On the occasion of the Salon du livre pour la jeunesse in Montreuil, a writer is hosting a workshop for teenagers on the theme of sexuality. Children and adolescents say that they often find answers about intimacy in the books that deal with the issue, because they do not dare to tell their friends and family. As for the publishers, they are convinced that this issue must be de-dramatized and addressed in books, sometimes in a playful and humorous way.
The issue of censorship does not spare children’s literature. However, publishing houses take every precaution by having the manuscripts read by several reading committees. Sometimes they even ask the opinion of child psychiatrists before publishing a book. Marc DANIAU, co-author of the controversial book "Tous à poil", testifies. In libraries, adults are also there to accompany children in their reading. A librarian questioned on the subject says that a subject such as nudity must be proposed to children, being explained: "The whole world must be in the library".
The writer Françoise MALLET JORIS defends the idea of addressing sex education with children. According to her, "this is a much less difficult issue to address with children, in a balanced climate, than themes like violence ... It’s much more difficult to introduce children to the idea of violence and to live in this world, and at the same time to disgust them and not engage them in it.... We always talk about sex education as if it’s such a tricky issue, but it’s a much easier problem to tackle."
Unpacking the children’s gaze on nudity: this is the idea of the authors of the book "Tous à poil". But the president of the UMP, Jean-François COPE, does not listen to it, and has launched a controversy. The Minister of National Education, Vincent PEILLON, defends this work: "It is a work that is done on the body, on identity, on the fact of not being afraid of his body and saying simple things".
After the municipal elections in La Ciotat, the management policy of the new team hardened with regard to the associative and cultural life of the city. Example at the public library, where some books intended for young audiences, on the theme of sex education, were removed from the shelves.
Cyril MALAGNAT, bookseller, presents his heart strokes, including the "Dictionnaire fou du corps" at Editions Thierry Magnier. Four years later, it will be censored by the Direction des affaires scolaires de la ville de Paris (Dasco) because according to the circular "Le livre contient des vignettes chocantes pour les jeunes enfants ou leurs parents". The "disturbing book" approaches anatomy and medicine by combining pedagogy and humour, in an original and offbeat way, and in particular the issue of sexuality, without taboo.
In a classroom in Arras, parents discuss the issue of sex education for children with Denys PRACHE, editor of Okapi magazine. It is particularly about a file, "My Living Body", published by Okapi, which caused scandal when it was published.
For some parents, the emblematic character of Titeuf is very "focused on the thing". But for Zep and his companion Hélène Bruller, co-authors of the "Guide of the sexual zizi", Titeuf only expresses the questions that children ask themselves very early on about the anatomical differences between girls and boys...
The INA Galaxy 
