Really mixed feelings on this one because it is so important but I'm so unsure how to ensure this gets to kids who would benefit! Kids need this, who's the person sharing it? In my teacher roles, this is obviously not the right fit, but important for parents & counselors to share. Such an important topic, so impressively handled. Reflection and activities included as well. A great tool!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette UK/Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the ARC. This is my unbiased review:

Overall rating: 3.75 stars

As a Certified Sex Therapist and sexuality educator, I get asked about porn a lot. Adults wonder if their viewing habits are healthy. Spouses wonder if their partner is damaging the relationship by consuming erotica. My students worry about performers and whether or not the adult industry contributes to a culture of exploitation. And parents worry about just about EVERYTHING when it comes to porn and their kids.

Jessica Melendez takes a unique approach to addressing these concerns, by creating a sex ed resource designed for young people. Porn Is Not Sex Ed! is a friendly, accessible, and inclusive point of entry into this delicate conversation. Melendez tackles a number of issues, from body diversity to the Male Gaze with a candor and kindness that stands out from the crowd.

This book is quite thorough in the topics covered, but I do wish that more care was paid to some topics. As mentioned above, the Male Gaze is explored- but never really properly defined. I would have liked to see an operant definition included in the glossary, for example. Another topic that stood out to me was the discussion of fetishization. Melendez tackles this with nuance and offers a great decision tree to help her readers understand if they are experiencing attraction or objectification. But she never defines what a fetish is, or explains that the reader may encounter the term in consensual, enjoyable contexts as well. That is not to say that a book geared for middle schoolers should tackle BDSM. But if you’re going to introduce one use of the term? Then the other should be acknowledged as well, if only to eliminate confusion and reduce kink-stigma.

Overall, I feel like Porn Is Not Sex Ed! was both surprisingly thorough for the length (less than 100 richly illustrated pages) but also lacking some important details. A page or two reflecting on the content of porn, and some statistics about normative diversity in that area, could have been validating for many readers without being overtly explicit. In general, I think that this is an excellent conversation-starter resource and look forward to recommending it to clients (both parenting and not) and students alike

Pornography is a topic that can be embarrassing to talk about and yet pretty much everyone knows exists. This no-nonsense guide looks at pornography within the context of wider sexual experiences and education, and gives the reader the chance to learn about, amongst other things: - What is consent - How our bodies are different - Why people might use porn - How to advocate for oneself The author doesn't preach, doesn't say we should ban porn, doesn't say it's a good thing either. But they do look at the differences between what porn says sex is/should be and what sex actually is/can/should be. The book does have some images (cartoon-like) drawings of genitalia, but obviously as it's a children's book they are not sexually explicit. For that reason I would say just have a flick through before handing it to a child, and make up your own mind as to whether you think it's ok. However seeing as most kids have smartphones and the ability to get online, then what they may be able to access on a screen is potentially going to be much more shocking than some well-drawn illustrations in a fact book. (Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC)

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this book. I think this book should be used as a teaching tool for all sex education classes. As a parent of older teens and young adults, I wish this book had been around when my children were younger. Not only does it provide information about porn, it also provides detailed anatomy, including the clitoris, and the proper language. It talks about sexual identity, consent, and masturbation in a way that does not shame the reader, and I love that. I will be buying this book for my kids (even though they are older) and for other young people in my life.

This is a really inclusive, helpful resource for young folks who are curious about sex. It emphasizes that porn is fiction, but sex is a real act with real thing to consider before, during, and after. I think it does a great job of being accessible and talking to young kids at a level that treats them with respect and doesn't treat them like they're too immature to learn. Sexual content is everywhere, more so now than ever, and it's important to have these discussions to foster a sense of trust and instill the ability to find out the facts for themselves.

All in all, this is a really useful resource! I love the activities and reflective questions, as it gets the reader way more involved.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A thorough book that covers many aspects of sex education and delves into the topic of pornography, what it is, why people might use it, and how it is focuses on the male gaze. I liked the comparison of how different geographic regions share limited amounts of information in term of sex education, providing greater context for divide in knowledge and understanding. Sections on media literacy, the male gaze, and pornography literacy were well covered. This is a great informative and inclusive title on pornography and sex education.

