The Virgin Diaries

by Ann Werner, Ralph Faust, and Kimberley A Johnson

[Joni Reads]

I took sometime with this book because it's different than what I usually review and I wanted to be sure to give it the attention it deserves. Essentially there are so many different stories all about men and women describing how they lost their virginity. Not in extensively graphic detail, this is a book for teens to read after all. Also discussed are the emotions felt about the act. There was such a wide variety of stories in this book. One of a now 77 year old woman who lost her virginity at 15. That one really surprised me because when you consider life back then all you hear about is how conservative people were and how everyone waited until marriage. But that story proves that the want to have sex is completely natural no matter what day and age you live in.
Everyone acknowledged that they knew the risks associated and I am quite surprised at how many stories featured a lack of birth control. I was just waiting to read a story that resulted in a pregnancy and was a bit disappointed that there wasn't one. Well, one did but the girl in the story miscarried so there was no child involved. I would have liked to see at least one story that did involve a pregnancy just so that teens could see that it is possible.
Putting that aside though, I think this book is an asset for teens. Parents have a problem accepting that their child is growing up and I think teens and parents of teens should read this book. Teens so they can get advice and parents so they can face the facts: teens think about sex. Teens want to have sex. Some of the people in this book lost their virginity as early as 12 or 13. While it seems so young, and in truth it is, it still happens and parents need to realize that when their child is that age they will have those thoughts and instead of ignoring it and staying in denial they need to acknowledge it. I know when my daughter turns 13 in ten more years I plan on giving this book to her and I hope we are comfortable enough with each other to discuss what she reads in it.
I really cannot say enough that I think this book is wonderful. School libraries should all have a copy and it should be in every health class as well so that teens have access to it.
Thank you to Kimberley A. Johnson and Ann Werner for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.