Others say...

"This book has been read over and over by my son."
I was looking for a book to help in discussions with my 10 yr old son who was going through some physical changes. This book was descriptive and understandable. He didn't want to talk with me about what was happening to his body. This book really helped explain it to him. He picked up the book and has read it at least a dozen times in the last couple months since we received it. He said it had the right level of detail in descriptions. The other book I purchased "What's happening to me?" was more illustrations and fewer words. He strongly prefers this book.


"Dangerous Words, Beware!"
Chapter 8, titled: Is This Normal? States, "it is not unusual for a boy to watch another boy masturbate or to masturbate with a group of boys. Nor is it unusual for two boys to masturbate each other." My 13 year old son was accused of sexual assault by an 11 year old boy (a friend) after the 11 year old suggested they masturbated together, they did so on three occasions. The charge came a year later, social services and the police visited our home. Our younger son was almost removed from our home. Our 14 year old was questioned by police, charged, fingerprinted and we had to hire a lawyer. This book states that boys masturbating together or each other is not unusual. Maybe so, but it is a crime, and your child could be charged with sexual assault. Especially when the other child, out of guilt, fear, or revenge perhaps, tells his parents that he wasn't a willing participate once he realizes his "young, boyish curiosity" was a crime. BEWARE!

"Very Insightful"
I bought this book for my 12 year old son and he finds it to be very interesting. It has opened up discussions on things he would normally not discuss with me which has helped us have great conversations. I recommned this book for anybody with young boys going through puberty whom are normally not used to talking about what's going on with them.

"For boys who want to know the facts, this book has the answers!"
What's going on down there? A general question, perhaps, but one that boys between the ages of ten and fourteen ask regularly about the changes their bodies undergo during puberty. In Karen Gravelle's book, What's Going on Down There: Answers to Questions Boys Find Hard to Ask, she describes the physical and emotional changes that occur in boys (and, to a lesser extent, in girls) during puberty. In addition, Gravelle discusses sexual activity, homosexuality, AIDS, and other related topics. Gravelle had help with the book; 11- and 13-year-old brothers, Nick and Chava Castro, served as advisors, asking questions and working with Gravelle to make the book's language easy to read and to understand.

I bought this book for my older son when he was ten years old. I liked the funny and informative cartoons, and my cursory reading before giving it to him left me believing it might help him navigate the storms of puberty.

I had not read the book cover-to-cover, but I did so recently in connection with an assignment for my master's degree in library science. I am glad I did. Reading the book carefully served to confirm that I made a wise purchase five years ago, something I suspected when I noticed that my older son had handed down the book to his younger brother a few years ago.

Although the book has a few weird and wonderful moments (like stating that many women don't find childbirth to be particularly painful!), I found it to be an excellent source of practical, no-nonsense information. Some parents might be uncomfortable with the book's approach. The author includes frank discussions of orgasms, masturbation, and abortion, and the illustrator has a drawing of an orchidometer so boys can measure their testicles to see how far along they are in the puberty process. For parents who want their sons to know the facts about their bodies, though, and for boys who need to know those facts, this book is the one book on the subject I would recommend first.



"so very informative"
This book is packed full of useful information, easy to read, and helpful drawings. A must-read for any boy going through puberty.