Making A Baby: An Inclusive Guide to How Every Family Begins

by Rachel Greener, Clare Owen (Illustrator)

In this honest, accessible illustrated guide to how babies are made, young readers can find out exactly what is needed to grow a baby, from introducing the basic building blocks of life such as sperm and eggs, to explaining the different ways that these building blocks can be put together to create a family. Working closely with a leading national LGBT organisation, this inclusive guide to Making a Baby covers sex, sperm and egg donation, IUI, IVF, surrogacy and adoption, as well as explaining how a baby grows in the womb and about different kinds of births. Written in gentle and accessible language that can be shared with younger children or read alone by confident readers, we hope this book and its clear illustrations will provide the stepping stone for every parent to have an open conversation with their child about how babies are made, and their family began.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Nonfiction, LGBT, Family, Parenting, Science

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 22, 2021

Reviews

[Theodore · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know i'm not the target audience, but i was excited to see this in the shelves and had a read with it. There was some attempt at inclusion and it was all around body positive and was clear. However I felt really uncomfortable as a trans person when i saw what was written in the book; that 'males are (people) with penises' and 'females are (people) with vulvas'. I wish there was more inclusive language with regards to trans people as not all males have penises and not all females have vulvas.

[Mia Schilling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich habe das Buch ergänzend für den Sexualkundeunterricht in der Grundschule gekauft und finde es sehr schön, wie übersichtlich und klar die Entstehung eines Babys dargestellt wird. Die Repräsentation verschiedener Kulturen und Familienformen finde ich sehr gelungen, wobei der Fokus aber immer auf der Entstehung des Babys bleibt. Was bisher in fast allen Kinderbüchern fehlte, war auch die Erklärung, dass nicht alle Kinder durch eine natürliche Empfängnis oder natürliche Geburt entstehen. Hier wird das ganz selbstverständlich und ohne Schnickschnack erklärt. Finde ich super! ☺️

Einziger kleiner Kritikpunkt ist, dass Kaiserschnitte, Fehlgeburten und Transgeschlechtlichkeit zwar erläutert, aber nicht mit den entsprechenden Begriffen betitelt werden („spezielle Operation“? und „Schnitt im Bauch“? statt Kaiserschnitt? Why?).

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plus for including same sex couples and intersex people at the very end but a negative for not including trans and nonbinary people because news flash they make babies too.

[Juliane · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Ein Baby! Wie eine Familie entsteht” ist ein Aufklärungsbuch für Kinder, das nicht um den heißen Brei herumredet. Gemeinsam mit Vertretern einer LGBTQIA+ Organisation hat die Autorin Rachel Greener dieses ehrliche und diverse Kinderbuch erschaffen. Clare Owner steuert die Illustrationen hinzu, die so wunderbar zu dem Buch passen. Denn wie auch die Erklärungen des Buches selbst, sind die Zeichnungen sehr klar und eindeutig. Sie sind gerade, unverschörkelt und arbeiten mit gedeckten, harmonischen Farben. Die Personen, die gezeigt werden repräsentieren verschiedene Kulturen, Aussehen und Familienstrukturen. So gibt es gleichgeschlechtliche Paare oder Alleinerziehende. Manche Personen tragen Brille, haben Tattoos, tragen ihr Kind in der Trage oder schieben einen Kinderwagen. Es gibt Menschen mit Behinderungen. Die nackten Körper sind nicht “geschönt” dargestellt, sind weder dick noch dünn – allerdings: Bei so viel Vielfalt im Buch hätten es gern auch dünne und mehrgewichtige Menschen auf die Seiten schaffen können.


Ich liebe es, dass hier nicht “ein Weg” zur Empfängnis gezeigt wird – davon abgesehen, dass die Autorin auch nicht von verschleiernden Geschichten berichtet, sondern wirklich die wissenschaftlichen Fakten zeigt. Spermien, Eizelle, Gebärmutter. Hier werden IUI und IVF erklärt und – juhu! – nicht als “anders” dargestellt, sondern einfach als einen weiteren Weg, wie ein Baby entstehen kann. Das zieht sich durch die ganze Entstehung der Familie: Adoption, Leihmutterschaft. Geburtspositionen, Kaiserschnitt. Frühgeburt, Fehlgeburt. Hier bekommen Kinder kindgerecht alles rund um die Entstehung von Babys erklärt. Auch der Aufbau gefällt mir hier gut. Die Seiten sind wirklich schon gestaltet, vor allem die “Info Buttons” mag ich optisch sehr.


