{{Short description|1999 children's book by Robie Harris}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox book | name = It's So Amazing! | image = It's So Amazing.jpg | caption = First edition cover | author = Robie Harris | illustrator = Michael Emberley | country = United States | language = English | media_type = Print | subject = Human sexuality | publisher = Candlewick Press | pub_date = November 1, 1999 | pages = 81 | isbn = 978-0-7636-0051-8 | oclc = 40433137 | dewey = 612.6 | congress = QP251.5 .H37 1999 | preceded_by = It's Perfectly Normal | followed_by = }} '''''It's So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families''''' is a 1999 children's book about pregnancy and childbirth. It is written by Robie Harris and illustrated by Michael Emberley.<ref>{{cite news | last=Harrison| first=Colin| title=The Birds and the Bunnies| url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/99/11/21/reviews/991121.21harrist.html| newspaper=The New York Times| date=November 21, 1999}}</ref>
== Content == The book is intended for tweens, a slightly older demographic than Harris' previous books on sex education, ''It's Not the Stork'' and ''It's Perfectly Normal''.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web | title=These Resources Will Help You Have 'The Sex Talk' With Your Kids |url=https://www.scarymommy.com/resources-help-have-sex-talk-with-kids |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Scary Mommy |last1=Stover|first1=Kailen|date=May 8, 2021}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web | title=It's So Amazing! Book Review |url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/its-so-amazing |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Common Sense Media|first1=Carrie R. |last1=Wheadon|date=2004}}</ref> It deals with topics related to sexual reproduction, human sexuality, relationships, sexually transmitted infection, and safe sex practices. Educational cartoon illustrations provide visuals of processes such as fetal development.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> The information is presented alongside the commentary of two characters, a curious bird and a bee who finds the topic embarrassing, acting as emotional stand ins for the readers.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />
== Publication history == An updated edition of the book which included information about internet safety was published in 2014, alongside an expanded edition of ''It's Perfectly Normal''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news | last=Dell'Antonia |first=K. J. |date=2014-09-17 |title=20 Years After 'It's Perfectly Normal,' What's Changed? |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/17/20-years-after-its-perfectly-normal-whats-changed/ |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Motherlode Blog |publisher=The New York Times Company}}</ref>
== Reception == The book received praise for its informative content, age appropriate humor and approachable writing style.<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine |title=It's So Amazing!: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780763600518 |access-date=2023-03-14 |magazine=Publishers Weekly|department=[Review]|date=January 4, 1999}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine | url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/robie-h-harris/its-so-amazing/ |title=It's So Amazing!|department=[Review]|magazine=Kirkus Reviews|date=November 1, 1999 }}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |title=Shame-free sex education: It's So Amazing! And only a little bit mortifying |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/shame-free-sex-education-it-s-so-amazing-and-only-a-little-bit-mortifying-1.4168117 |access-date=2023-03-14 | newspaper=The Irish Times |last1=Ingle| first1=Róisín| date=February 19, 2020}}</ref> ''Publishers Weekly'' praised the book's "informal yet informed perspective" and usefulness as an educational resource.<ref name=":2" /> K. J. Dell'Antonia of ''The New York Times'' praised its illustrations, particularly a "glorious, life-sized image of the fetus in the womb."<ref name=":1" /> ''Kirkus Reviews'' wrote that it "expertly walk the line between frankness and bluntness, keeping the actual sex act under the covers, and nimbly explaining how abuse differs from normal human contact and affection."<ref name=":3" /> Common Sense Media awarded the book four out of five stars.<ref name=":0" />
Both Kailen Stover of ''Scary Mommy'' and Carrie R. Wheadon of Common Sense Media recommended the book as a way for parents to open up a dialogue about sex and their personal values.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" />
It received an award for Notable Children's Books from the American Library Association (ALA) in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=It's So Amazing: A Book About Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies and Families|url=https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/content/its-so-amazing-book-about-eggs-sperm-birth-babies-and-families |access-date=2023-03-14 |publisher=American Library Association}}</ref> The book has subsequently been included in several publications' lists of the best books for teaching sex education, including ''New York Times'',<ref>{{Cite news | last=Dell'Antonia |first=K. J. |date=2014-12-10 |title=Parents in Europe, Talking to Kids About Sex |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/parents-in-europe-talking-to-kids-about-sex/ |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Motherlode Blog|publisher=The New York Times Company}}</ref> ''Bustle'',<ref>{{Cite news | title=You Have To See This Sex Ed Book From 1975 |url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/90374-how-a-baby-is-made-sex-ed-book-from-1975-tells-it-exactly-like-it-is |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Bustle|last1=Weiss|first1=Suzannah|date=June 15, 2015}}</ref> ''Scary Mommy'',<ref name=":4" /> ''She Knows'',<ref>{{Cite news | last=Auteri |first=Steph |date=2022-08-04 |title=These Frequently Banned Sex Ed Books Are Essential Reading in My Home |url=https://bookriot.com/banned-sex-ed-books-are-essential-reading/ |access-date=2023-03-14 |work=Book Riot}}</ref> and ''Redbook''.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2016-04-29 |title=How to Talk to Your Kids About Sex So You Don't Make the Same Mistakes I Did |url=https://www.redbookmag.com/life/mom-kids/news/a43739/birds-and-the-bees-talk/ |access-date=2023-03-14 |work=Redbook | last1=Cho| first1=Nuy}}</ref>
The book was frequently challenged by groups who objected to the inclusion of information about sexuality in children's books, including homosexuality, abortion and masturbation. However, it was subject to less controversy than ''It's Perfectly Normal''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jarvis |first=Zeke |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KZAwDwAAQBAJ&dq=it's+so+amazing+banned&pg=PA175 |title=Silenced in the Library: Banned Books in America |date=2017-08-18 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-4408-4395-2 |pages=175 |language=en}}</ref> It appeared as #37 in the ALA's list of Most Banned Books during the 2000–2009 decade.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-03-26 |title=Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000–2009 |url=https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/decade2009 |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Banned & Challenged Books|publisher=American Library Association}}</ref> In 2014, a petition for the National Library Board (NLB) to reinstate the book and others which had been removed received 3,800 signatures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Howard |date=2014-07-10 |title=Petition with 3,800 names demands that NLB reinstate books |url=https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2014/07/10/petition-with-3800-names-demands-that-nlb-reinstate-books/ |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=The Online Citizen Asia |language=en-GB |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314071500/https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2014/07/10/petition-with-3800-names-demands-that-nlb-reinstate-books/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> After ''The Straits Times'' reported that these books were removed because of customer feedback, the NLB stated that they had actually been removed because of an internal review.<ref>{{Cite news|title=NLB says other titles withdrawn because of internal reviews |url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/nlb-says-other-titles-withdrawn-because-internal-reviews |access-date=2023-03-14 |work=Today|date=July 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624194239/https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/nlb-says-other-titles-withdrawn-because-internal-reviews|archive-date=June 24, 2016}}</ref> It appeared on ''Salon.com''{{'}}s 2014 list of the most controversial sex ed books of all time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark-Flory |first=Tracy |date=2014-05-07 |title=Inside the most controversial sex-ed books of all time |url=https://www.salon.com/2014/05/06/inside_the_most_controversial_sex_ed_books_of_all_time/ |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Salon |language=en}}{{Better|date=March 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:1999 children's books Category:Children's books about sex education Category:American children's books Category:Children's non-fiction books Category:Children's books about interpersonal relationships