A new trio of books for kids focuses on consent, kindness and curiosity. Author Cory Silverberg explains why we need to rethink talking with young people about sex
“I see my role as a trusted adult,” says Canadian sex educator Cory Silverberg. “A lot of advice for parents skims over the fact that they are not good at stuff. We’re bad at friendships. We are bad with money: we do an online shop at 1am, but we also know we need to make our kids financially literate. At the end of a long day, if my kid asks a question, I’ll give them a short answer. That is why we need trusted adults.”
It’s hard to think of an area that needs a trusted adult to update and rejig it more than sex education. And with a trio of books – What Makes A Baby, Sex is a Funny Word and You Know, Sex – illustrated with friendly faces and unintimidating bodies by artist Fiona Smyth, Silverberg may have done just that. The trilogy, according to the New York Times, has “quietly upended the genre”. The books are aimed at audiences from young children up to teens and educate children in calm, neutral terms, making room for diverse experiences – and for doubt.
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