Where Babies Come From; Why is Mummy's tummy so big? Questions children ask about the Facts of Life

These two books are very different, but both are an honest attempt to answer children's questions about the facts of life and they are complementary in many ways.

Why is Mummy's tummy so big? follows the DK format of sumptuous photographs supported by clear texts. It conveys well some of the hidden changes that take place, particularly the emotional issues that are inherent in growing up and comfortingly illustrates the warmth and long term commitment needed in adult relationships. It ducks some issues staggeringly though - sexual intercourse is described as being 'close', making 'love' and 'snuggling up together'; the double spread answer to 'Why do boys and girls look different?' shows them fully clad and hardly a difference to be seen! Throughout there is little robustness but the book does escape the sentimentality of many other books of this kind!

Where Babies Come From answers the questions far more openly and provide reassurance on many levels. Sharratt's illustrations work well to distance the subject somewhat from reality but both text and illustrations presuppose that for the book to work well it will be shared at least initially with a caring adult and be a catalyst leading to fuller discussion. There is perhaps less sensitivity in dealing with the emotional side of relationships - this is implied rather than conveyed strongly but the book's great strength comes in that it ducks no issues. Providing healthy reassurance that private body parts are legitimately as different in shape and size from one individual to the next as the shape and size of our noses - this books strips away a great deal of fear, embarrassment and muddle. Birth is comfortably depicted in Sharratt's world as his gentle, cartoony style of illustration takes us a step or two away from the blood and gore of reality. So much is good in this book that it seems churlish to quibble but why do we have to have the nudist colony gambolling in the fields to show us the changes that take place as we grow up?

Unlike DK's version which could successfully be used in school or at home with infants or young juniors, to get the best out of Where Babies Come From it really needs to be centred in the home as parents and teachers I have shown it to have felt strongly that it would be helpful to them to share personally with children but they did not feel it would be best used at school. Interestingly, Scandinavian parents I shared it with disagreed and felt that it should be enjoyed in both contexts!