24 Books About Consent and Bodily Autonomy For Toddlers and Kids

Bookshop.org's Description: "The crucial skills taught in this book will help children to protect their bodies from inappropriate touch. Children will be empowered to say in a strong and clear voice, 'This is my body! What I say goes!' Through age-appropriate illustrations and engageing text this book . . . will teach children the following crucial and empowering skills in personal body safety:

- identifying safe and unsafe feelings
- recognising early warning signs
- developing a safety network
- using the correct names for private parts
- understanding the difference safe and unsafe touch
- understanding the difference between secrets and surprises
- respecting body boundaries.

Approximately 20% of girls, and 8% of boys will experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday (Pereda, et al, 2009). Parents, caregivers, and educators have a duty of care to protect children by teaching them Body Safety skills. These skills empower children, and go a long way in keeping them safe from abuse - ensuring they grow up as assertive and confident teenagers and adults. Also included in this book are in-depth Discussion Questions to further enhance the learning and to initiate important family conversations around body autonomy."

My Body! What I Say Goes! by Jayneen Sanders ($12)

Barnes and Noble's Description: "'No Means No!' is a children's picture book about an empowered little girl who has a very strong and clear voice in all issues, especially those relating to her body and personal boundaries. This book can be read to children from 3 to 9 years."

No Means No! by Jayneen Sanders ($9)

Bookshop.org's Description: "Consent is like being ruler of your own country...population: YOU.

This is a smart, playful guide to consent and bodily autonomy, packed with bright and energetic illustrations. Readers will learn about boundaries and how to set them; ways to respect themselves and others; what to do if someone makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe; and much more. Along the way, they'll be encouraged to reflect on (and improve!) their own behaviour and to practice consent in their daily lives.

Whether you're looking for a consent primer to share with a friend or searching for a way to talk to your child about what it means to be in control of their own body and respect others', look no further! This humourous and insightful book from the co-creator of the viral "Tea Consent" video is the perfect teaching tool, conversation starter, and insightful, empowering resource for educators, kids, and families everywhere."

Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of You by Rachel Brian ($14)

Book's Description: "Teaching young children about body boundaries, both theirs and others, is crucial to a child's growing sense of self, their confidence and how they should expect to be treated by others. A child growing up knowing they have a right to their own personal space, gives that child ownership and choices as to what happens to them and to their body. It is equally important a child understands, from a very young age, they need to respect another person's body boundary and ask for their consent when entering their personal space. This book explores these concepts with children in a child-friendly and easily-understood manner, providing familiar scenarios for children to engage with and discuss. It is important that the reader and the child take the time required to unpack each scenario and explore what they mean both to the character in the book, who may not be respecting someone's body boundary, and to the character who is being disrespected. It is through these vital discussions that children will learn the meaning of body boundaries, consent and respect. Learning these key social skills through such stories as 'Let's Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent and Respect' and role-modelling by significant adults can, importantly, carry forward into a child's teenage years and adult life."

Let's Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent and Respect by ($12)

Bookshop.org's Description: "Julie, who is eight or nine, talks about privacy and about saying -no- to touching that makes her uncomfortable."

My Body Is Private by Linda Walvoord Girard ($6)

Bookshop.org's Description: "A comic book for kids that includes children and families of all makeups, orientations, and gender identities, Sex Is a Funny Word is an essential resource about bodies, gender, and sexuality for children ages 8 to 10 as well as their parents and caregivers. Much more than the 'facts of life' or 'the birds and the bees,' Sex Is a Funny Word opens up conversations between young people and their caregivers in a way that allows adults to convey their values and beliefs while providing information about boundaries, safety, and joy."

Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and You by Cory Silverberg ($22)

Bookshop.org's Description: "Meet Ladybug. Ladybug loves to hug! Now Ladybug is getting ready to go on a trip and wants to say good-bye to her friends. . . but will her friends want to receive a hug? Find out in this surprising and memorable storybook all about friendship, high-fives, consent, and of course, hugs."

Will Ladybug Hug? by Hilary Leung ($7)

Bookshop.org's Description: "Harrison P. Spader sat a little too close. Shook hands a little too long. High-fived a little too hard. And hugged a little too much. Harrison P. Spader was a personal space invader. But that all changes when he learns the Space Saver rhyme: Arms out front, then out real wide. Now place your arms back by your sides. Author Christianne Jones uses humour and relatable situations to teach early learners about self awareness. This entertaining picture book in the Little Boost series will tackle a much-needed topic for teachers, parents, and librarians."

Harrison P. Spader, Personal Space Invader by Christianne C. Jones ($14)

Bookshop.org's Description: "Patiently forthcoming with lessons your parents redacted, this necessary conversation stresses consent, sex positivity, and the right to be curious about your body. The dialogue focuses on the dynamics of sex, rather than the mechanics, as Grandma reminds readers that sex is not marriage or reproduction, and doesn't look the same for everyone. Instead, each person's sexuality is their very own to discover, explore, and share if they choose."