Loved this book/workbook! I give queer sex ed workshops and this will be a super useful resource and I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy. My only complaint is the all caps text, which I know is still standard for graphic novels but from an accessibility pov makes it harder to read.

A well-detailed and interactive books for tweens and teens on healthy sexual education. Both inclusive and also useful in terms of teaching incredibly important concepts like consent. A book I will definitely look to turn to as a resource when my children are old enough to learn sex education.

This is an impressive guidebook that I would recommend all middle grade children read with the guidance of their parents. All kids with access to the internet will eventually stumble upon pornographic material, and it is important to have a resource such as this book to help them understand and process what they saw. I enjoy how the book puts emphasis on the importance of consent and body image positivity.

A short, educational Graphic Novel that is informative and easy to read.
Porn is Not Sex Ed is more that just what the title suggests. This book explores themes of consent and assault, media influences, LGBTQIA2S+, and even looks at anatomy and sex ed content.
The GN style along with the puzzles and activities made the book very engaging and easy to remember. The language was also age appropriate for those around the 13-14 mark.
Therapist Jessica Melendez has expertly put together a well thought out guide and workbook for teens to read and start those difficult conversations with parents.
I highly recommend this both to teens and parents. It is informative, easy to read, and touches on some very necessary discussion points.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the ARC - All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is so well written and put together! I wish I had this while growing up because parents rarely address topics like this and schools just have a single sex ed day, which teaches kids nothing. The illustrations and games are so well thought out, this would be great for a middle school/junior high aged child. This would make them more comfortable and more likely to talk about taboo conversations.

Thank you to Netgalley, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, and Jessica Melendez for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Kids these days are learning about sex at an earlier age than ever before. This book takes a taboo subject and makes it conversational in a way that allows a child to read and understand this hished concept in a safer space. Written for middle school aged kids, this one is no hold barred (well, no pictures thankfully).

This book is brilliant! It is so much more informative than I could've imagined, and answers so many questions in very simple terms. There's detailed diagrams and I love the inclusivity of having different characters interact throughout the book in the form of comic strip dialogue. The chapters are well sectioned and go over so many topics including and not limited to body image, safe sex, and stereotypes.


My sincere compliments to the author (who I assume also illustrated) for doing a fabulous job of creating images that are not vulgar, yet beautifully diverse to show different types of bodies and genitals, acknowledging how they are all normal. There's a good many anatomical diagrams that go in more detail (eg- the clitoris) than I recall from my very basic biology textbooks. Everything about this book is innovative and very entertaining, going as far as to show step by step instructions of how to use various barrier methods for safe sex. There's flowcharts, to help the reader visualise the words and processes better.

Alongside that, there are crosswords, word searches, and areas to create dialogue with the reader and encourage them to come up with their own insights. The vocabulary wall at the end is also amazing. I urge parents and schools to go through this book and read it to children and teenagers, using it as a reference to build healthy conversation about these topics. I hope there's more to come from this author in a series.

What a great book!

In this age where young kids are getting access to sexual content without their parent's knowledge, this is so important to put out. I really like how it was a work book so it encouraged the reader to really think through these questions, understand them better, and apply them to their own life. For a young person, the art and the tone was honestly so great, I am amazed that this book is going to come out. I think it'll really help many kids approach sex in a healthier mindset. Topics like anatomy, body image and even consent were also super important too.

In this political climate where important lessons that will help children grow are being censored, this book is so important.

Thank you for the chance to read it!

I would say this book covers the basics of sex education. The way all the information is presented is like “for the kids” but I liked it reading it as an adult, I think it will be preferable for the teen audience, compared to traditional just-plain-text way of presentation. It very much encourages the further conversations with an adult. I would recommend this book for the teens, as well as for the parents/guardians.

This book approaches sex in an open and honest way. While it’s not a graphic novel, it is highly illustrated, and it talks about important lessons. These lessons help frame what may happen in porn versus the real world. What things are truthful, what things are not, as well as talking about the human body in a way that middle school and high schoolers can understand. It also answers all the questions one might have whether embarrassing or not. I think this book does a very good job of giving a sex lecture that most parents won’t be able to, in a way that kids will find interesting. I do see this book getting banned so it’s going to join the shelf with “It’s all perfectly normal” because this book does a better job teaching kids about sex then porn or their parents.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Goodreads.

