My Body Belongs to Me from My Head to My Toes
As a child, there are constantly people trying to pick you up, hug you, or tickle you. Sometimes, though, children fall victims to people who try to touch them inappropriately. But how do you tell someone, most likely an adult, that you don’t want to be touched? Or, if it has already happened, how do you tell an adult you trust about what happened? You’re only a child, and they’re the adults. Why would they believe you?
My Body Belongs to Me from My Head to My Toes is an educational tool to help instill confidence in children when it comes to their bodies. The narrative of the story is led by a girl named Clara, who encourages kids to say “no” if they are uncomfortable with physical contact. The narrator gives readers tips about what they can say or do to avoid unwanted physical contact, or how to tell the right people in the event it has already occurred. My Body Belongs to Me from My Head to My Toes is an invaluable resource that gives children a voice in uncomfortable situations.
The International Center for Assault Prevention (ICAP) is a thirty-year-old international prevention program that works with and trains children, parents, and teachers to prevent peer assault, stranger abduction, and known adult assault. ICAP aims to reduce a child or young person’s vulnerability to verbal, physical, and sexual assault, working closely with local school districts, parent/teacher associations, and home school groups.
Dagmar Geisler is a German artist and illustrator. She studied graphic design at the University of Applied Sciences in Wiesbaden and worked for a time in film and television. Today, Geisler focuses mainly on children’s books, both as an illustrator and an author. For My Body Belongs to Me from My Head to My Toes she received the Silver Feather (Silberne Feder) Children’s Book Prize from the German Medical Women’s Association.
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