fun facts, and illustrations. But I encourage caregivers to have open conversations with kids during and after the reading of this book because although it covers information, families may want to add cultural, religious, and other additions that apply to their families too.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this informative and often humorous book about bodies. As a parent, I definitely recommend screening it before handing it to your child because I know everyone has different levels of comfort about what to share with kids and when. However, I thought it was a thoughtfully composed collection of facts about bodies. It discusses a range of topics from puberty and skin issues to self confidence and body language. It doesn’t shy away from nudity and some of the less dinner table friendly conversation, but I think it’s great to have an approachable book to help kids think about and answer questions about their bodies that they might feel less comfortable discussing.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wide selection of bits of information on bodies, feelings, changes, beauty, diversity and more. Presented in a cute and funny way, the random mishmash of facts is a meandering journey suited to tweenage browsers. As a grownup reader I was looking for more organization of all this information, but upon reflection I probably would have loved the random style as a kid. So ultimately, 3 stars for my grownup reader brain, but 4 or 4.5 stars for the reader I was long ago.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of different body types and body parts. Factual, no-nonsense, body-positive, and also funny. Touches on basic anatomy, puberty, gender, consent, body image, and aging. Perfect for upper elementary and middle grade readers.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Emily Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inclusive and perfect for students!

[Baba od polskiego · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wiesz, jak smakują siki? Czy miód z ucha jest słodki? Masz wystający pępek? Ile masz blizn? Czy masz łaskotki, jeśli tak, to gdzie? Uważasz, że twoje ciało jest super, bo jest domem, czy chcesz w nim coś poprawić? Może wolisz mieć kręcone włosy? Ja wybielałam piegi, dlaczego ty je sobie dorysowujesz?
Czym jest to ciało? Skoro jest domem, to dlaczego czasem boli? Dlaczego bywa naszym wrogiem? Każde ciało jest inne: grube, chude, młode, stare, napięte, wiszące, pełnosprawne i niepełnosprawne. Za każdym razem jednak stosunek wobec ciała jest kształtowany w domu, bo najlepiej uczymy się przez obserwację, dlatego tak ważne jest, by ciałopozytywność była normalizowaniem tego, że jesteśmy różni i się zmieniamy. O tym wszystkim jest “Od stóp do głów. Ilustrowany elementarz ciała” stworzony przez Katherinę von der Gathen, przetłumaczony przez Anną Magdziarz i zilustrowany - trafnie i zabawnie przez Anke Kuhl. To świetna książka przeznaczona dla osób od 8 roku życia, ale wcześniej może być czytana z rodzicami. Zawiera alfabetyczny spis ważnych słów i zwrotów dotyczących stosunku do ciała: znajdziemy tu zarówno “brak pewności siebie”, jak i “ozdabianie ciała” czy “wulwę” albo zwroty typu “mieć kij w X”. Obok treści znajdują się ciekawostki historyczne albo zadania, a na końcu książki pomysł na stworzenie swojego obrazu ciała z uwzględnieniem miejsc, w których lubimy być głaskani lub w których mamy łaskotki. Jest też test, który warto potraktować jako punkt wyjścia do rozmów na temat cielesności.
To piękna i zabawna książka wydana przez Wydawnictwo Dwie Siostry (Wydawnictwo Dwie Siostry).
To nie jest współpraca płatna, po prostu chciałam ją wam pokazać. Ciało jest ekstra, bo to nasz dom - tylko i aż.
PS Wiecie na jaką literę są nagie osoby?
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na gie.
#bababook #odstópdogłów #ciałopozytywność #ciało #tatuaże #piercing #fryzury #piegi #plamy #blizny #bielactwo #wózekinwalidzki

[Kitchen Sink Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giving this book its full title ~ Any Body. A Comic Compendium of Important Facts and Feelings About Our Bodies is a mouthful but does help to explain what it is about and what you might find in its pages. What it doesn’t reveal, what the reader will quickly discover for themselves, is that it is one of the most accessible, warm, and gently encouraging as well as acknowledging books about our bodies that I have ever read. It may be a book that is intended for young people but I, as an adult, was fascinated and found it hard to put down! Between them author Katharina von der Gathen and illustrator Anke Kuhl have found a way to demystify the human body and all its wonders (and quirks) using accessible, accurate and digestible information and outstanding comic-style images.

If you are unsure how to start a conversation about the body this book could, maybe even should, be your starting point. Many of us feel uncomfortable in our own skin, often children and young people do and to explain anatomy, confidence, sex, and gender is not easy, or it wasn’t until now. Not limited to only male or female bodies makes this book even more accessible and seeing bodies depicted in cartoon style embraces the inherent humour of the human body apparently effortlessly. Covering everything from our bodies inside and out to difficulties our bodies may have to deal with ~ both mental and physical, the book also includes information about changing bodies, other people bodies and ideas of quirks and beauty. With options for thinking about yourself, a full index and so much more this book sets out to help us feel comfortable with our bodies. It succeeds.