A Very Touching Book...for Little People and for Big People Paperback – January 1, 1983

Jan Hindman was an excellent educator, therapist, and human being. She wrote this book with a specific purpose: to educate, reduce shame, and provide a vehicle for children who have been abused (or to prevent abuse) to identify the nature of the very real world in which they live. An abused child will have been exposed to the real thing - this book will not shock them. What will shock then are adults who are reticent to discuss the issue of abuse, tackle the shame associated with it, and refuse to accept how slang decreases the seriousness of the issue. This book will help both the child, and the parent of the child to address this issue of our body, how we use our body, and the privacy issues related to our bodies in a funny, age-appropriate way.It clearly points out and recognizes how adults often have deep seated issues in talking about sexuality and the issues pertaining to our bodies and how we choose to share, or not share them, with others. How in the world can a child deal with their own sexual abuse, or perhaps that which they may now be perpetrating on others (because of that abuse) if we as adults cannot discuss the issue in real terms, have an understanding of how slang can serve to minimize the serious nature of this issue? Especially if the adult is uncomfortable? This book does it all.It introduces the concept of boundaries, and the need to recognize when someone might be taking advantage of you. It helps the child understand what a "secret touch" really means. That they should trust their gut when they feel uncomfortable. It guides them to talk to trustworthy adults when they are concerned. It serves to give those "trustworthy" adults a vehicle to reduce their own anxiety and increase understanding of the child's sexual world. And yes, children DO have a sexual world. They have all the normal basic sexual parts that we all have, and touching themselves feels good (masturbation). How are you, as an adult going to address this as a privacy issue if you won't talk about it, and are all inhibited in your approach to the whole situation and won't use accurate terms to identify body parts? It uses cartoon to introduce the body (of all ages) to the child and what can be a normal exposure of the human body (such as locker room at the swimming pool), vs. what might be an intentional attempt to abuse. Nudity is not sexual abuse.Lack of discussion about nudity and how it may happen can lead directly to a child who is more vulnerable. If you read this book and are uncomfortable, you had better ask yourself exactly why that is so. As a child therapist I have been using this book for two decades in working with abused children. I had the privilege of knowing Jan, and some of these negative posts are simply ridiculous, and characterizes this book in a very inappropriate way. This book needs to be used in the context for which it was written - to help educate and prevent sexual abuse. NOT talking about it makes a child ripe for victimization.

Excellent book. Our five-year-old is way too smart for her age. This book does a great job explaining types of touching and the body parts, but also dives into consent and abuse. It's a bit dated, but still very good. Our daughter didn't understand all parts of it, so she started asking questions about what words meant and what people were doing in the pictures. I still don't know what's with the troll in chains. Anyway, first bedtime reading took two nights to finish, having to explain what everybody was doing in the locker room and shower and explaining purple faces and protests. After finishing the first half with our daughter, I decided it was probably good to read it together with my wife so we both know what we're trying to teach her.If there's anything negative that I'd say about it, aside from possibly needing a couple updates to keep with changing times, it would be that it digs into abuse more than I'd like, but that's not really a negative on the book, just my personal preference. It has a good message about always communicating possible abuse, and communicates it well for children, but it's still a heavy topic that I personally, wasn't trying to get into at this point.

I ordered this book because a friend recommended it to me. I don't have any experience in my own personal life with anyone being inappropriate with me but I have a friend that was touched as a child. This puts me on high alert (that it can happen to anyone) with my own children and I want to make sure its talked about so if anything ever happens they will tell me right away. My kids are 5 and 6 boys and this book was a little funny to them. The pictures and the words are the real pictures and the real words that adults use. Like Vagina, and penis. It was a little embarrassed to read the words out loud repeatedly but I did it and my boys just giggled. I think the book has a great clear message and I will probably read it to my boys 3 times a year just as a reminder. The book is a little bit long but worth the read. I think the message it sends to children is very clear about who should be "touching them" . It uses a lot of examples like hugging etc.

I recommend this book because it meets my needs on so many levels. One, it's easy to read and understand. My 7-year old can read it on her own. Two, it's well-illustrated with comic-book style pictures. The drawings are bright, colorful, and accurately portray different body shapes without caricature. I like this aspect because I look to the future and see my kids comparing themselves to models and actors and then feeling like their appearance falls short of ideal. I'd like them to have enough knowledge to keep them from having a bad body image. Three, it's fun to read with my kids. This helps me create the atmosphere and attitude for my kids that there is no subject which is off-limits. They can ask me anything. Four, it's given me a sense that I've "inoculated" my kids to recognize "bad touching" if it occurs and to trust me enough to tell me. I can't be with them all the time. The best I can do is prepare them to be aware of their own security and to know what to do if something uncomfortable happens to them.

Loved using this book!!! I used it to educate my 10 year old daughter about the difference between good touch and bad touch. It shows what situations are okay and what are not. Don't be surprised when you get the book and see that the drawings inside include naked drawings of people of all ages, sizes and shapes. But the drawings are sooo silly so it doesn't make it for an uncomfortable conversation. We laughed as we turned the pages. Flipping through the pages you don't have to read the words in order to get the point across, even a young child can understand from the drawings what is ok and not ok. It also uses the correct words to describe the private parts.

Purchased to use in my role as a social worker but haven't used often. Better books out there

This book was recommended to me by Taith, an organisation that works will sexually abused children and abusers in South Wales. It is clear and funny and gets its message across well about staying safe.

had to replace this book as I lent it to a parent, it will be the last thing I lend to anyone as I am sick of the expence. Came in sealed cellophane. Is an excellant tool for children

This product arrived exactly how it was advertised and quite quickly I will add. I was not disappointed at all. Good experience with this Seller! Thank you !

Arrived on time and damage free.