The Right Touch: A Read-Aloud Story to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse (Jody Bergsma Collection) Hardcover – April 1, 1998

This book is tastefully written, not scary, but led to good discussion about boundaries- with anyone he knows or doesn't know, and serious thought by my 3 1/2 year old son. He asks for the book about once a month, and refers to "touching problems" occasionally in general conversation, saying something like "you don't keep touching secrets and you say 'Stop it! I don't like that!' if someone tries to put their hand in your pants, and go tell Mom!"It's a little shocking when your baby gets a grasp of something like that, but I'd really rather that be the case than the first time he knows of it is with a previously trusted person that betrays that trust. It's not graphic or detailed and doesn't attempt to explain why a pervert would do such a thing. It appears serious to him and has caused him to talk with me and plan his response (just like what to do if he became lost in a store), but it's no more scary to him just from reading about it and talking about it than a toothy shark or scary shadow in another book. I highly recommend this for parents brave enough to tackle this subject before your child starts attending birthday parties alone or going to neighbors' houses to play.

i really appreciate the approach of this book--simple yet powerful. the book is very clear about appropriate and inappropriate touch and helps children understand body boundaries in a non-threatening, unembarrassing way.honestly, i know many adults who could benefit from understanding the basic notions regarding body boundaries that this book discusses--sadly, many people didn't get those important messages as children or have allowed boundary violations to occur because of damaged self-esteem. thus, this book is a step in the right direction for creating children who understand what's appropriate and not, how they deserve to be treated, etc., which has greater implications for other boundaries in their lives.

As described. Very good book. Easy to understand. Fast delivery.

Excellent on teaching children that their body belongs to them - and no one else. Discusses appropriate & inappropriate touches. Provides an example of a trusted neighbor who tricked and tried to inappropriately touch a child - all in child-friendly language and drawings. It also discusses when it is okay to be touched - bathing or when at the doctor's for a check-up. It is not scary, but matter-of-fact. We read this to our 4.5 & 3 year old daughters and have them practice saying STOP with an outstretched hand at appropriate parts of the book. Highly recommended.

As the non-offending parent of a three-year-old who was molested by her biological father, I have tried to find the best materials for my daughter and myself. Although this book is intended as a tool to help prevent abuse, I believe it is also good for opening the door for "talk" with a toddler who HAS been molested. That is a good thing when you know you are not supposed to ASK the child, or lead them, but yet you are instructed by the "professionals" to seek counseling and to TEACH THEM ABOUT GOOD AND BAD TOUCHES. I recommend this book. My daughter's play therapist felt the art was "dark" but I think it is fine, that it kind of goes along with the subject it is dealing with, and my daughter really LOOKS at the pictures because they are different than most of her books.

This book is hard for parents to read I think. I find that it is scary and difficult to talk about, however, my 3 and a half year old loves this book. She wanted to read it every day for the first week we had it (this is pretty big since we have hundreds of books and live walking distance to our library). It's a read along and talk story, so she can ask questions right along with us. I feel like she is too young for it, but she isn't uncomfortable and will talk about this book even randomly sometimes, so maybe she is the right age for it if she isn't scared or worried about telling me. This subject is a big deal for parents and I know we all just want to do right by our kids, I don't know if this is the best book out there, but it works for us.

This is a good book for every kid....all kids should know how to protect themselves....it is especially good for those who may have been abused to understand what is okay and what is not. Basic info, areas that cover your swim suit. Remember though that most children get abused by their family members and people they know well, so don't tell your kids to only think about strangers but everyone. They should feel comfortable to tell anyone including loved ones what they feel comfortable with or not.

I have purchased two other books on this topic to read to my 3 year old. Neither of them captured her attention long enough to get to the point of the story, and neither of them was worded in a way that is easy for small children to understand. This book, however, is EXCELLENT. Not only did my daughter sit and listen to the whole story, she even repeated "Stop it. I don't like that!" For me the same way the mother in this story has her son do. I am very impressed, and highly recommend this book above the others on the market.