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Suggested Reading

Topic

Theme 1 - All children have the right to feel safe at all times

We are All Born Free

Author
Amnesty International

A beautifully written book compiling the Human Declaration of Human Rights post World War 2.

For Every Child : The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Words and Pictures

Author
Caroline Castle

Drawing from the fifty-four principles adopted by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, this photo essay provides an in-depth look at fourteen of the declarations that affect a child's everyday existence.

God Made All of Me : A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies

Author
Justin S. Holcomb and Lindsey A. Holcomb

God Made All of Me starts from the fundamental truth that God created everything and applies that truth to kids and their bodies. It equips parents to talk with both boys and girls about their bodies and to help them understand the difference between the appropriate and inappropriate touch of others.

You Wouldn’t Love Me If You Knew

Author
Jeannie St John Taylor

This delightful story book is about a little boy who has done something wrong for which he feels he cannot be forgiven. Finally he tells his mother what he has done and she does forgive him and tells him that Jesus forgives him too. The magic of this book is that the author does not tell the reader what it is that he has done so children can apply the context their own personal experiences.  Note this book has Catholic contexts.  Suitable for ages 5-10.

Topic

Feelings and Emotional Intelligence

The Way I Feel

Author
Janan Cain

Feelings are neither good nor bad, they simply are. Kids need words to name their feelings, just as they need words to name all things in their world. The Way I Feel uses strong, colorful, and expressive images which go along with simple verses to help children connect the word and the emotion.

When I Feel Angry

Author
Cornelia Maude and Nancy Cole

Everyone feels angry sometimes, but there are always ways to feel better! Join a bunny rabbit and her family as she learns to manage angry feelings. With a focus on identifying the causes of an emotional reaction, and coming up with ways to start feeling calm and happy again, this book explains simple strategies to help kids understand and take care of their emotions.

How are you peeling?

Author
Saxton Freymann

Let Scholastic Bookshelf be your guide through the whole range of your child's experiences-laugh with them, learn with them, read with them! This is a book that asks all the right questions and leaves you feeling great no matter what the answers are!

Topic

Early Warning Signs and the Safety Continuum

Max’s Creepy Crawly Slimy Things

Author
Alicia Moore and Cath Laws

Max loves all sorts of creepy things. Through sharing his adventures in searching for new creatures, children will develop an understanding of how, at times, Max's body gives off early warning signs if he moves from feeling safe to feeling unsafe.

Huge Bag of Worries

Author
Virginia Ironside

Wherever Jenny goes, her worries follow her - in a big blue bag. They are with her all the time - at school, at home, when she is watching TV and even in the bathroom! Jenny decides they have to go, but who will help her get rid of them? A funny and reassuring look at dealing with worries and anxiety, to be used as a spring board into important conversations with your child.

Sam’s Hats

Author
Amber Fabry

Sam loves to play like any little boy, though sometimes he finds himself feeling a little unsafe. Follow Sam's changing hats as he deals with his safe and unsafe feelings.

Topic

Theme 2.  Nothing is so awful that we can’t talk with someone we trust about it.

Jasmine’s Butterflies

Author
Justine O'Malley

This book tells the story of Jasmine’s excursion to the zoo. Jasmine becomes lost and feels unsafe. She recognises the butterflies in her tummy as her ‘early warning signs’ so she uses her network to find help.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

Author
Mo Willems

When a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon! But you've never met one like this before. As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love being able to answer back and decide his fate.

Topic

My Helping Hand

Brave Knight

Author
Alicia Moore and Cath Laws

Aims to reinforce the ideas of protective behaviours through exploring what someone might do if they found themselves in an unsafe place and how they could use their network to help them be safe again.

Where’s Stripey?

Author
Wendy Binks

‘Where’s Stripey?’ is a favourite bestselling Australian children’s picture book.  It's humorous, engagingly written story set in the heart of Australia, features Wendy’s hugely popular emu chick, Stripey, on his adventures.

Persistence

Author
Zanni Louise

Persistence helps us try new things, get better at hard things, and cope when things get difficult. Persistence helps us see things through to the end. There are many ways to be persistent.

Jasmine’s Butterflies

Author
Justine O'Malley

This book tells the story of Jasmine’s excursion to the zoo. Jasmine becomes lost and feels unsafe. She recognises the butterflies in her tummy as her ‘early warning signs’ so she uses her network to find help.

Topic

Private Parts

Only for Me

Author
Michelle Derrig

This wonderfully written and illustrated book empowers young children about protecting their privacy and specifically their body privacy. This book is not designed to replace the conversation that you need to have with the children in your care, but instead aims to help facilitate these conversations, prompt questions, clarification and sometimes even disclosure.  Suitable for ages 3 – 8.