Wie divers kann ein Buch sein? Beim Lesen merkt man schon, dass hier sehr darauf geachtet wurde, dass das Buch divers ist. Das sieht man allein schon an den Personen, die gezeigt werden. Zudem wird immer von der “Person, in deren Bauch ein Baby heranwächst” gesprochen und nicht direkt von einer Frau. Daraus lese ich, dass sie bedacht haben, dass nicht nur Frauen einen Uterus haben. ALLERDINGS ist es anderer Stelle wieder zu kurz gekommen. Am Ende wird kurz auf Intersexualität und Transmänner/Transfrauen eingegangen, doch mir fehlte es viel früher: Als über das “biologische Geschlecht” gesprochen wird, heißt es dass Jungen einen Penis haben und Mädchen eine Vulva. Besser wäre hier die Anmerkung gewesen, dass das gelesene / bei Geburt gegebene Geschlecht mit den Fortpflanzungsorganen zusammenhängt, aber nicht immer das Geschlecht ist, mit dem man sich selbst identifiziert.

Insgesamt macht das Buch sehr vieles richtig und die fehlenden Punkte kann man als vorlesende Person ausgleichen. Ich bin so froh, dass es endlich ein Aufklärungsbuch für Kinder gibt, das nicht peinlich oder verniedlicht ist. Es ist wichtig, dass Kinder die richtigen Begriffe kennen und es für sie normal ist, diese zu benutzen und zu hören. Genauso sollte es für sie normal sein, dass Menschen verschieden aussehen und Familien nicht nur aus “Mutter, Vater, Kind, Kind” bestehen. Ich denke, dass es vielen Kinder Sicherheit gibt, und mit vielen Stigmatisierungen aufräumt.


Fazit:

Ein wunderschön und sehr klar illustriertes Buch über das Entstehen einer Familie. Offen und ehrlich – ohne komische Geschichten – wird hier erklärt, wie ein Baby entsteht. Ich mochte sehr, dass Körperteile und Handlungen beim Namen genannt wurden und dass gezeigt wird, dass es nicht nur einen Weg einer Empfängnis, Geburt oder Familienart gibt. Das Buch ist sehr divers gestaltet, doch fehlte mir noch ein wenig mehr (Thema Transfrau & Transmann / “biologisches Geschlecht”), damit das Buch für mich komplett rund gewesen wäre. Insgesamt – trotz der kleinen Kritik – sehr empfehlenswert und mit Abstand das beste Aufklärungsbuch, das ich bisher gesehen habe.

Mit Bildern hier zu finden: https://iamjane.de/wie-eine-familie-e...

[Bede Millner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic educational resource, but also created and presented in a way that's highly engaging and appealing. My 8yo twins were completely engrossed from beginning to end! This is a contemporary explanation of conception through to birth and then raising a family, and all the moments in between. It celebrates diversity through each of these stages and is extremely inclusive - which I feel are two critical elements when educating this audience. Highly recommended to any parents or guardians looking to broach this subject with their kids, or even just to fill in some of the finer details for kids already "in the know" :)

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verrassend compleet prentenboek: zeer informatief en met mooie illustraties. Ik ben fan!

[Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book on my library shelves this week and decided to flip through it. I ended up reading the whole thing and thought it was great. It definitely lives up to its subtitle "An Inclusive Guide to How Every Family Begins." It gives the biological background on how babies are made (sperm, egg, womb, intercourse), but then expands beyond that to show how families actually happen (assisted reproduction, surrogacy, adoption). The book uses gender neutral language for the most part (parents, person carrying the baby, etc.) though with discussions of reproduction they do have to talk a bit about sex assigned at birth and genitals. The illustrations have diverse representation in terms of gender, race, disability, and body size. I like that the book also touches on complicated issues like gender identity, miscarriage, and preterm birth.

I think this will be a great resource for all parents and children, but especially for those families that haven't begun in the "traditional" way. It is a frank and detailed discussion that will be helpful for curious minds and questions.

CW: infertility, medical procedures, miscarriage, nudity (drawings of genitalia), sexual content (one page discusses reproductive sex with a drawing of what is happening internally)

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With illustrations set against a white background, this picture book offers parents and caregivers a great resource for conversations about conception, pregnancy, and birth. Often, adults don't know how to respond to a child's curiosity about these matters. The questions of where do babies come from and how is a baby made are answered in a forthright manner, and the author has taken great pains to be inclusive about these processes. After all, not all babies are conceived through sexual activity, and these other methods of conception are covered as well as the gestation period and birth. I especially appreciated the reminder that it takes a sperm, an egg, and a womb to result in a baby but that there are many different types and compositions of families and many different ways families form. Additional questions about biological sex, miscarriages, and premature births are also answered in simple, easy-to-understand language. I wish I'd had a book like this one when I was growing up so that I wouldn't have been so ignorant about so many of these topics.