Very informative and touches on very important topical subjects . 4 stars given, due to very Americanised statistical information

A book that I think we all needed when we were younger. I liked the tone throughout the book and throughout loved the reiteration of all genitals/fantasies.etc being normal. I’m a 27 year old woman and I leant something! I had no idea it was as recent as 1998 when scientists discovered the whole structure of the clitoris.
This book debunks myths and is both educative and inviting. The use of normal language, cartoon like pictures and colour make it an easy reading experience. It is not daunting like some sexual education books I read when I was younger. Most importantly the book was inclusive. I truly believe this book provides education for all and does not have a heteronormative focus.

It’s really educational, to be honest this was my first time reading a non fiction book, that is also educational. It was a good experience! :)

This book is a fantastic guide for both parents and older kids on sex education. Melendez covers many different aspects of sexuality, including biological structures, peoples behaviors and interests as well as consent.

This book can serve as a resource for parents who need some guidance on what topics to discuss with their kids. Melendez includes a workbook element to it, where the kids can write down their own thoughts and feelings, serving to empower them. This gives kids a chance to express themselves and think through things away from their adult. Sex education tends to be embarrassing, especially when it’s an adult telling you about it - this book gives information and then urges the kids to go to a trusted adult about any questions or feelings they have about it.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me and Arc of this book.

I absolutely loved this. I am a child and adolescent therapist and I think this is a wonderful resource because this is a more frequent conversation I am having with my clients families. One of the things I love most about this book is how normalizing it is, there are interactive pages, games, journaling prompts, assessments, questionnaires, and it's so engaging.

Book Review: Porn is Not Sex Ed! A Young Person’s Illustrated Guide to Debunking Sexuality Myths by Jessica Melendez

A Vital, Visually Engaging Toolkit for Healthy Sexuality
Jessica Melendez’s Porn is Not Sex Ed! is a bold, necessary intervention in youth sexuality education, dismantling harmful myths perpetuated by porn with clarity and compassion. Designed as an illustrated guide, it empowers young readers to separate fantasy from reality, covering consent, body positivity, relationships, and sexual health with unflinching honesty. The book’s vibrant visuals and conversational tone make complex topics accessible, while its affirming approach fosters self-respect and critical thinking.

Key Strengths
-Educational Courage: Tackles taboo subjects (e.g., porn’s distortions, gender stereotypes) with rare directness, filling gaps left by traditional sex ed.
-Inclusivity: Celebrates diverse identities and orientations, ensuring marginalized readers feel seen.
-Artful Pedagogy: Illustrations and infographics transform abstract concepts into relatable, memorable lessons.

Potential Considerations
-Age Appropriateness: While aimed at teens, some caregivers may prefer to preview content for younger readers.
-Depth vs. Breadth: A few topics (e.g., digital safety) could benefit from deeper exploration.

Score Breakdown (Out of 5)
-Educational Value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) – A lighthouse in the fog of misinformation.
-Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5/5) – Complex ideas made effortlessly digestible.
-Visual Appeal: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) – Art that educates as much as it delights.
-Cultural Relevance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) – A manifesto for the post-porn generation.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5/5) – The antidote to a thousand distorted screens—served with heart and humor.

Ideal Audience
-Teens navigating puberty in the digital age.
-Educators and parents seeking inclusive, non-shaming resources.
-Anyone questioning porn’s influence on modern sexuality.

Gratitude
Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Melendez for the advance copy. Porn is Not Sex Ed! is more than a book—it’s a movement, equipping young people with truth in a world saturated with fiction.

Note: Review based on an ARC; illustrations and minor content may differ in final print.

The blurb says it all and whilst designed to read on your own I wouldn't discourage teenagers reading it with a trusted friend or friends.

A useful tool for the teens of today with easy tools and handy tips to help navigate their evolving sexual selves. It's also a useful tool for parents/guardians of teens who want to encourage open dialogue about healthy and safe experiences and relationships.

It's factual, to the point and keeps it simple without skimping on details.

This should have a place in secondary school libraries alongside the series of books by Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes. I'm sure there are plenty more as well that would aid school PSHE classes.