Tell Me about Sex, Grandma by Anastasia Higginbotham ($17)

Bookshop.org's Description: "Children learn what they practice!

This engageing and interactive book guides children through the practice of naming their feelings and the physical sensations that accompany them. From wiggly and squirmy to rested and still, Listening to My Body helps children develop a sensations vocabulary so that they can express what they are experiencing. Easy, kid-friendly mindfulness activities are woven throughout to reinforce the teachings.

Practicing these skill helps kids build on their capacity to be mindful, self-regulate, and develop emotional resilience so that they can get better at showing care and kindness for themselves, especially when they experience strong emotions."

Listening to My Body by Gabi Garcia ($22)

Bookshop.org's Description: "The Nonnie Series addresses challenging topics for children and adults with kindness and respect. The idea of consent if too often relegated to adult conversations; children hear and listen to adult words and are often confused. Consent is more than sex or adult relationships; teaching people the concept of consent as children and young people can lay a foundation for communication and healthy relationships. The two main characters in The Nonnie Series, Tamika and Alex, learn about setting boundaries, respecting little people during tickling or play, sharing feelings and vulnerability, ways to talk about older relatives who kiss and pinch cheeks, and dealing with crushes. Along the way, the children's friend Hailey discloses unwanted touch and Nonnie guides the children to an awareness of their own self-worth. They discover the power of "Owning their no" and the reality that yes means yes. Created for adults and children in grades 3 - 8, Nonnie Talks about Consent seeks to inspire dialogue between child and adult while modelling respect and kindness."

Nonnie Talks about Consent by Mary Jo Podgurski ($25)

Bookshop.org's Description: "It seems that wherever Aria goes, someone wants to touch her hair. In the street, strangers reach for her fluffy curls; and even under the sea, in the jungle, and in space, she's chased by a mermaid, monkeys, and poked by aliens...until, finally, Aria has had enough.

Author-illustrator Sharee Miller takes the tradition of appreciation of black hair to a new, fresh, level as she doesn't seek to convince or remind young readers that their curls are beautiful--she simply acknowledges black beauty while telling a fun, imaginative story."

Don't Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller ($17)

Bookshop.org's Description: "The 26 'key' letters and accompanying words will help children to learn and consolidate age-appropriate, crucial and life-changing body safety and consent skills. Designed as a 'dip in and dip out' book, the text, the child-centred questions and the stunning illustrations will reinforce key skills such as consent, respect, body boundaries, safe and unsafe touch, Early Warning Signs, Safety Network, private parts, and the difference between secrets and surprises. Also included are Discussion Questions for parents, caregivers and educators. Suitable for children 4 to 10 years."

ABC of Body Safety and Consent by Jayneen Sanders ($12)

Bookshop.org's Description: "My Body Belongs to Me teaches children body boundaries, instills early awareness and empowerment, and seeks to prevent child physical/sexual abuse. Using easy to understand language and pictures to help relay a fundamentally important message to even the youngest reader. Principles of early psychology and child development are woven throughout this text to safely begin this important conversation, creating a fun but richly powerful experience, and holding space for you to continue integrating healthy body boundaries in your child's life. My Body Belongs to Me is part of a new generation of children's literature aimed to raise children who do not need to recover from their childhood. Prevention begins with awareness and empowerment, it begins at home with you. Recommended for ages 3-4 and up."

My Body Belongs to Me: A Book About Body Boundaries by Lisa Falcon G ($12)

Book's Description: "In simple, reassuring language, therapist Cornelia Spelman explains that a child's body is his or her own; that it is all right for children to decline a friendly hug or kiss, even from someone they love; and that 'even if you don't want a hug or kiss right now, you can still be friends.' She goes on to define private parts and stresses that 'it's important to tell if someone tries to touch your private parts.'"

Your Body Belongs to You by Cornelia Maude Spelman ($6)

Bookshop.org's Description: "'Guess what happened at school today!'

Kindergators work and play happily in Miss Harmony's class. But Harry isn't being a good classmate! He's disrupting Friendly Circle, causing accidents, and upsetting the class. Can the Kindergators find a way to help Harry learn to respect personal space?"

Hands Off, Harry! by Rosemary Wells ($14)

Bookshop.org's Description: "Now every parent, grandparent, or teacher can explain to a child the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching in a way that young boys and girls can understand.

As a child, there are constantly people trying to pick you up, hug you, or tickle you. Sometimes, though, children fall victims to people who try to touch them inappropriately.
But how do you tell someone, most likely an adult, that you don't want to be touched? Or, if it has already happened, how do you tell an adult you trust about what happened? You're only a child, and they're the adults. Why would they believe you?"

My Body Belongs to Me From My Head to My Toes created by Pro Familia ($16)