[Lauren Depina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is THE book I’ve been looking for. It very clearly and scientifically describes, in graphic detail, the many ways babies are made.

It beautifully displays so many different types of families - multiracial, same sex, single parents, older parents or grandparents raising grandchildren, adoption, etc.

It describes and illustrates how babies can be conceived by having sex, artificial insemination, and IVF. It goes over surrogacy, sperm and egg donation, adoption, infertility, etc. Throughout, it highlights that becoming a parent (and having sexual relations) is the choice of the adults.

I have read this with my 4 year old and my 9 year old and they each took valuable information away from it, albeit differently.

There is a note towards the end about miscarriage. It is written very thoughtfully and the illustration with it shows the entire family embracing. My 4 year old got very emotional about this and said that she didn’t know that that could happen.

We have experienced death in our family, so we have talked about death, but we hadn’t discussed miscarriage. This book gave me the courage to start discussing fertility with my children. After experiencing losses myself and infertility, whenever my daughters make a comment about wanting another sibling, I always freeze up and don’t know what to say. This book has given me some language for how to better respond to them.

This one is getting a permanent home on our bookshelf!

[Stacey Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fantastic, inclusive explanation for young folks! Breaks down all of the unnecessarily gendered descriptions so that this can be used by so many more types of families.

[Christie Angleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gah! This book is so special, so important, so damn near perfect.

[Inês Lóio · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Para fazer um bebé, é preciso um espermatozoide, um óvulo e um útero...

... mas cada família tem a sua forma especial de começar.”

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does a great job being inclusive with its illustrations and its discussion of the various ways couples and individuals approach the desire to have a child. Intercourse, In vitro fertilization, embryo implantation, surrogacy, and adoption are all covered. It also does a good job describing and illustrating how babies grow and makes a brave attempt to cover questions such as - what is sex, why do some babies not grow and what happens if a baby is born early. The illustrator features couples and singles of all complexions and gender pairings.

Where the book falls down, is in explaining the mechanics of sex and private parts. In fact it perpetuates the time honored major misconception than many kids have about making babies - men pee into women. This is hard to forgive. Most kids understandably come away from learning about procreation with a fair degree of alarm and a lot of questions. While some children have siblings or uninhibited relatives, for many the only naked body they regularly see is their own. This is why all librarians know that any illustration that shows the parts usually covered by clothes is likely to draw a lot of attention, irrepressible urges to share among classmates, and a plenty of giggles.

These illustrations don't help clear up any misconceptions. While there is text accompanying them there are no arrows or precise labeling, leaving the field wide open for misunderstanding. We see a naked, crawling baby boy with an uncircumcised penis and a ball sac that appear virtually identical in size and shape. In fact, while testicles are always referred to in the plural, in no image or diagram do we ever see anything that would make a viewing child understand that there are two balls. The images of naked men and women are much more detailed (and quite well endowed) We are told "as people get older, their bodies start to change, so by the time they are a grown-up they can help to make a baby, if they want to." I do love the insertion of "if they want to." but strongly feel more was needed to let kids know approximately when their bodies will change. Most kids are alarmed and mystified at how different adult bodies look from theirs. It is deeply troubling for most kids to find out their body will change and we need to let them know, if not how or why, at least approximately when it will happen so they don't anxiously examen their pubus every morning and freak out at age seven - as I did - when I found one of my labrador's hairs stuck to my groin.

Above the naked babies we are informed
"...most babies are either called boys or girls based on what their bodies look like. A baby who has a penis and testicles is called a boy. The penis is used for peeing. A baby who has a vulva, which is made up of lots of different parts, is called a girl. A tiny hole near the front of the vulva called the urethra is used for peeing. Behind the urethra is another bigger hole called the vagina."
The above descriptions sow confusion and perpetuate misinformation. Most babies are either called boys or girls based on what their reproductive organs look like. The penis is used for peeing and after puberty can be used for sex. It is important to know that an erect penis, which can deliver sperm, CAN NOT PEE. (and a soft penis that can pee CAN NOT deliver sperm. And what is with defining the vulva as thing made up of a lot of parts and then only mentioning two? I also strongly object to the urethra and vagina being describes as holes. Holes are scary, you can fall in them or twist an ankle- who knows where they end? Neither the vagina nor the urethra are holes - one is a tube that connects to the bladder and one is a complex stretchy opening that leads to the womb where a baby can grow. The close up of female reproductive organs claims to show what ovaries look like inside, but does no such thing. Nor does the text 'and this is a vagina' help anyone understand what part of the illustrated Georgia O'Keefe goat head with cotton ball earrings is a vagina- or what a vagina does. (Peter we are told a vagina is where you put a penis or a tube.)

