We Ask Permission (We Say What's Okay)
by Lydia Bowers (Author) Isabel Muñoz (Illustrator)
A story that helps with teaching boundaries.
Asking for permission is a key foundation of consent. We Ask Permission builds children's social and emotional skills and helps with teaching boundaries by encouraging children to look for body language cues and by asking before hugging or touching others.
The third book in the We Say What's Okay series, We Ask Permission follows Jovan as he learns to ask permission and become a body language detective. Using the book as a read-aloud, educators and families can model the language Jovan's teachers use to support children as they learn to look for body language cues and respect the personal boundaries of others. The author, who hosts workshops and trainings on teaching boundaries and consent for families and early childhood educators around the country, offers additional activities in the back of the book.
Digital content includes a song from Peaceful Schools with downloadable audio files and sheet music.
We Say What's Okay Series
Centered on a class of preschoolers, the We Say What's Okay series helps teach young children the social and emotional skills they need to understand the complexities of consent. Each book covers a consent theme, such as how to recognize the physical sensations that emotions create, look for body language cues, ask for and listen to choices, and know that our bodies have value. With believable, everyday situations and diverse characters, children can see themselves and others reflected in each story--and develop a vocabulary to communicate consent and feelings. Every book in the series is accompanied by a song from Peaceful Schools with downloadable audio files and sheet music.
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School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2--How can a child know whether it is okay to touch someone, even when they can't quite put it into words? Jovan is just trying to be friendly, but his classmates don't see it that way. When Jovan surprises Jackson as he is building a tower, Jackson is startled and bumps his new creation, making it topple to the ground. When Jovan tries to hug Deja while she is working with an adult, she pushes him away and tells him, "Get off me!" His teacher explains that people can't always articulate what they are comfortable with, and offers some body language cues that will help Jovan see if it is okay. Jovan and his friends make a little game out of this and become body language detectives, learning how to pick up signals from the people around them. This title covers an important social skill that is often difficult for children to learn. The classroom and the activities that students are engaged in are authentically appropriate for early primary grades and will resonate with young readers. Jovan's struggle with personal boundaries is also truthfully described, as are the mixed reactions that often come from other students. As a classroom read-aloud, this might not have enough plot points to hold general interest, but as a lead-in to a social skills lesson or social story, it could be very useful. VERDICT Purchase for collections that use literature to teach social skills.--Louie Lauer
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Security (Psychology)
Personal space
Body language
Boundaries (Psychology)
