18 Books That Break Down the Concepts of Safe and Unsafe Touch For Toddlers

Book'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."

Ages it's best suited for: 4-10

Buy it here: ABC of Body Safety and Consent by Jayneen Sanders ($12)

Book'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."

Ages it's best suited for: 2-9

Buy it here: No Means No! by Jayneen Sanders ($9)

Book's Description: "Finn goes to a party with family and friends. His parents encourage him to make his own choices about receiving and offering physical affection. At the end of the story, Finn waits for consent before holding the hand of his female best friend.

C Is For Consent follows expert recommendations about letting kids make their own decisions regarding physical affection. The book teaches babies, toddlers, parents, and grandparents that it is okay for kids to say no to hugs and kisses, and that what happens to a person's body is up to them. This helps children grow up confident in their bodies, comfortable with expressing physical boundaries, and respectful of the boundaries of others."

Ages it's best suited for: 0-6

Buy it here: C Is For Consent by Eleanor Morrison ($15)

Book'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."

Ages it's best suited for: 4-8

Buy it here: Don't Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller ($18)

Book's Description: "Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept is a beautifully illustrated children's picture book that sensitively broaches the subject of keeping children safe from inappropriate touch. We teach water and road safety, but how do we teach Body Safety to young children in a way that is neither frightening nor confronting? This book is an invaluable tool for parents, caregivers, teachers and healthcare professionals to broach the subject of safe and unsafe touch in a non-threatening and age-appropriate way. The comprehensive notes to the reader and discussion questions at the back of the book support both the reader and the child when discussing the story."

Ages it's best suited for: 3-11

Buy it here: Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept by Jayneed Sanders ($10)

Book's Description: "Doug doesn't like hugs. He thinks hugs are too squeezy, too squashy, too squooshy, too smooshy. He doesn't like hello hugs or goodbye hugs, game-winning home run hugs or dropped ice cream cone hugs, and he definitely doesn't like birthday hugs. He'd much rather give a high five--or a low five, a side five, a double five, or a spinny five. Yup, some people love hugs; other people don't. So how can you tell if someone likes hugs or not? There's only one way to find out: Ask! Because everybody gets to decide for themselves whether they want a hug or not."

Buy it here: Don't Hug Doug (He Doesn't Like It) by Carrie Finison ($17)

Book's Description: "Your body is amazing! And it belongs to you. Find your kid's voice and empower them to speak up about their own body boundaries and consent."

Ages it's best suited for: 3-11

Buy it here: This is MY Body: A Children's Book About Body Autonomy and Consent by Lil Carlé ($22)

Book'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 engaging text this book . . . will teach children the following crucial and empowering skills in personal body safety:

- identifying safe and unsafe feelings
- recognizing 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."

Ages it's best suited for: 3-10

Buy it here: My Body! What I Say Goes! by Jayneen Sanders ($12)

Book's Description: "Daddy loves to give Baby hugs to say 'I love you!' Now Baby and Daddy can cuddle and count along with this hug-and-read book perfect for Baby's teeny, tiny hands."

Ages it's best suited for: 1-4

Buy it here: Daddy Hugs by Karen Katz ($8)

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

Ages it's best suited for: 4-8

Buy it here: My Body Is Private by Linda Walvoord Girard ($8)

Book's Description: "Count from one to ten as Mommy and baby count their hugs throughout the day. From one nuzzle-wuzzle wake-up hug, to four "I'll always catch you!" sliding hugs, all the way to ten "I love you!" good-night hugs, this book captures some of the special moments mother and child share."

Ages it's best suited for: 1-4

Buy it here: Mommy Hugs by Karen Katz ($7)

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."

Ages it's best suited for: 4-10

Buy it here: Let's Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent and Respect by Jayneen Sanders ($12)

Book's Description: "Without being taught about body boundaries, a child may be too young to understand when abuse is happening—or that it's wrong. This straightforward, gentle book offers a tool parents, teachers, and counselors can use to help children feel, be, and stay safe. The rhyming story and simple, friendly illustrations provide a way to sensitively share and discuss the topic, guiding young children to understand that their private parts belong to them alone. The overriding message of My Body Belongs to Me is that if someone touches your private parts, tell your mom, your dad, your teacher, or another safe adult."

Ages it's best suited for: 3-8

Buy it here: My Body Belongs to Me by Jill Starishevsky ($13)

Book's Description: "Siblings Katie and her little brother Kyle learn about personal safety, private parts, and 'thumbs up & thumbs down' touches by talking with their mom in a loving and easy-to-understand manner. With an empowering dialog that is never fearful, parents can use this book to begin this important discussion with their children. Katie and Kyle's mom also explains the essential 'No Secrets' rule in their family, and that it is never their fault if they get an 'uh-oh feeling' from anyone."

Ages it's best suited for: 2-6

Buy it here: NO Trespassing - This Is MY Body! by Pattie Fitzgerald ($13)

Book's Description: "Every child has secrets, and many secrets are fun to keep, for instance, a surprise birthday gift for Mom, or a secret handshake with a young friend. But sometimes, children have secrets that make them feel bad, and these secrets are best shared with their parents, or with some trusted older person. A child who is bullied might be inclined to keep it secret, but it's always best to tell parents about it. Or children who are touched intimately and improperly by an older person will soon feel better if they reveal the secret to parents. This book helps kids distinguish between good and bad secrets."

Ages it's best suited for: 4-7

Buy it here: Do You Have a Secret? (Let's Talk About It!) by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos ($8)

Book's Description: "Sherman Smith saw the most terrible thing happen. At first he tried to forget about it, but something inside him started to bother him. He felt nervous and had bad dreams. Then he met someone who helped him talk about the terrible thing, and made him feel better."

Ages it's best suited for: 4-7

Buy it here: A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaren M. Holmes ($10)

Book's Description: "The rules of physical contact can be tricky to grasp and children with special needs are at a heightened risk of abuse. This friendly picture book explains in simple terms how to tell the difference between acceptable and inappropriate touch, thereby helping the child with special needs stay safe.

Each story covers a different type of touch from accidental to friendly to hurtful and will help children understand how boundaries change depending on the context. It explores when and where it is okay to touch other people, when and where other people can touch you, why self touching sometimes needs to be private, and what to do if touch feels inappropriate.

This book is an invaluable teaching resource and discussion starter for parents, teachers and carers working with children with special needs."

Ages it's best suited for: 3-11

Buy it here: An Exceptional Children's Guide to Touch: Teaching Social and Physical Boundaries to Kids by Hunter Manasco ($19)

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.'"

Ages it's best suited for: 4-8

Buy it here: Your Body Belongs to You by Cornelia Maude Spelman ($7)