Yes! No!: A First Conversation About Consent - Hardcover

Madison, Megan; Ralli, Jessica

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0593521889 ISBN 13: 9780593521885

Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop, 2022

Synopsis

A picture book edition of the bestselling board book about consent, offering adults the opportunity to begin important conversations with young children in an informed, safe, and supported way.


A board book bestseller – now in picture book!
    Developed by experts in the fields of early childhood development and activism against injustice, this topic-driven book offers clear, concrete language and imagery to introduce the concept of consent. This book serves to normalize and celebrate the experience of asking for and being asked for permission to do something involving one's body. It centers on respect for bodily autonomy, and reviews the many ways that one can say or indicate "No."
    While young children are avid observers and questioners of their world, adults often shut down or postpone conversations on complicated topics because it's hard to know where to begin. Research shows that talking about issues like race, gender, and our bodies from the age of two not only helps children understand what they see, but also increases self-awareness, self-esteem, and allows them to recognize and confront things that are unfair, like discrimination and prejudice.
    These books offer a supportive approach that considers both the child and the adult. Illustrative art accompanies the simple and interactive text, and the backmatter offers additional resources and ideas for extending this discussion.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Megan Pamela Ruth Madison is a political educator and a lifelong student of radical Black feminism. She earned her PhD in Social Policy from Brandeis University. As a scholar-activist, her approach to research and practice is guided by the Sociopolitical Ecology of Development, a theoretical framework that she developed as a part of her dissertation. Megan has served on the boards of the National Association for the Education for Young Children and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. With Jessica Ralli, she co-authors First Conversations–an award-winning series of anti-bias books for young children and their grown-ups.

Jessica Ralli is the Early Literacy Programs Coordinator at Brooklyn Public Library where she develops & manages grant-funded programming including Books Unbanned Storytimes. She has an M.A. in Early Childhood Special Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and has taught in museums, schools, and libraries. Jessica is a contributor to School Library Journal, and in 2020, she received the Library Journal Movers and Shakers Award for her advocacy work in libraries. Jessica is currently co-authoring the award-winning First Conversations series with Megan Madison, published by RISE X Penguin Workshop.

Reviews

K-Gr 2—Colorful illustrations and simple questions to discuss offer a lighthearted path into a serious topic. The concept of consent is explained in simple, direct terms: "If someone says YES, it means you have their consent. But if they don't say YES, the answer is NO." Familiar examples such as hugging and tickling are used to illustrate the topic, as well as various ways, verbal and nonverbal, in which someone might communicate a "No." There are explicit words and illustrations for various body parts (examples include "butt" and "nipples") and these are entirely appropriate in context. The book includes a mix of characters of varying skin tones and ethnicities. Though this has been published as a board book, the pages are far more text-heavy than one usually encounters in this format, making the text accessible only to an adult or older reader. Includes an author's note and four pages of back matter which include explanations of such topics as Bodily Autonomy, Power and Adultism, and Affirmative Consent. VERDICT Perfect for a parenting or school counseling collection, the book's format may not be the best choice for school libraries.—Sue Morgan

Edition details

• Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593521889
• ISBN 13: 9780593521885
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Roxas Isabel
• Number of pages: 40