My last quibble is with the description of the two kinds of twins. I completely sympathize with an effort not to limit the possibility of identical twins shifting gender identity and yet it feel disingenuous to never mention that all identical twins will be born the same sex. The possibility for change could have been addressed by saying "These babies bodies, faces and gender will look the same at birth."

While this updated treatment of family creation makes substantial headway in expanding and explaining how and why babies are born it fails to address many of the age old concerns, questions and misunderstandings children have about how babies are made and how their bodies will evolve in adulthood.

[I _teach_muggles · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can be somewhat of an embarrassing topic is handled sensitively and expertly in this superb non-fiction book.

There comes a time when children start asking those awkward questions…Where do babies come from? How are babies made? Where did I come from? The latter question often receiving a response in the hope of curbing curious minds until they are just a little bit older…you were delivered by a stork, you hatched from an egg, we picked you off the supermarket shelf (which is what I remember my sister being told).

Having the talk to explain about ‘the birds and the bees’ is an important conversation and this accessible book is a brilliant text to introduce and support a discussion. Making a Baby explains to children exactly how a baby is made - including the role of the male and the female parts and the different ways women can use to get pregnant. It details the growth of the foetus inside the womb from the initial joining of egg and sperm right the way through to child birth and the different ways that women may give birth.

What is needed to make a baby is the same for all of us, one egg and one sperm. But there is more than one way for the two to meet. Sex, IVF treatment and IUI treatment are all discussed openly and supported with relevant illustrations and references to adoption and surrogacy are great as not all babies are raised by their birth mother.

The information is simple, clear and concise and never feels too overwhelming. It tells the reader what they need to know without ever becoming uncomfortable and the illustrations are perfectly pitched - they are accurate but not too graphic. A glossary can be found at the back which provides short definitions for key terms.

This inclusive book features people of all races and all family dynamics are represented including mixed race families, same sex parents, disabled parents and single parents. Everyone will find themselves represented in the book.

An informative and honest read that is perfect for sharing together or giving to older readers to explore by themselves. Very difficult to give a recommenced age for this one as all children mature at different speeds and will be ready for this book at different times. A judgement call from parents would be my best advice.

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I'm not really the target audience for this book since I don't have/want kids, nor do I interact with any kids to the extent that I'd be the one explaining reproduction to them. But I do love Nosy Crow and was excited at the idea of an inclusive book about reproduction, families, and children.

For the most part, this book nails it. It's extremely lacking in the gender inclusive aspect, though. While they take great care not to gender everyone giving birth as women, they never mention or show seahorse dads or non binary parents who give birth. And while trans folks are mentioned briefly, a lot of the illustrations kind of negate any trans-inclusivity because they really only show or talk about cis bodies.

I'd say this book is inclusive to cis parents, straight or queer, but not necessarily inclusive for trans parents.

[Miri | tthinkttwice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jedes Elternteil wird irgendwann mit der Frage danach konfrontiert, woher denn die Babys kommen und irgendwann wird die Antwort: “Aus meinem (Mamas) Bauch nicht mehr ausreichen.”
So war es zumindest bei uns. Bereits mit vier Jahren wollte Puschel unbedingt wissen wie sie entstanden ist und wie ein Baby denn in den Bauch einer Person kommt.
Lange war ich auf der Suche nach einem Buch, das mir bei der Beantwortungen der vielen Fragen meiner Tochter behilflich sein konnte. Und dann bin ich auf “Ein Baby! Wie eine Familie entsteht” von Rachel Greener und Clare Owen gestoßen.

Das Buch dufte bei uns einziehen und ich habe mich schon sehr darauf gefreut es zusammen mit meiner Tochter anzuschauen, doch ich durfte einige Wochen warten, bis das Thema bei ihr wieder aktuell wurde.
Meiner Meinung nach sollten Aufklärungsbücher, und dieser hier ganz besonders (wieso erkläre ich noch), erst dann mit einem Kind angeschaut werden, wenn es von sich aus das Thema adressiert und von sich aus mehr Informationen dazu haben möchte.
Wieso ganz besonders dieses Buch? Weil es das Thema Aufklärung detailliert betrachtet. Es geht über die Entstehung eines Babys bzw. einer Familie durch Geschlechtsverkehr, künstlicher Befruchtung, Adoption und sogar bis zur Leihmutterschaft (was bei uns in Deutschland nicht erlaubt ist – aber auch das steht im Buch). Auch die Geburt wird behandelt und auch hier wird die natürliche Geburt, aber auch ein Kaiserschnitt thematisiert.

