How you were Born

Author: Joanna Cole

Publishing:  Harper Collins

Number of Pages: Hardcover—48 pages

Genre:  Informational, Nonfiction

Reading Level:  Ages 9-12

Summary: This book is about how you were born.  It starts with saying how before we were born we were inside the uterus.  It says how half of the cell that started you came from your dad and half came from your mom.  It tells about eggs and sperm.  It then explains how you start to be created in the womb.  It tells about things that you were able to do and things that were growing on you.  It gives diagrams and pictures depending on what it’s talking about.  It has real life pictures of the baby inside the mother’s body.  It talks about how the mom can tell when you are growing and how it starts to show on her belly.  It then says how you are expected to be born about 9 months after conception, and that the parents start getting ready for your arrival.  The book goes on to talk about when you are actually being born and how you go from the uterus through the vagina.  Then it just tells about things that you can do, and how you eat when you’re hungry.  It goes on to talk about being a toddler and growing up, and that’s where it ends.

My Reaction to the Book:  I thought that this book was okay.  I thought it was a little odd—they could have done a better job, I think.  It just seemed weird to me, but it did give decent information I suppose. 

Potential Problems:  It talks a little about conception as well as being inside the body and being born.    It also has a side view picture of a woman giving birth—you can’t really see anything but it still could definitely be a problem.  There is also a picture of a baby nursing and you can see most of the mother’s breast.

Recommendations:  I don’t think I would recommend this book to anyone—I think there are better books out there for children about things like this.