My Body is Special

Author
Sally Berenzweig and Cherie Benjoseph

My Body Is Special and Belongs to Me! is a fun, safe, developmentally appropriate, and most of all comfortable way for parents to educate their children about the topic of personal safety. This book is the conversation you want to have with your child, but may not be sure how to approach. This book will empower your children with the understanding that their bodies belong to them and that they are in charge of their own bodies.

Those are My Private Parts

Author
Diane Hansen

In just 12 pages of rhyme, this books gives parents a great starting point for having important, candid discussions with their children about recognizing and preventing sexual abuse. It names the most common perpetrators of sexual abuse in clear, kid friendly language.

Everyone’s Got a Bottom

Author
Tess Rowley

Everyone's got a bottom is a story about Ben and his brother and sister learning and talking together. It is a tool for parents and carers to gently start a conversation with children about self protection.

My Underpants Rule

Author
Kate and Rod Power

My Underpants Rule empowers without needing to go into the darkness of this tricky topic through rhyming language, colourful illustrations, a superhero theme and child-friendly humour.

My body belongs to me

Author
Jill Starishevsky

Without being taught about body boundaries, a child may be too young to understand when abuse is happening—or that it’s wrong. This straightforward, gentle book offers a tool parents, teachers, and counselors can use to help children feel, be, and stay safe.

You are God's Marvellous Creation

Author
Andrea Musulin

This rhyming story book has been written to reflect the book of Genesis and, in doing so, create an age-appropriate tool to educate children in the home, in churches or in the classroom. It teaches children that, when it comes to their bodies, God created boundaries and assures them that it is OK to tell a trusted adult if someone touches them inappropriately. This book provides simple but powerful messages every child needs to know about their bodies. Note this book has Christian contexts. Suitable for ages 3-9 years

Topic

Social Distance Matrix

Michael’s Bubbles

Author
Justine O’Malley

This delightful storybook about Michael can help children understand how to respond appropriately and safely with a variety of people in different situations.

Uncle Willy’s Tickles

Author
Marcie Aboff

A story about your body belongs to you and a child's right to say no. It is designed to help children learn about body boundaries and learn to express themselves when they don't like something, even if it is the tickles of a trusted adult. It includes general education for children aged 3-8.

Personal Space Camp

Author
Julie Cook

Written with style, wit, and rhythm, Personal Space Camp addresses the complex issue of respect for another person's physical boundaries. Told from Louis' perspective, this story is a must have resource for parents, teachers, and counselors who want to communicate the idea of personal space in a manner that connects with kids.

Topic

It’s OK to Say NO

I Said No!

Author
Zack and Kimberly King

Helping kids set healthy boundaries for their privateparts can be a daunting and awkward task for parents, counselors and educators.Written from a kid's point of view, I Said No! makes this task a lot easier.

No means no

Author
Jayneen L Sanders

'No Means No!' is a children's picture book about an empowered little girl who has a very strong and clear voice in all issues, especially those relating to her body and personal boundaries. This book can be read to children from 3 to 9 years. It is a springboard for discussions regarding children's choices and their rights.

Topic

Secrets

A Secret safe to Tell

Author
Naomi Hunter

This nurturing and empowering story is about a young girl who is confused when her friendship with an older male figure becomes strange and hurtful. Only when she shares her secret does her heart become all shiny and new again.

Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept

Author
Jayneen L Sanders

'Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept' is a beautifully illustrated children's picture book that sensitively broaches the subject of keeping children safe from inappropriate touch. We teach water and road safety, but how do we teach Body Safety to young children in a way that is neither frightening nor confronting? This book is exactly that.

Topic

Sex Education and Pornography

Yarning Quiet Ways

Author
Government of Western Australia

About 80 Aboriginal mums, dads and carers  yarned about how to help kids learn about strong, safe and healthy relationships. They said that they wanted a resource to help them talk to their kids about:

  • being boss of their bodies
  • changes in their bodies
  • saying ‘no’
  • safer sex
  • sex and the law
  • teenage pregnancy
  • protecting themselves online
  • respectful relationships.


Yarning Quiet Ways was developed to respond to this request. It is based on an existing resource, ‘Talk Soon. Talk Often.’, but has been written and designed in a way that responds to what the Aboriginal parents and carers wanted. The quotes in this resource come from real Aboriginal parents and carers.

Talk Soon Talk Often

Author
Jenny Walsh

This is a  72-page booklet developed by the WA Health Department  to support parents as sexuality educators of their children. Suitable for ages 6+.

God Gave Elizabeth Grace the Right to Feel Safe

Author
Andrea Musulin & Justine O’Malley, Illustrated by Safy Tashkandy

Elizabeth Grace has a secret, but it is not a very nice secret! The secret worries her and she just doesn’t know what to do. One day in class, her teacher said that “God gives all children the right to feel and be safe at all times and if you are not feeling safe, you should talk to someone about it”. So, after some thought, Elizabeth Grace did exactly that, she talked about it to adults that she trusted. After talking about the secret, Elizabeth Grace realised that she didn’t have to keep the secret after all.

