My Body Belongs to Me

My Body Belongs to Me
by Jill Starishevsky

My Body Belongs to Me
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Book Summary Information

Author: Jill Starishevsky
Illustrator: Sara Muller
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-09-01
ISBN: 0982121601
Number of pages: 32
Publisher: Safety Star Media

Book Reviews of My Body Belongs to Me

Book Review: Powerful Tool for Caregivers
Summary: 5 Stars

My Body Belongs to Me is a priceless tool that supports parents and caregivers in the challenging task of addressing this sensitive and private safety issue. With a simple, rhyming text and calming colored pencil illustrations, the book walks children through identifying that their bodies have boundaries and that some parts of their bodies are for "no one else to see". A simplified, age-appropriate scenario demonstrates for children what to do if someone touches them inappropriately - TELL. Starishevsky's powerful message really comes through when the nameless character tells on an offender and her parents reassure her that she is BRAVE and that they are PROUD of her for telling them what happened. They also identify the child's teacher as a go-to person if she ever feels too scared to tell her parents about something.

The last page of the children's portion of the book shows the child smiling as she does a "strong arm" pose. The text asserts that the abuse wasn't the child's fault and that she is a caretaker of her body and will grow big and strong. It is a powerful and uplifting way to end such a serious book, one of the things I appreciate about the text.

The most helpful part of My Body Belongs to Me is the information for adults shared after the story. Starishevsky includes a letter to the reader about the book and how it was designed to help children, a full page of discussion starters and tips for making the subject of sexual abuse approachable for children (these are EXCELLENT and made ME feel more comfortable about talking about it with my own children), and a thorough list of reputable resources for finding help. These three elements alone make the book a worthwhile purchase.

Don't be fooled by the size of this book (just 6" x 6", I believe) - it packs an incredibly strong punch that we can all use to help keep our children safe. I have already shared this book with my close community of moms and will be recommending it to our local school district for inclusion in their resource rooms.

Summary of My Body Belongs to Me

Speaking to children on their own terms, this critically acclaimed book sensitively establishes boundaries for youngsters. In a non-threatening, engaging manner, this guide teaches kids that when it comes to their body, there are some parts that are for “no one else to see? and empowers them to tell a parent or teacher if someone touches them inappropriately. Telling the story of a gender-neutral child who is inappropriately touched by an uncle?s friend, this tale delivers a powerful moral when the youngster reveals the offender and the parents praise the child?s bravery. Most importantly, this narrative assures young ones that sexual molestation is not their fault, and by speaking out, the child will continue to grow big and strong. A “Suggestions for the Storyteller? section is also included to assist in facilitating a comfortable discussion afterwards, thereby helping to prevent the unthinkable from happening to any child. With inspirational rhyming and beautiful illustrations, this is a compelling and uplifting message of what is right and wrong.

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