Starred review from June 24, 2019
With wonderful frankness, Chavez Perez, member of the advisory council for the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society, describes the ins and outs of becoming and being a man in this instructive, comprehensive debut. In discussions on topics such as puberty, penis size, and learning how to kiss and date, he guides readers through sensitive questions, and he does so with both heterosexual and homosexual readers in mind. Drawing on his years as a sex educator, Chavez Perez does a thorough job of answering frequently asked questions and covers a wide range of issues with the tone of an older, more experienced brother willing to share his own missteps (as well as his well-sourced research). He provides straightforward, useful advice on issues including reading “no signals” from a sexual partner, how to come out of the closet, and how to make one’s first time having sex more enjoyable for both partners. For any man (or woman) with questions about sex that they were too uncomfortable to ask, Chavez Perez’s authoritative book will have the answer.
August 1, 2019
An advice book about sexual topics for teenage boys. Swedish sex educator and government expert Chavez Perez provides honest and friendly advice. Presented in 10 chapters--"You," "Girls," "Love," "Respect," "Sex--the Basics," "Straight or Gay?" "Sex with Girls," "Sex with Guys," "More Sex," and "Feeling Good"--this is a thorough guide in a slim package. The subchapter headings provide glimpses into the information provided, e.g., "Is my dick normal?" "Girls masturbate," and "Ways to make sex safer." A comprehensive resource, the book goes far beyond the basics, discussing communication and consent, boundaries, and gender roles in an understanding first-person voice. It offers a cogent analysis, woven throughout the book, of gender-based power imbalances. Although barely addressing transgender people, the book does an outstanding job of addressing sexual orientation. Overall, the work normalizes and celebrates sexuality and even provides "how-to" information about kissing, making out, masturbating, giving oral sex, and having vaginal or anal intercourse. The citations and information provided about U.S. law are brief and there is no bibliography, making it better suited for personal reading than report writing. There are no illustrations, however, the intended audience will likely not care. This is a book destined to be passed around. Reassuring, factual, and straightforward sexual education resource written for adolescent boys but appropriate for all genders and ages. (resources) (Nonfiction. 13-adult)
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August 16, 2019
Gr 9 Up-The author, a Swedish sex educator and Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society advisory council member, explores a range of thoughtfully organized topics, with larger topic headings such as "You," "Girls," "Love," "Respect," "Sex-The Basics," "Straight or Gay?" and "Feeling Good." Each topic is broken down into smaller subtopics, encompassing a broad range of experiences, including occasional statistics and stories from young men with whom Perez has worked. The general tone of the book is conversational and informal, with Perez taking the role of a casual mentor. It is refreshing to see how consent is positioned at the forefront of each topic and subtopic. Though some sections are focused on dating and sleeping with guys or girls, the whole text is written to be applicable to all cis men, no matter who they are interested in-most sections describe the "person you are interested in" rather than presuming a specific gender. That said, while transgender people are mentioned briefly and positively, the book presumes cisgender as the default setting for both its' readers and the people that they are interested in. VERDICT At times, the chapters feel almost too informal or unsupported by facts, something that is not helped by translation. That said, Perez does a great deal to combat toxic masculinity and celebrate intimacy, and this consent-centered book certainly fills a need. Recommended for collections serving older teens.-Kelsey Socha, Ventress Memorial Library, Marshfield, MA
Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2019
In this accessible and blunt guide to relationships, Swedish author and sex educator Chavez Perez educates men on the ins and outs of intimacy. The book begins with a basic anatomy lesson, which is extremely important for readers without a background in the subject. He then outlines the hormonal changes boys experience in puberty that can lead them to an adolescent/adult obsession with sex. He de-stigmatizes porn and offers suggestions for a healthy relationship with explicit images. He includes explanations of different sexual activities and the protection that can be used to prevent STIs and pregnancy, and takes care to emphasize the critical nature of enthusiastic, verbal consent. He praises the joy and vulnerability of romantic partnership, but cautions against falling into the trap of traditional gender roles. Wrapped in a millennial-pink cover featuring an eggplant emoji, this is a perfect introduction to a healthy male sex life. While it may be most beneficial for young adults, adults also have much to gain from revisiting the basics of sex ed, especially in the #MeToo era.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)