Ist ein Kind noch nicht bereit für diese Themen, dann wird es 1. nicht von sich aus danach fragen und 2. vom Detailgrad des Buches überfordert werden.
Das Buch ist wunderbar divers und ich freue mich sehr darüber, dass die Entstehung einer Familie so vielfältig betrachtet wird. Meiner Meinung nach ist es an der Zeit, dass alle Aufklärungsbücher nicht mehr nur über das “klassische Familienbild” (Vater, Mutter, Kind) berichten, sondern genauso vielfältig wie in diesem Buch.

Das Buch hat eine Altersempfehlung ab 5 Jahren und meiner Meinung nach muss diese Empfehlung auch unbedingt eingehalten werden. Meine Tochter ist 5 und kognitiv ihrem Alter voraus. Sie hat auch alles verstanden, was dort geschrieben steht, sie hat nur eine ganze Weile gebraucht, um es verarbeiten zu können. Ihr waren die Themen mit der künstlichen Befruchtung und der Kaiserschnitt suspekt und sie hat sich in den Punkten auch ängstlich gezeigt. Ich habe ganz viel mit ihr darüber geredet, damit sie die neuen Informationen auch verarbeiten konnte.

Würde lediglich ich als erwachsene Person das Buch bewerten, hätte es für mich volle 5 von 5 Sternen erhalten. Ich liebe die Vielfältigkeit, die Inklusion und die Normalität mit der im Buch davon berichtet wird. Es ist meiner Meinung nach so wichtig, dass wir unseren Blickwinkel erweitern.
Das Lesen mit meiner Tochter hat mir jedoch gezeigt, dass das Buch mit seinen vielfältigen Betrachtungsweisen für junge Kinder doch etwas zu komplex sein könnte. Puschel konnte mit ihren fünf Jahren noch nicht alles Geschriebene erfassen. Auch nicht, nachdem wir intensiv darüber geredet hatten. Das ist ok. Wir schauen uns das Buch einfach nochmal an, wenn sie etwas älter ist und nehmen es immer wieder zur Hand, wenn sie danach fragt.
Ich finde es einfach wichtig, dass Kinder mit dem Wissen aufwachsen, dass es verschiedenste Familienstrukturen gibt und das Babys auf die unterschiedlichsten Arten und Weisen entstehen. Das schafft mehr Toleranz und hoffentlich eine Generation, in der sich niemand mehr fürchten muss.

[Arthur]

I read this book as it is one of five that some are trying to ban from the public library. I wanted to see what all of the fuss was about. I am not its audience, so I'm not giving stars.

It is inclusive--the title makes that clear. If you don't want to expose your child to inclusive language, ideas, or pictures, then don't choose this book.

This is not a book about biology, anatomical parts, or puberty. This is not a book to teach about penis and ovum. This information is included, but to give background. This is a book about how families--whatever their makeup--are made.

There is no overt pontificating for any particular family makeup.

However, if an adult wants to discuss IVF or surrogacy with their child, then this book will serve that purpose. It also does address gender at birth in the beginning of the book and transitioning near the end of the book.

As for the illustrations, which appears to be another sticking point here, the author and illustrator are both British. Europeans are stereotypically more comfortable with nudity than Americans, so there are naked people. There is a picture in a fitness (?) shower room with naked people. The people are of different ages. Perhaps people in American fitness shower rooms do not shower naked. In other countries, such as England, they do. There is, quite frankly, less nudity in this book than I have found in an American book on this topic. The nudity is not titillating.

The anatomical pictures are confusing, and I doubt a child would understand them.

There are pictures of all kinds of couples, as the title indicates. I have seen other reviews saying that there are no trans parents. I don't know how you would know a trans parent, but there are several illustrations of the gender-neutral variety (I thought).

Would a child pick this book up on their own? Maybe--the cover is inviting, brightly colored, and has babies. Would a child want to keep it after flipping through it? I doubt it. The book cover would most likely attract pre-readers and the pictures inside aren't that age group.

My response to this book's opponents is the same as it nearly always is: If you don't want your child exposed to the material in this book (song, film, show), do not read it to them. You are the parent, after all. However, you are the parent of *your own* child(ren). I am the parent of my child(ren). Your choices are yours; you have no right to impose your choices on my child(ren).

[Nourishedbybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making a baby by Rachel Greener and Clare Owen published by @nosycrow . It’s just incredibly perfect in every way!

👶This is a diverse, inclusive and richly informative, gem of a book. It details the biological logistics of how a baby is made while outlining the various social and personal situations a baby may be brought into. This is all done in a sensitive and inclusive way while maintaining appropriate terminology without using too much jargon.

👶I love that IVF, adoption and same sex families are included, it equips children with the knowledge to have open and accepting minds, thus encouraging kindness and empathy.

👶A basic introduction to sex is provided and, most importantly, it’s discussed as a way to show love and that having sex doesn’t always mean a couple wish to make a baby.