The only element that I would change is when it's published outside of America, in the UK for example, is that it uses the statistics relevant to that country. In my opinion it would make it more relatable. Perhaps add some in if it can't be changed when publishing.

I enjoyed this book. As someone who grew up in a strict religious household where sex was rarely discussed, I didn’t learn much about sexual health or identity until I moved out and studied gender and sexuality in college. I truly wish I had access to a book like this when I was younger.

One of the things I appreciated most was the sex-positive language throughout. The use of the term trusted adult instead of parent was especially thoughtful. It acknowledges that not everyone feels safe or comfortable talking to their parents, and it creates space for a broader support system.

I also found the safer sex checklist incredibly helpful. It encourages readers to check in with themselves and communicate clearly, which is so important when it comes to making informed and respectful choices about sex. The resources around STI testing were another highlight—clear, accessible, and non-judgmental.

There were just a few areas where I think the book could be improved. The repeated use of “your trusted adult” at the beginning of each chapter felt a little awkward. Saying “a trusted adult” might sound more natural and inclusive. I also felt that the “this chapter discusses...” phrasing in each chapter’s introduction became a bit repetitive. A heading like “Objective” or “Goal” followed by a direct statement could streamline this and improve the flow.

Overall, this was a thoughtful and empowering read. It fills a major gap in sexual education and offers information in a way that is both inclusive and approachable. I’ll definitely be recommending it.

This is a useful sex education book for young people which helps sort through facts and myths. I had expected porn to be just one of many topics covered, but every section links back to myths which come from porn. This may seem odd, but when there is not adequate sex education, porn may be the main source of information some young people have access to, either directly or through conversations with friends.

In my community, sex education is almost a taboo subject. It's almost rare for people to talk about it. And one of the topics related to sex, of course, is porn. I found this book helpful for young people, who really should be taught about sex as preparation for adulthood, rather than having it treated as something to be avoided or ignored. This book is very engaging and interactive. There are several questions you can answer, especially with the support of a trusted adult. I’m only giving it 4 stars because sometimes the text is a bit too small and hard to read, and it feels like something is still missing. Plus, a few other personal reasons. I also wanted more!

This was a very good and important book, a lot of things that younger people need to learn, very informative

While this is super informative, I feel like this may be a tricky title for schools combatting a lot of parental oversight. Would definitely recommend for public library setting.

A useful starting point for teens to explore sex education which includes excellent points on the cautions surrounding the scripted nature of the industry. The workbook format is great and really helps to prompt thought and can be used as discussion points. The book is aimed at an US audience so this would need to be considered when reading aspects relevant to location, however, the majority of the book would be valuable to teens all over the world. This is a much needed book considering the easily available access to pornography. The book is a good starting point for sex education though more detail maybe needed later on. I was impressed by the diversity of conversation within the book and the range of aspects covered by it, though some areas could have included a bit more information. I would definitely recommend for parents and teens alike.

I grew up in a very conservative home with absolutely no sex education. Anytime I have the chance to support resources aimed at this type of education I will support them in any way that I can. This little book did an amazing job of not only talking about sex and bodies, but also consent, inclusion and pornography in a way that was accessible and safe.

A great way to make your teen (or anyone you know struggling with porn use/understanding) to feel awkward but informed.

A bit wordy for the average teen in some spots. It would be a good resource for a health class teacher. There are built in activity pages per topic.

This has some good advice and information, but it is best suited as a book for parents for times when they need to talk about porn and sex with their children and educate them.
It does not talk about the negative experiences around porn in much detail.
Though, the rest is very informative and insightful.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to the publisher for sending this to me.

It is clear the author put a lot of thought into this book, and it paid off. The structure flowed seamlessly, which helped capture the broader range of sex ed information you wouldn't usually get. I found it very informative and thought-provoking, all the while fun with the suggested activities.

If you have a child who will be joining high school soon, this book provides a great way to open the conversation with them about sex and porn.

Pornography is an emotive word, especially to parents whose children are old enough to access social media. It's also a difficult subject to bring up in conversation at any age! No one can police their kids all the time, nor can they control what pops up in adverts or follow on links as they fall down the rabbit hole that is the Internet.

