Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human (A Graphic Novel)

One of my kids has been seeing sex stuff on line occasionally and it's been freaking them out a bit, so I got this for them. I figured it would be good because I really like the authors' online sex ed comics, and I was right. It's inclusive and emphasizes communication, consent, self-knowledge, and acceptance of self and others. The people depicted are diverse: all races, a wide range of weights, different amounts of body hair, disabled people (amputees, including a person with only one hand who doesn't use a prosthesis, wheelchair users, a pair of people who communicate using ASL, people with top surgery scars), various gender presentations, etc. Special props to the authors for including both a list for how to spot when you're in an show more abusive situation and when you yourself might be abusive.

I may update my review after my kid reads the book, but for now I'm pretty impressed. show less

A frank, fun, and informative look at sex and the myriad issues tied to it. Moen and Nolan do a great job of keeping the pace fast and breezy while being inclusive and squeezing in so much info and advice. They drive home that, bottom line, the best sex comes from consent and communication.

Much like Erika & Matthew's other graphic novels, an approachable, inclusive (not just ethnicities, genders, and sexualities but also disabilities which isn't something I see as often reflected!) book with a friendly approach to important topics like sex, romance, and consent. I think [b:Drawn to Sex Vol. 1: The Basics|38749137|Drawn to Sex Vol. 1 The Basics|Erika Moen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1527875921l/38749137._SY75_.jpg|60339047] and [b:Drawn to Sex: Our Bodies and Health|50891463|Drawn to Sex Our Bodies and Health|Erika Moen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580651632l/50891463._SY75_.jpg|75786333] are more in-depth, but Let's Talk About It takes a show more lighter approach, often from the perspective of vignettes where friends or partners discuss topics (which makes sense given the title). This would be more of an introduction, then, with the DtS volumes as references should your teen decide to dig deeper.

I also think it's great that LTAI takes a kind approach, especially as topics around sexuality often get flagged as taboo with fearmongering, which could make it scary for someone young to even seek out information, leading to uninformed adults and knowledge is power! The abuse checklists also are useful for examining your own behavior and those around you as well, also an important topic for interpersonal relationships. show less

2.5/5 rounded down to 2.

Well-intentioned, but skims the surface of the emotional side of things, sexting (and if that includes nude photos, diving into child porn territory which is illegal), STIs, and handwaves societal judgments, which exist, whether one likes it or not. Also, you can't say sex workers aren't actors but then call what they do a performance. Also, uh, let's not promote something that's illegal for minors to view. Or how about *at all* since the large, large majority of porn is objectifying, based on trafficking, and builds largely negative views of sex, sexuality, and (mostly) women.

I read this for my YA Lit class and honestly struggled with it. There is a lot of body positivity, which is phenomenal! That was probably show more the only thing exceptional about it though. It is very detailed to the point of being overwhelming but still not in a good way. It seems geared toward the older spectrum of teens, but even...I don't know.

We need great books about sex education and navigating adolescence. This is not one of them. show less

I read this book because I heard it was one of the most banned/challenged books from last year. 
I found it very informative and inclusive. It covers some topics that other sex-ed books for teens tend to keep away from, but that they nonetheless need to know, and has advice not only about sex ed but relationships in general. I appreciated that it showed a variety of different body types. The book was sex-positive while also being inclusive of asexuals or other people who aren't interested in sex. 

I will likely purchase a copy and excerpt it for my students! There are few sections that I wish had just a bit more nuance (such as the STI section and the commentary on kinks and porn), but overall, a strong resource for teens. One other note, I wish the order of the book was a little different, with more information on cementing one's relationship with oneself coming BEFORE all the information about what sex is.

I unfortunately have to get rid of this book from my high school library because of the graphic images (which I don't have an issue with but I know parents would). At first I really liked this book and thought it was super informative and some of the information is, but I do think that some of the advice isn't appropriate for high schoolers. This book would be better for college students I would say.