My Body Belongs to Me from My head to My Toes

Clara, the young narrator in this story, has something very special to say: she has a body and it not only belongs to her, but she also gets to choose when and how she wants to be touched. Set to the simple verbiage of a Kindergartener, Clara shares about all the things that she likes and dislikes about touching. When she doesn’t want to be touched, she speaks up. She even encourages young readers to practice saying aloud, “Don’t touch me! I don’t want you to!”

Geisler’s colorful illustrations evoke playfulness throughout much of the book, especially with the inclusion of Clara’s toy bunny that mimics her actions. There’s an obvious mood change when Clara encounters strangers. Though they are not sinister-looking, the expression on Clara’s face is a sure indicator that she is uncomfortable these people. So too, the shocked look upon the face of the strangers when Clara shoots back her determined response.

An absolutely superb book, My Body Belongs to Me from My Head to My Toes is a non-threatening, ground-breaking book about child abuse that “will help your children to establish a good self-image by being proud of their own body.”