Jess Melendez has written a book which, although aimed at the American market,
is universal in the information it imparts. There are activities to undertake, including a word search, crossword, and quiz, as well as offering suggestions for questions the reader can ask a parent or trusted adult to initiate discussion. The illustrations cover all and every conceivable body type and are also good conversation starters.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Hachette UK/Jessica Kingsley Publishers, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a useful tool to help with difficult discussions which become ever more important as the internet influences more of our youngsters' time and opinions.

I think that this is a wonderful tool to discuss sex, and all that includes for younger teens and preteens. This books breaks down everything having to do with sex-what it is, what porn is and why people might watch it, how to be safe, how to have open conversations about it with a partner, how to tell when you’re ready for it. All of this is delivered in a very easy to digest and interactive way that teens & preteens will be able to understand without talking down to them.

I thought this book did an excellent job of including topics such as barrier contraception for same-sex couples, discussing inequalities in sex education according to state, and orgasm. I feel as though it might have included a little more about the asexual community, and as a British reader, I do wish it had covered areas other than the USA, but these are relatively small complains.

This is such an important book for teens everywhere, and I believe that absolutely everyone should have access to this book. I love how this book established various key things early on: Porn is a fantasy and therefore not real AND carefully talking about topics that make us uncomfortable is one of the best ways for us to grow and learn. Bravo, bravo, bravo to the author for this!! Additionally, it was awesome how the author made sure to really get parents/caregivers involved with their teens as they read this book. Even further, the creators of this book made a point to make this an *active* reading experience rather than a *passive* one. There are various types of activities and questions scattered throughout the book that really get the reader thinking, both about society and themselves. As for the visuals, I appreciated the graphic novel layout of most of the book; it will definitely help readers stay engaged and add some *fun* to the serious topics. Lastly, the illustrations were accurate and I didn't notice any flaws in them. Bravo!
One editing note: On page 52, the "v" should be taken out of "idventity" and, if this wasn't on purpose, "porn" is listed twice in the "Sex Education" web.

I really like the content of this book and think it would have been amazing for when I was a teenager and had very limited sex ed or understanding of sexuality and anatomy.

The illustrations are amazing and the interactive elements are a nice way to break it up and allow for processing.

The only thing that I’m unsure about is the title. It’s definitely an attention grab, however I think it reduces the accessibility of the book. I know as a teenager with a title like that I would not have felt comfortable buying it for myself, and it’s definitely not something my parents would have bought for me.

This book is great. It explains things in ways. Kids can understand. It opens them up to having a conversation with a parent or guardian, knowing that this is something that they can and should talk about if they have questions. This book explains what is normal and what is important for kids to know perfectly.
I also love that it is interactive. There’s a word search and questions to ask and to reflect on there’s even spaces where they can write in their answers.
I feel like this is also a good book for adult adults to read with the kids or read on their own when kids come to them with questions.
So much is covered here that isn’t covered in health class

I am so glad books like this exist.

I am 37 years-old and just learned today, via this beautiful book, that the clitoris was vastly unknown until 1998. (Google it. Isn’t that insane?!) Can you imagine learning this information as a young lady? It would be informative as hell and very empowering to have this kind of information not only about yourself but of the society you live in and the history therein.

Anyways. I think this book got a whole lot of things right. I loved that it was written in graphic novel format. This allows us to reach teens where they’re at in a way that is approachable for them. I think the realistic pictures of anatomy looking a variety of different ways is WONDERFUL. Hopefully the vast majority of people who read this book can see some type of reflection of themselves there. I also think this book does a good job of leaving hysterics out of the information presented. These are hot button issues and it’s nice to read facts and leave our sometimes heated emotions and opinions out. I appreciate the activities, glossary, and the “ask a trusted adult” question boxes.

I happen to think pornography is harmful and does more bad than good. I appreciate the messaging that porn is fantasy, not reality. Porn IS regrettably (in my opinion) still a part of OUR reality and therefore it’s important to educate our teens about it. I am grateful this book exists as I venture forward into educating my teenager about porn.

The recommended age is 12-18 and I think it’s a little soon for my kiddo to jump into this at age 13 but we are fortunate to homeschool and sometimes don’t face the same pressures as other families.

Thank you NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the digital ARC copy!