👶A touching detail in this book is the gentle and compassionate information about miscarriage and prematurity. I really don’t think this book could be any more inclusive or considerate.

👶A sensitive account of gender is given towards the end of the book and it even informs the reader that some people have operations to make the outside of their body better fit the way they feel on the inside.

👶 The message that every type of family is equal and loving is reinforced through out and is the reoccurring and reinforced message in this perfect introduction to reproduction.

[Aus Liebe zum Lesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mit ihrem Buch „Ein Baby! Wie eine Familie entsteht“ haben Rachel Greener und Clare Owen einen Volltreffer in Sachen diverses Kinderbuch gelandet.

Rachel Greener findet genau den richtigen Ton, um Kindern ab 5 Jahren in einfachen Worten, aber mit den richtigen Fachbegriffen die Entstehung eines Babys zu erklären. Die Illustrationen von Clare Owen veranschaulichen dies, mal mit kindgerechten Abbildungen biologischer Vorgänge, mal mit Bildern aller möglichen Formen von Familien. Die Darstellung der Menschen und Familien ist dabei so divers, wie in kaum einem anderen Kinderbuch, so werden BIPoC, hetero- wie homosexuelle Paare, dicke und dünne Menschen, welche mit Brille, Rollstuhl, Tattoo oder Hörgerät, Frauen mit kurzen Haaren oder Kopftuch und Männer mit Glatze gezeigt – eben die volle Bandbreite menschlicher Erscheinungsbilder.

Auch im Sprachlichen zeigt sich die Diversität des Buchs, so wird von Personen statt von Mann und Frau gesprochen. Außerdem finden künstliche Befruchtung, Adoption und Leihmutterschaft Beachtung, ebenso wie Hausgeburt und Kaiserschnitt, Tragetuch und Kinderwagen, Zwillinge, Frühgeburt und Sternenkinder.

Ich bin wirklich begeistert, wie informativ und dennoch verständlich dieses Aufklärungsbuch ist und kann es rundum empfehlen. Die Altersangabe ab 5 Jahren finde ich passend.

[Berit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich bin ziemlich zwiegespalten.
Positiv find ich den erweiterten Familienbegriff und den damit einhergehenden Fokus auf Regenbogenfamilien/nicht heteronormative Lebensweisen.
Ein Problem hatte ich allerdings mit den verwendeten Begriffen: Zwar erfolgt die korrekte Differenzierung zwischen Vagina und Vulva - allerdings auch die Verwendung des Wortes "Scheide", welche och einfach nicht mehr zeitgemäß finde (Scheide suggeriert Passivität - es bedarf immer eines Penis, der in sie "reingesteckt" wird, wie eben das Schwert in seine Scheide...)
Des Weiteren fehlt mir die Inklusion von trans* und/oder nicht binären Identitäten . Klar, es ist nicht einfach, in ein kurzes Sachbuch für Kinder alles reinzupressen, was zu einer solch komplexen Thematik wie Reproduktion, Sexualität und Geschlechtsidentiät gehört - aber in zumindest einem kurzen Satz zu erwähnen, dass nicht alle Frauen Vulven und nicht alle Männer Penisse haben und sich Geschelchtsidentität nicht per default nach den Reproduktionsorganen ausrichtet, das wär m.E. schon drin gewesen.
In dem kleinen Glossar am Ende des Buches werden Begrifflichkeiten wie etwa inter, Vulva, Hoden etc. definiert. trans* und nicht-binär hätten sich analog dazu gut erläutern lassen.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I thought this book was very well written, especially for the younger crowd, preK-younger elem.
It is frank about how sex works, and while there is an illustration, it isn't crude or inappropriate. It talks about natural birth vs csection, and again isn't gory but gives a clear, age appropriate explanation. It also talks about the multitude of ways that families come into existence (surrogacy, adoption). I appreciate the professionalism as well as the inclusivity of this book.

Knowing that libraries around the country (and even Campbell Co, Wy) are facing challenges to items related to lgbtq issues, sexuality, reproduction, I read this before it became available for checkout. My job is to develop a well-rounded collection, with age appropriate, current materials. This book isn't for everyone and I can see some families being upset with it being in a collection, but I would be more than comfortable reading this book WITH my children and using it as a jumping off point for discussion and questions that they have.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wholeheartedly support teaching children about sex as it is a natural and normal part of life for many people. Treating it as a taboo subject is only harmful. If taught properly and with an open mind, teaching about sex and consent can help children have healthier relationships later on in life. It gives them important knowledge that will help them set boundaries regarding their bodies at any stage of their life, and the language to share with a trusted adult if something bad were to happen to them and they needed help.

