(As a part of my review of God Made All of Me, I shared the book with my daughter -- a mother of two toddlers -- to get a reaction from her perspective. My comments are a compilation of our observations and thoughts.)God Made All of Me provides an excellent resource to help parents approach the very difficult topic of sexual abuse with their young children. The book is filled with colorful pictures, dialog between parents and children, and scattered scripture verses to help children understand what a special creation of God their bodies are.
This is not a book to just hand to young children; supervision and guidance by a parent or other close adult is an essential
part of sharing the information. The practical suggestions offered in the book include such things as distinguishing between "secrets" and "surprises" and brainstorming to make a list of people who could help the child feel safe. The story is followed by a section written just for parents, providing more ways to help protect children from sexual abuse.
Parents should be aware that the book uses proper names for body parts. Those who might feel that such terminology is not appropriate for their children due to age or other reasons should preview the book and make decisions about how to handle those parts of the story.
I would recommend God Made All of Me for parents and caregivers of young children.
Thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
See what other readers think of God Made All of Me here.
About the Book:
"God made every part of you!"
It's easy to convey the message to children that their bodies---or particular parts of their bodies---are shameful. This misconception fuels confusion, embarrassment, and secrecy, and often prevents children from recognizing or reporting sexual abuse.
God Made All of Me is a simply-told, beautifully-illustrated story to help families talk about these sensitive issues with two- to eight-year-old children. Because the private parts of our bodies are private, the home is the ideal environment where a child should learn about his or her body and how it should be treated by others.
God Made All of Me starts from the fundamental truth that God created everything and applies that truth---the doctrine of creation---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. God Made All of Me allows families to build a first line of defense against sexual abuse in the safety of their own homes.
God Made All of Me is the first children's book written by Rid of My Disgrace authors Justin and Lindsey Holcomb. Parents of young children themselves, the Holcombs regularly counsel victims of sexual abuse and are profoundly aware of the dangers kids face. Their simple and relatable story, designed to help children protect their bodies, will be an important resource for every family with young children.
Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1j72kTN
About the Authors:
Justin Holcomb,
PhD, is an Episcopal priest and professor of theology and Christian
thought at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological
Seminary. He is the author of On the Grace of God, Know the Heretics, and Know the Creeds and Councils, as well as the coauthor of Is It My Fault? and Rid of My Disgrace.
He also serves on the boards for REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade)
and GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in Christian Environments).
Lindsey Holcomb,
MPH, counsels victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and is
the cofounder of REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade). Lindsey has
provided crisis intervention to victims of sexual assault and domestic
violence and conducted a variety of training seminars to service
providers. She is also the coauthor of Is It My Fault? and Rid of My Disgrace.
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