12 Affirming Sex Ed Books and Zines for Kids (and Their Caregivers!)

Teaching kids about sex is so much more than “the talk” at the start of puberty.

Learning about consent and body awareness from a young age helps kids build a foundation for healthier relationships with themselves, their bodies, and others. These fun and funny books help introduce kids to consent, body positivity, and more in an age-appropriate and affirming way.

What Does Queer Mean? A Zine for Kids! by Pleasure Pie (link coming soon​)

This affirming, joyful zine introduces the concept of queer love in simple terms. It also explains that we each get to define our gender for ourselves. Queer means loving who you love and expressing your gender however feels right to you!

For kids ages 4+.

Will Ladybug Hug? by Hilary Leung

Ladybug is going on a trip and she wants to hug her friends goodbye! This funny, joyful board book is about friendship, high-fives, consent, and hugs.

Made for kids ages 0-3 years.

We Listen to Our Bodies (We Say What's Okay) by Lydia Bowers, illustrated by Isabel Muñoz

This book teaches young kids to listen to their bodies for clues about how they’re feeling. It’s made to help kids build body awareness—a cornerstone of consent.

Made for preschoolers.

Bodies Are Cool by Tyler Feder

This is a poetic little book for building body positivity and confidence in young kids. The illustrations celebrate different skin tones, body shapes, genders, hair types, sizes, and more. 

Made for kids ages 3-5.

Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Collins

This is a picture book about a blue crayon mistakenly labeled as red. It’s a funny and colorful story about the courage to be yourself.

Made for kids ages 4-8.

What Makes A Baby by Cory Silverberg & Fiona Smyth

Most books about where babies come from leave many of us out. This picture book teaches curious kids about conception, gestation, and birth in a way that works regardless of how they were conceived and what their family looks like.

Made for kids ages 3-8.

Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of YOU by Rachel Brian

This is a guide that introduces children to bodily autonomy and consent. Lots of illustrations and clear explanations.

Made for kids ages 6-10.

You Know, Sex: Bodies, Gender, Puberty, and Other Things by Cory Silverberg & Fiona Smyth

This sex ed book covers not only hormones, reproduction, and development, but also power, pleasure, and how to be a decent human being. It’s inclusive of intersex and trans people, disability, and race.

Made for kids ages 10-14.

Wait, What? A Comic Book Guide to Relationships, Bodies, and Growing Up by Heather Corinna & Isabella Rotman, colored by Luke B. Howard

This guide follows a supportive group of friends as they talk about all the weird, tricky, exciting parts of growing up! Using comics, activities and examples, they give encouragement and context for new and confusing feelings and experiences.

Made for preteens and teens.

Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon

This book approaches gender as a creative form of expression, drawing from the author’s experience as a gender nonconforming artist.

Made for kids 12-17.

A Quick & Easy Guide to Consent by Isabella Rotman, colored by Luke B. Howard

How do you tell someone you want to do stuff with them? How do you ask if they want to do stuff with you? How do you know what stuff you want to do with each other? Enter: Sargeant Yes Means Yes from the Consent Cavalry, a beacon of clarity in a fuzzy minefield of questions.

Made for older teens.

Sex Positive Talks to Have With Kids:
A Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy, Informed, Empowered Young People by Melissa Pintor Carnagey, LBSW

This book is actually for parents and caregivers! It talks about how to have conversations with kids about bodies, consent, pleasure, sex, menstruation, gender, porn, and more.

Made for parents and caregivers.

If you want more lists like this one, check out Bluestockings Cooperative’s list of books about gender & pride for kids. And, Sex Positive Families has a whole bunch of resource pages of inclusive, sex-positive sexual health resources for every age.