Updated: 7/12/2022
There is a very real need for information on sex and sexual health for the teens. While New York (the state I work in) is working on reforming its sexual education mandates in order to make them more informative and secular, there still remains a gap in the needs of what teens want and need to know (NCSL, 2016). Here is a brief list of titles that can be found and borrowed within the Westchester Library System, as well as some online resources. To be extra clear here, this is a list focusing on sex education and not gender, so as not to conflate the two because your genitals/sexuality don’t define your gender. They are related, but not mutually exclusive topics. If you’d like some recommendations for books about gender, feel free to contact me.
Comics
Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human
Erika Moen and Matt Nolan
“An inclusive, accessible and honest graphic novel guide to growing up, from gender and sexuality to consent and safe sex. Perfect for any teen starting to ask…Is what I’m feeling normal? Is what my body is doing normal? Am I normal? How do I know what are the right choices to make? How do I fix it when I make a mistake?
Let’s talk about it.
Growing up is complicated.
How do you find the answers to all the questions you have about yourself, about your identity, and about your body? Let’s Talk About It provides a comprehensive, thoughtful, well-researched graphic novel guide to everything you need to know but might not know how to talk about.
Covering relationships, friendships, gender, sexuality, anatomy, body image, safe sex, sexting, jealousy, rejection, sex education, and more, this is the go-to handbook for every teen navigating adolescence, and the first in graphic novel form.” – Amazon blurb
Queer: A Graphic History
Meg John Barker and Julia Scheele
In this comic, author Meg John Barker explores with the help of illustrator Julia Scheele the history leading up to our current views on biology, psychology and sexology in relation to queer individuals. This book brings in elements of pop culture and aligns them within a historical context, showing how our society has changed and still has a ways to go when it comes to acceptance and visibility.
Not Your Mother’s Meatloaf
Saiya Miller and Liza Bley
Written and drawn by and for teens in 2013, this is an anthology of the myriad sexual coming of age stories that these creators have chosen to share in a comic book format. These comics focus on things like consent, body image, safer sex, and healthy relationships, all in ways that have not been addressed through the traditional system of sex-ed.
Honor Girl: a graphic memoir
Maggie Thrash
In this self-written story, a younger Maggie goes away to summer camp where she discovers more than just a talent for the shooting range- she likes girls. Falling head over heels in like with a councilor has repercussions though, especially in the Deep South.
The Magic Fish
Trung Le Nguyen
The Magic Fish is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel written and illustrated by Trung Le Nguyen. The novel tells the story of Tiến Phong, a second generation American Vietnamese teenager, who helps his mother learn English through fairy tales while struggling to tell her about his sexuality.
Non-Fiction
Sex: An Uncensored Introduction
Nikol Hasler
An updated version that still includes such topics as sexual identity, foreplay, as well as actual sex, this edition also includes chapters on cyber sex, online bullying, and maintaing healthy relationships irl and online. “Uncensored” doesn’t mean explicit pictures on every page though, although there are humorous illustrations throughout the book. This book is intended mostly for straight, cis teens.
This Book is Gay
James Dawson
A straight-forward look into what it means to grow up and identify as gay as a teen, this book is written by popular YA-fiction author James Dawson. He writes from his own experiences, but also includes other voices from the queer community in this inclusive read.
Sex : A Book for Teens : An Uncensored Guide to Your Body, Sex, and Safety
Nikol Hasler
Another Hasler title, this well-received book shows the ins and outs of sex*, as well as how to’s on the basics of other types of intercourse. It’s unapologetic and sex-positive, putting consent and sexual safety as key tenants of sexual health needed for adventurous readers looking to have healthy relationships.
*sex here is heterosexual, PIV.
Doing It
Hannah Whitton
“CONSENT. SEXTING. VIRGINITY. THE BIG O. Sex-positive vlogger Hannah Witton covers it all in this informative and accessible must-have sex education resource for teens
Nobody really has sex all figured out. So Hannah Witton wrote a book full of honest, hilarious (and sometimes awkward) anecdotes, confessions, and revelations. Hannah talks about doing it safely. Doing it joyfully. Doing it when you’re ready. Not doing it. Basically, doing it the way you want, when you want (if you want).
Doing It works as both an educational introduction to sex as well as a guidebook for those who are already sexually active. It offers valuable insight on important topics that teens don’t always learn about in sex ed at school, such as healthy relationships, porn, contraception, sex shaming, and more. Approachable and empowering, this is the go-to resource for all things s-e-x.” -Amazon
Cool Sex: An Essential Young Adult Guide to Loving, Mindful Sex
Diana Richardson and Wendy Doeleman
“Sex is hot isn’t it? Do you notice how sexually suggestive erotic images greet you at every corner? These ‘steamy’ images give a one-sided, unbalanced view of sex. For deeply satisfying sex the real secret is to reduce the heat, to cool down, and to be relaxed and mindful. Nature designed bodies for easy going loving sexual play that lasts for hours. Using the ancient eastern understandings of Tantra and body magnetism, higher experiences and blissful states are available. Cool Sex by Wendy Doeleman and Diana Richardson provides explanations, practical tips and easy to follow exercises. Discover the empowerment and fulfillment of sex with loving mindfulness.” – Amazon blurb
En Español
Queer: La guia LGBT para adolescents
Kathy Belge y Marke Bleschke
“En Queer encontrarás historias de la vida personal de los autores, así como hechos y hechos específicos que han marcado la historia de la comunidad LGBT. Gracias a la información completa, cautivadora y honesta, este libro es una gran herramienta para los adolescentes que están cuestionando su orientación sexual.” (Amazon, 2016).
