A simple story about consent that provides solid and useful information.
A boy learns about giving and receiving consent for physical affection with family and friends in this debut picture book.
Finn, a young white boy, attends a party with a diverse group of relatives and friends. Some of them want—or might expect—a kiss or hug. In each case, he’s able to choose what he prefers: A kiss on the cheek from Grandpa is OK, for example, but he’s not in the mood for a hug from Grandma. Finn’s parents provide reminders to adults and encouragement to their son, which helps him speak up for himself. The book suggests alternatives to kissing/hugging, like a high-five or fist bump, but adds: “Maybe” Finn “doesn’t want to be touched at all. It’s his choice what happens to his body.” Later, Finn asks to hold his best friend Ru’s hand, adding that saying no is OK. Nearly all children’s books about physical affection assume that kids want hugs and kisses. Morrison provides a valuable service for children and their parents in her tale by showing how consent works and what good boundaries look like. The advice falls in line with today’s parenting experts, who recommend that kids not be forced into unwanted touching; the volume also includes worthwhile discussion questions for older children and caregivers. The illustrations by Orlove (Shrine: Volume II, 2016, etc.) aren’t very creative, often reusing Finn’s face and body with minor changes, but they help to demonstrate the concepts.
A simple story about consent that provides solid and useful information.Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-9998908-0-6
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Phonics with Finn
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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