Naked

March 15, 2022
A sex encyclopedia by a Canadian student of sexology, translated from the French and clarifying terms related to bodies, gender, and sexuality. The 150 alphabetical entries include factual, historical, and cultural information as well as the etymology of each word or phrase. The work provides background on topics including some that are increasingly being discussed by teens, such as rape culture and, in the entry on bras, sexist dress codes in schools. The tone is accepting of the full spectrum of gender identity and expression and reassuring about the range of what is "normal." The short entries vary in length--some are a couple of paragraphs; most are one to two pages. Sidebars often provide links or references to additional information: Planned Parenthood's website appears beside the entry on contraception, and later readers learn of Iceland's Phallological Museum. Certain topics could have benefited from more detailed and precise exploration; the entry on the word gay briefly mentions the Stonewall uprising, saying that a few men were arrested and erasing the central role of trans women of color. The broad statement that in North America until the 1970s, post-wedding night bedsheets were checked for blood to prove virginity will raise eyebrows. Attractive, lighthearted, stylized illustrations adorn the text. A validating tome that will spark an interest in further learning. (resources, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18)

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April 15, 2022
Grades 9-12 This spirited overview of sex and its many manifestations is filled with encouraging language and imagery, intending to reassure teens that there is no such thing as normal, right, or wrong when it comes to consensual human interactions. The manual is laid out in A-to-Z format, with entries ranging from a few paragraphs to a few pages, addressing terms such as agender, anal sex, and arousal, through to victim blaming, virility, and vulva. Each entry begins with a basic definition, including how some terms have evolved or acquired colloquial meanings. The text uses straightforward language and simple explanations, usually offering multiple examples that encompass a variety of sexual and gender choices and combinations. Colorful graphics fill the pages, setting off entries and sidebars and featuring fanciful, roly-poly, multicolor cartoon figures (including a disproportionately high number of bare-breasted women). Back matter includes a list of websites and phone numbers grouped into broad categories ("Bullying and Cyberbullying," "Eating Disorders," "LGBTQQIP2SAA+ Support"). As there's no index, no chapter notes, and no references, consider this a supplemental choice.

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April 14, 2023

Gr 10 Up-This lively compendium is described in the text of one entry as "intended to be the most inclusive and the least gendered of encyclopedias," though it's not meant to serve as a textbook or exhaustive guide. There is an entry for cervical mucus, for example, but not a separate entry for cervix. The tone throughout is sex-positive and non-clinical. Many entries are provided for sex-adjacent terms and concepts, such as bathrooms, fatphobia, and victim blaming. While some descriptions are no more than a couple of paragraphs, many are longer and more comprehensive, such as a six-page chart on contraception methods, for example, or three pages on STDs and STIs. With author and publisher from Canada, most references are to Canadian laws and institutions, though many allowances are made for U.S.-based readers, and many resources are not country-specific. Daguzan Bernier uses the extended initialism LGBTQQIP2SAA+ to refer to the spectrum of traditionally marginalized sexualities and gender identities. Cartoon illustrations by Gari�py are fun, colorful, and off-beat, lending a cheeky irreverence to often difficult subjects. The text concludes with three pages of resources, broken down by topic, such as eating disorders, crisis lines, and mental health, and includes web addresses and phone numbers. No source citations or bibliography are provided. Though less valuable as an academic resource, this is a solid choice for independent reading and browsing. VERDICT Highly recommended for high school collections.-Bob Hassett

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