Book Review
A short overview of this book
Everyone is Equal: Introducing the importance of gender equality and diversity by Jayneen Sanders (Little Big Chats) is a lovely book for taking to young children about gender equality, diversity, acceptance and inclusion. Children need to understand that everyone has the right to be who they want to be – regardless of their gender, race, appearance or ability.
This book belongs to the Little BIG Chats series, which consists of 12 books that have been written to help parents to start talking about important topics. There’s a discussion guide at the back, with some pages of the book including helpful questions to ask your child as you read.
I really like this approach of a topic a book, and they would be a fantastic collection of books to have. It would be very easy to read a different one of these each night with your children.
There are 12 books in the Little BIG Chats series:
- Empathy: Exploring the meaning of empathy and kindness
- I Always Try: Developing a growth mindset of resilience and persistence
- Feelings: Understanding different feelings and emotions
- Everyone is Equal: Introducing the importance of gender equality and diversity
- Around the World: Celebrating the importance of racial equality and diversity
- Mindfulness: Exploring the importance of mindfulness and learning calming skills
- Families: Celebrating diversity in families
- Consent: Introducing consent and body boundaries
- My Safety Network: Introducing a Safety Network (3 to 5 trusted adults a child can go to if they feel unsafe)
- My Early Warning Signs: Exploring Early Warning Signs and what to do if a child experiences these signs
- Private Parts are Private: Learning private parts are private and what to do if touched inappropriately
- Secrets and Surprises: Learning the difference between secrets and surprises
The Body Safety titles should ideally be read in the following order: Consent, My Safety Network, My Early Warning Signs, Private Parts are Private, and Secrets and Surprises. The remaining titles can be read in any order.
You can learn more on this page, about how to talk to kids about sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 2 to 6 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Everyone is Equal by Jayneen Sanders (Little Big Chats) from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! Welcome to Sex Ed Rescue with Cath Hakanson. I’m here to help parents like you find an easier way to talk to your kids about love, sex, relationships, and growing up. Today, I want to tell you about a fantastic book for young children that tackles gender equality and diversity.
This book is part of the Little Big Chat series, which is all about helping kids understand big topics. The one we’re focusing on today is called Everyone is Equal: Introducing the Importance of Gender Equality and Diversity by Janine Sanders. It’s all about acceptance, inclusion, and raising kind-hearted children who can make the world a better place.
The book starts off with some helpful information at the beginning. It follows the story of Belle, who will introduce your child to different people and help them understand that everyone should be exactly who they are meant to be. It’s perfect for kids aged two to six, so it’s tailored to their interests and activities.
The book talks about the things kids do at kindergarten, like playing with blocks, trucks, and cars. It also touches on dress-up play, where kids can explore different roles and sometimes express their gender preferences. It reminds me of when I made dress-up clothes for my niece’s child. We picked out some pretty pink fabric, but we also made sure to include other colors so it wasn’t all about gender stereotypes.
The book also highlights that their friends are just like them in many ways. It even has little sections where you can ask your child how their friends are similar to them, which can spark some great conversations.
There’s a page that explains what it means to be equal and how everyone should be treated the same, regardless of their differences. It emphasizes that while everyone is special in their own way, we are all equal.
And here’s the best part: at the back of the book, there are discussion questions provided by Jay. These questions can help you extend the conversation and make it more educational. They’ll get your child thinking about gender and what it means in a fun and engaging way.
I hope you find this review helpful! Cheers!