Let’s Talk About Sex

Author
Robie Harris & Michael Emberley

With expanded information on internet and texting safety, birth control, LGBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) issues and more – this universally acclaimed classic by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley is a cutting-edge resource for children, parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else who cares about the well-being of pre-teens and teens. Providing accurate and up-to-date information to answer young people's concerns and questions, from conception and puberty to birth control and AIDS. For ages 10 – 14.

Lets Talk About The Birds and The Bees

Author
Molly Potter

It's natural for young children to have questions about their bodies and where they came from, but it can seem a daunting task to answer honestly so that they understand the subtleties of puberty, sex, reproduction and relationships, and are comfortable with their bodies. This books uses clear, easy to understand language to answer complex questions about sex and relationships, and covers all manner of tricky subjects from puberty to consent with delicate accuracy and honesty.

Birds and Bees - By the Book

Author
Patricia Weerakoon

Designed for parents and carers to read with children aged 7 to 10, 'Birds and Bees by the Book' creates a safe space for answering questions about sexuality, gender and identity. (6 book pack).

Where Did I Come From

Author
Peter Mayle

This is a book many of you may have had read to you. This book has a more direct approach for teaching children about reproduction and how babies are made. This book is straight to the point with educational pictures that support the text. Suitable for ages 8 – 10.

My Amazing Journey

Author
Pat Thomas

Explores questions and concerns about where babies come from in a simple and reassuring way. The illustrations in this book support the text in a soft, child-like manner making this book not only educational and informative but also engaging and fun. Suitable for ages 5- 8 years.  Highly recommended.

Wonderfully Made

Author
Danika Cooley

An excellent book that introduces a young child to the wonder of God's creation - the wonder and miracle of birth. From conception in the womb through the nine months within the mother's womb. This book takes the parents and child on a journey of discovery, the discovery of life. Suitable for ages 3 – 8.

God Made All of Me

Author
Justine S. Holcomb &Lindsey A. Holcomb

God Made All of Me starts with the fundamental truth that God created everything and applies this knowledge to children and their bodies. It equips parents to talk with both boys and girls about their bodies and to help them understand the difference between the appropriate and inappropriate touch of others. God Made All of Me allows families to build a first line defence against sexual abuse in the safety of their own homes and also in the wider community. Note this book has Christian contexts. Suitable for ages 5 – 9.

The Story of Me

Author
Stan and Brenna Jones

It's never too early to begin giving your child a practical understanding of his or her unique, beautiful body and why God designed it to be exactly the way it is. This book has candid, age-appropriate language and realistic illustrations, The Story of Me explains: God's love and the goodness of all He has made, The nurturing family as God's context for love, Why God wants each baby to have both a mommy and a daddy, The specialness of being made a boy or a girl, Proper names for private body parts. Note this book has Christian contexts. Suitable for ages 3 – 5.

Before I Was Born

Author
Carolyn Nystrom

Explains in age-appropriate language the basic nature of sexual intercourse between a husband and wife and discusses conception, fetal development, childbirth, and breastfeeding. Please note this book has Christian contexts. Suitable for ages 5 to 8.

Wonderfully Made

Author
Ellen Giangiordano

Is an excellent book sculptured with a beautiful yet simple text that is easy to read and understand? The lively art work will allow children to gain an age appropriate understanding of God’s intention for man and woman. This little book is the "Theology of the Body" for children which can be used in a family, school or church environment.   Note this book has Catholic contexts.  Suitable for ages 9 and up.

Topic

Internet Safety

Not for Kids

Author
Liz Walker

This exceptional children’s book offers gentle and insightful guidance and is a must have for parents and professionals to prepare kids under the age of 10 for the inevitable occasion of when they will see explicit imagery. Who better to step them through this than loving and vigilant caregivers.  Suitable for ages 5 – 12.

Good Pictures Bad Pictures

Author
Kristen Jenson

It only takes a few taps on a mobile device for a curious child to find an endless supply of deviant and addicting pornography. Unfortunately, many young kids are being exposed to pornography without the slightest clue that it can damage their developing minds. Good Pictures Bad Pictures is a comfortable, read-aloud story about a mum and dad who teaches their child what pornography really is why it’s dangerous, and how to reject it. Using easy-to-understand science and simple analogies, this ground-breaking book engages young kids to porn-proof their own brains. Suitable for ages 8 – 10 years.

