THIS IS MY BODY - I GET TO CHOOSE

Photographs and rhymes explore consent.

In this brief manual, a handful of racially diverse children and adults demonstrate simple concepts of bodily autonomy. Photographs show children hugging themselves and others, fist-bumping, and nonverbally asking for space. Some of the kids and adults use different kinds of wheelchairs, and the American Sign Language words for yes and no are provided early on. The meter of the rhyming text is fickle, wavering between different stressed and unstressed syllables, and the end words are as likely to slant rhyme as not (mine/signs, you/choose). The examples given are straightforwardly didactic and work to drill home the concepts. The photographs provide a lot of facial expressions, body language, and activities to mirror, and the love and care shown by the unnamed subjects give this book the qualities of a warm (but consenting) hug. It’s not the most interesting of the titles that cover the topic but will do the job for the youngest audiences. A note for grown-ups includes family discussion questions for babies up through 6-year-olds.

A basic but effective introduction to bodily autonomy.