With all that being said, this book has a very cis-normative approach to the subject for the most part, and it would have been beneficial to reframe the approach to be more inclusive of genderqueer identities. However, it is still a good starting point for the topic, and parents/guardians could incorporate a discussion about genderqueer people when sharing this book with their children.

If I stumble across any children's books discussing genderqueer identities, I will add them to this review. If you know of any good ones, share them in the comments!

[Kris Dersch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a helpful resource. In straightforward language, it explains how babies are made, including via sex, IUI, IVF, adoption, surrogacy, all of it. Gender neutral terms ("person with a womb,"etc.) are used throughout. The universalness of things like having a bellybutton are put alongside different ways families are created and come together.
My big ding on this book is that specifics would be helpful. The person carrying a baby in their womb is a surrogate, but the word surrogacy is not used. Other words I felt like would have been helpful are things like NICU, IVF, etc. Also in diagrams, some arrows would be helpful as I feel like for a child or a person whose first language isn't English who doesn't know what the terms refer to, identifying parts on the diagram is tricky.
This is a hard conversation to have with kids and I for sure will be recommending this one as a resource.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from Dial Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a sensitive topic for discussion since it is something that is very personal and uncensored that young children might be afraid to learn but, Making a Baby was not only family friendly but informative to the point where children could have fun while learning. I appreciated the layout and format of the book being kid-friendly and the choice and use of language was very inviting. I know this is a sensitive topic for our elementary school teachers and this book is just the aid they need to be confident in passing this information to their students or for parents to teach their own children of this topic.

We will consider adding this title to our J Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

[Julie J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ENGLISH VERSION BELOW
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“Ein Baby! Wie eine Familie entsteht” reiht sich in die Menge an Aufklärungsbüchern, die es am Markt so gibt. Wobei dieses Buch etwas ganz Besonders ist. Die Erklärungen und Beschreibungen im Buch sind klar und kommen ohne verniedlichende Wörter oder Verschnörkelungen aus. Alles wird korrekt benannt. Gerade Kindern sind Begriffe rund um Körper, Geschlechtsverkehr und der Frage „wie entsteht ein Baby“ weder peinlich noch unangenehm; wir Erwachsene sorgen dafür, dass Kinder glauben, sich bei diesem Thema unwohl fühlen zu müssen. Dieses Buch hilft korrekte Begriffe zu erlernen, zu verwenden und dem ganzen Thema ohne peinliches Berührtsein zu begegnen. Zeitgleich bemüht sich das Buch darum verschiedenste Formen von Familien aufzuzeigen sowie auch unterschiedliche Wege, ein Kind zu bekommen. Dies alle spiegelt sich auch in den Illustrationen wieder, welche ebenfalls sehr klar gehalten sind und von Clare Owner in eher gedeckten Farben gezeichnet wurden, die gut zum Gesamtstil des Buches passen. Dabei bemüht sie sich, wie auch die Autorin Rachel Greener, unterschiedliche Kulturen und ethnische Herkunft, Familienstrukturen und Äußerlichkeiten darzustellen. Es gibt Personen aller Hautfarben, gleichgeschlechtliche Paare, Alleinerziehende, Vater-Mutter-Kind; die Leute tragen Chiller-Outfits, elegante Kleidung, haben Tattoos; manche haben eine Behinderung.
Das Buch zeigt vor allem auf, dass Babys auf unterschiedliche Arten „entstehen“ können, wobei die Varianten auch klar benannt und wissenschaftlich (dem Niveau der Zielgruppe entsprechend) erklärt werden und gleichberechtigt nebeneinander stehen und künstliche Befruchtung etwa nicht nur als Alternative vorgestellt wird. Die Themen sind: Eizelle, Sperma, Gebärmutter (inkl. Befruchtung als Folge von Geschlechtsverkehr zwischen Mann und Frau), IUI (intrauterine Insemination), IVF (
In Vitro Fertilisation ), Adoption, Leihmutter, Frühgeburt, Fehlgeburt, Kaiserschnitt, Intersexualität, etc.
Es findet sich dennoch viel Kritik an dem Buch, was denn nicht noch alles fehlt. Viele Kritikpunkte sind zwar durchaus berechtigt, jedoch steht hier auch die Frage im Raum: Wie viel passt in ein Bilderbuch für Kindergartenkinder? Es findet sich zum Beispiel mehrfach die Kritik, dass erst recht spät im Buch über das „biologische Geschlecht“ gesprochen wird oder, dass nicht darauf eingegangen wird, dass das Geschlecht bei der Geburt von außen „vergeben“ wird und „das gelesene Geschlecht“ als Begriffskonvolut verwendet werden sollte.
Einen Punkt, dem ich zustimme: Bei so viel Diversität und dem Versuch nackte Körper nicht nach einem gesellschaftlichen Ideal darzustellen, hätte es hier auch mehr „Extreme“ geben können, also auch jemand, der besonders groß oder klein ist oder dick oder vergleichsweise große Brüste hat oder oder oder. Denn dies wäre leicht umsetzbar gewesen im Zuge der Illustrationen und hätte keinen Raum im Textkorpus benötigt.