Fiction
Dreamland
Sarah Dessen
(YA DESSEN)
In one of her earlier novels, Sarah Dessen tells the story of Caitlyn. Caitlyn has a big heart, but after her sister runs away and her mother withdraws, she decides she needs a distraction from her life. That distraction comes in the handsome form of her new boyfriend Rogerson Biscoe. He’s wonderful, he’s charming, he’s also dangerous. What happens when staying with him becomes a painful burden?
Two Boys Kissing
David Levithan
(YA LEVITHAN)
*also available as an EBOOK*
Told through the stories of multiple couples and individuals, and based on real-life events, Harry and Craig are out to set a Guiness World Record for kissing. The former couple needs to kiss for 32 hours in order to break the record, and as they kiss and the world looks on, other people are coming to grips with their own stories, questions, and pitfalls in life.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Emily M. Danforth
(YA DANFORTH)
Cameron Post’s parents are dead, she almost died too. Initially relieved that she’ll never have to tell them that she kind of maybe might be gay, she’s not sure, she only just kissed a girl for the first time right before the accident. Cameron is taken in by her conservative extended family, and things start to turn around for her as she meets and befriends a new girl, Coley Taylor. Coley is, in one word, cool. She drives a pick-up truck, and knows her way around the country, and unfortunately has a boyfriend. As the two of them form an intense friendship, and Cameron thinks something more can develop, her conservative family members attempt to “fix” her. Can Cameron save herself? Even if she doesn’t know who she is yet?
None of the Above
I.W. Gregorio
(YA GREGORIO)
Things are going pretty well for Krissy in her senior year of high school. An avid runner, she’s going to State School on a scholarship next fall, and she’s just won Homecoming Queen with her boyfriend winning Homecoming King, much to the surprise of her friend Vee. To celebrate their crowning, the two decide to take things to a new level and try to have sex. Try. When it’s too painful for Krissy to bear she goes to an OB-GYN where she learns that she has a medical condition that has her questioning everything about herself. Diagnosed with androgen insensitivity syndrome, Krissy begins to redefine and reevaluate who she is as a person now that she knows more about herself. It isn’t easy though, and her journey is just beginning.
Online Resources
Written and curated with inquisitive readers in mind, Scarlet Teen has been providing information to teens since 1998. With online forums, as well as resources for teens who need immediate help, Scarlet Teen is a welcoming online safe space.
Sex Etc.
Written by and for teens, Sex Etc. is sponsored by Answer, which is associated with Rutgers University, for providing comprehensive and relatable materials that answer real teens questions when it comes to sex and sexual health.
You might know her from the show Braless on MTV, but she got her start on YouTube making this channel and championing sex education online. She covers a wide range of topics, including ones that are harder to find in book form for YA readers. This playlist is a “Best of” for her talks about Sexuality.
Sexplanations with Lindsey Doe
Do you have four minutes to spare? Try watching Dr. Lindsey Doe’s Sexplanations channel and learn the intricacies of all thing related to sex with factually based information in 4 minutes or less! And it’s also supported by Hank Green of the infamous VlogBrothers. Subscribe to satisfy your curiosity.
References
Amazon (2016). Queer. La guía LGBT para adolescentes (Spanish Edition). Retrieved
from https://www.amazon.com/Queer-gu%C3%ADa-LGBT-adolescentes-Spanish-
ebook/dp/B00YVYPMQS
Answer. (2016). About sex, etc. Sex, Etc. Retrieved from http://sexetc.org/about
Auteri, S. (2016). The brave new world of alternative sex ed: Comic artists. Bookriot. Retrieved
from http://bookriot.com/2016/07/29/the-brave-new-world-of-alternative-sex-ed-
comic-artists/
Corinna, H. (2016). The Scarleteen tour bus: A quick how-to. Scarleteen. Retrieved from
http://www.scarleteen.com/the_scarleteen_tour_bus_a_quick_how_to
Green, L. (2016). lacigreen. YouTube. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJm5yR1KFcysl_0I3x-iReg
Kirkus. (2013). Two boys kissing. Kirkus. Retrieved from
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-levithan/two-boys-kissing-
levithan/
Lo, M. (2012). ‘Miseducation’: A cowgirl coming-out story for teens. NPR. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/2012/02/07/146472994/miseducation-a-cowgirl-coming-out-
story-for-teens
MacGregor, A. (2015). “Book review: None of the above by I.W. Gregorio”. School Library
Journal. Retrieved from http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2015/04/book-review-none-of-the-above-by-i-w-gregorio/
NCSL (2016, Feb. 2). State policies on sex education in schools. National Conference of State
Legislatures. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-policies-on-
sex-education-in-schools.aspx
O’Malley, R. (2015). Sex: An uncensored introduction. School Library Journal. Vol. 61, Iss. 10,
p. 133.
Oswerth, A. (2013). Read a f*cking book: Not your mother’s meatloaf. Autostraddle. Retrieved
from https://www.autostraddle.com/read-a-fcking-book-not-your-mothers-
meatloaf-199001/
Penny, M. (2011). Book review: Sex: A book for teens. The Hub. Retrieved from
http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2011/08/30/book-review-sex-a-book-for-teens/
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