My Device Rules

Author
Kate & Rod Power

This resource cuts through to a young child because the message is delivered when you have their undivided attention, using rhyming language, colourful illustrations and child-friendly humour. LOVED by kids and EASY for parents/carers and educators, it engages and effectively teaches “When I’m on my device, I have fun but think twice, ‘Coz I always take care what I do”. Reinforced by games and scenarios, it clearly defines risks that children need to watch out for and reinforces the need to check with a safe adult if any device content may be dangerous. Recommended for boys and girls ages 5 to 9 years (or whenever they start using devices).

Smart Parenting

Author
Professor Freda Briggs AO

This is a unique book that provides a practical guide for parents to help keep children safe. It is both explicit and realistic. The author Professor Freda Briggs draws on a lifetime of knowledge, research and practical experience to provide helpful information on the myriad issues that worry parents. This book sheds light on several significant risks including – the sexual abuse of children, safe use of the internet and modern day bullying. Suitable for all parents and carers of children 0 – 18 years.

How and When To Tell Your Kids About Sex

Author
Stan Jones & Brenna Jones

There’s more to teaching your kids about sex than a nervous discussion of the birds and the bees. In How and When to Tell Your Kids About Sex, you’ll find important, helpful information on concerns your children face from infancy through adolescence. Building on a biblical foundation, they discuss how to talk with your children about sexual issues and when it’s appropriate to tell them what. Note this book has Christian contexts. Suitable for Parents of children 4 – 18 years.

How To Talk To Your Kids About Pornography

Author
Educate and Empower Kids

This book provides critical information and great discussion questions that will foster productive and meaningful conversations between you and your children. This book will also help you determine the particular needs of your home, wether its clear standards and guidelines, more monitoring or more trust and connection. This book has been designed to educate you, the parent, as well as your child or teenager about the dangers of pornography.  Suitable for ages : 8 – 18.

30 Days of Sex Talks

Author
Amanda Scott and Dina Alexander

This book has been written by parents and reviewed by professionals, the 30 Days of Sex Talks program makes it simple for you and your child to talk about sex in the context in which it belongs; as part of a healthy relationship that also includes joy, laughter and the full range of emotion that defines human intimacy. Suitable for ages 3 – 7.

The Talk

Author
Luke Gilkerson

This book has been designed to read with your child, providing a foundational understanding of godly sexuality. It is sexual education with a biblical core. This book provided discussions for 7 consecutive days with your child.  Suitable for ages 6 – 10.

Topic

Puberty and More

Questions Children Ask

Author
Dr Miriam Stoppard

Where did I come from? What happens when you die? What's divorce? From the moment children can formulate questions they begin to bombard their parents with "Why?" "What?" "Where" and "How?" Naturally curious they often catch us off guard leaving us unsure of how to answer their questions with an appropriate response. Fully revised and updated for the digital age, this new edition of Dr Miriam Stoppard's essential parenting manual provides age-appropriate answers to a huge range of challenging questions. Drawing from extensive research in child development and specifically on what children can handle at each age, Stoppard offers parents a foundation on which they can build their own answers as their child's understanding expands. Suitable for ages 2-11.

It’s Perfectly Normal

Author
Robie Harris and Michael Emberley

When young people have questions about sex, real answers can be hard to find. Providing accurate, unbiased answers to nearly every imaginable question, from conception and puberty to birth control and AIDS, It's Perfectly Normal offers young people the information they need -- now more than ever -- to make responsible decisions and to stay healthy. For Ages 12+.

Puberty Boy

Author
Geoff Price

Colourful, fun and factual, young boys will want to read Puberty Boy. An invaluable source of real information for boys, their parents, carers and professionals. 'Clear, wise and kind - a major achievement. Treats puberty with a whole person viewpoint. For ages pre teens.

Puberty Girl

Author
Shushann Movsessian

Beautifully illustrated and full of practical advice this is an intelligent, fun, colourful guide to puberty - essential reading for all pre-teen girls, their parents and teachers. Psst, want a whole new approach to puberty? Puberty Girl is here to help! For ages pre teens.

The Girls Body Book

Author
Kelli Dunham

From periods to peer pressure, puberty can be a confusing time for pre-teens and parents alike. The newly updated fifth edition of the Girl’s Body Book helps prepare girls and their parents for the ups and downs of puberty, middle school, and everything in between, including topical issues like school safety and #MeToo. Covering body changes, personal hygiene, self-confidence, and leadership, the Girl’s Body Book helps prepare girls for puberty and beyond.

The Boys Body Book

Author
Kelli Dunham

Things can get rocky during puberty. That’s why we made the Boy’s Body Book. The updated fifth edition of this #1 bestselling book made just for boys contains everything you need to know about growing up, even the embarrassing stuff; it also includes topical issues like school safety and consent. Author and nurse Kelli Dunham covers everything from body changes to planning for college, giving pre-teen boys the answers they need to prepare for puberty and beyond.

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