Im Fazit ein tolles, ehrliches und absolut empfehlenswertes Buch!

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"Making A Baby: An Inclusive Guide to How Every Family Begins" is one of the many educational books on the market. However, this book is something very special. The explanations and descriptions in the book are clear and come without trivializing words or squiggles. Everything is named correctly. Children in particular are neither embarrassed nor uncomfortable with terms related to the body, sexual intercourse or the question "how is a baby born"; we adults make children feel uncomfortable with this topic. This book helps to learn and use correct terms and to face the whole subject without being embarrassed. At the same time, the book tries to show different forms of families and different ways of having a child. This is all reflected in the illustrations, which are also very clear and drawn by Clare Owner in rather muted colors that fit well with the overall style of the book. She uses the illustrations, as does author Rachel Greener, to depict different cultures and ethnic backgrounds, family structures and appearances. There are people of all skincolors, same-sex couples, single parents, father-mother-child; people wear chiller-outfits, elegant clothes, have tattoos; some have disabilities.
Above all, the book shows that babies can "come into being" in different ways, whereby the variants are also clearly named and scientifically explained (according to the level of the target group) and stand side by side on an equal footing and artificial insemination, for example, is not only presented as an alternative. The topics are: ovum, sperm, uterus (incl. fertilization as a result of sexual intercourse between man and woman), IUI (intrauterine insemination), IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), adoption, surrogate mother, premature birth, miscarriage, cesarean section, intersexuality, etc.

There is a lot of criticism about what is missing inside the book. Many criticisms are indeed justified, but there is also the question: How much fits into a picture book for kindergarten-children? For example, there are several criticisms that "biological sex" is not discussed until quite late in the book or that it is not addressed that gender is "assigned" from the outside at birth.
One point I agree with: With so much diversity and trying not to portray naked bodies according to a societal ideal, there could have been more "extremes" here, including someone who is particularly tall or short or fat or has comparatively large breasts or or or. Because this would have been easy to implement in the course of the illustrations.

In conclusion, a great, honest and absolutely recommendable book!

[Daphne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, a book that shows how my family began - and normalizes it! Finally, a book where I see myself mirrored on the pages inside!! Finally, a book that treats my family-making method just like everybody else's. I'm not even joking - when I flipped the book open and saw my story in pictures and print along with the explanation I've been giving to people about my parenting, I almost cried. My shoulders relaxed, and I felt a weight lift in the place where I hold "future conversations I'll need to have with my children". Thank you to everyone who had a part in making this book!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great inclusive book about where babies come from. This is a book for those who want to explain to children more details about where babies come from, especially how that differs with surrogacy, IVF, adoption, and miscarriage. I would start with Bodies Are Cool, The Bared Naked Book, and What Makes a Baby first before reading this one. It's a lot of information on each page. (I'm disappointed that the version I read didn't have a rainbow cover to illustrate how this book covers all different journeys to making a baby.)

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het is een mooi geïllustreerd boek. Dit sprak minimens enorm aan.

Vind het mooi dat er een goede poging is gedaan om inclusief te zijn...
Al vind ik dat er ook op een paar punten de plank mis is geslagen.
Aan het begin worden adhv de geslachtsdelen het gender bepaald.. en dat lijkt me nou net niet de bedoeling.
En later in het boek, stuk tweelingen, zegt men dat na de bevruchting uiteindelijk twee babies worden geboren.. dat lijkt me een ideaal plaatje.

Maar nogmaals.
Een goede poging.

100000000x beter dan de cis-white meuk die ik als kind voorgeschoteld kreeg😁

[LizCastle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My partner bought this for me and I can’t wait to read this with our child one day. Super inclusive, really informative and accessible. The illustrations were beautiful, the realities of child birth weren’t smoothed over but presented in a reassuringly matter of fact way. The language was extremely gender inclusive. As a gay woman, reading this book, I felt seen, comforted and less uncomfortable/ anxious about my future position I will take on in parenthood.

[TalviLinna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good attempt, but there's no obvious trans representation. There's one picture of a pregnant person that could be interpreted as a trans man or afab non-binary person, but it could just as easily be seen as a woman with short hair. No pregnant person with facial hair and masculine features, for example. Trans men have been having babies for ages, so why aren't they in the book?
The pictures of naked people also don't include any obviously trans bodies.