Book Review
A short overview of this book
Secrets and Surprises: Learning the difference between secrets and surprises by Jayneen Sanders (Little Big Chats) is a lovely book for teaching children the difference between secrets and surprises. Children understanding that they don’t keep secrets only happy surprises because they will always be told is part of their ‘toolkit’ to help keep them safe.
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 Secrets and Surprises 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! I’m Cath Hakanson, your friendly Sex Ed Rescue expert. I’m here to help parents like you have those important conversations with your kids in a better and easier way. And you know what? Books are a fantastic tool for sex education and starting those conversations. That’s why I’m super excited to share my thoughts on this set of books called the Little Big Chats. They’re a collection of 12 little books that tackle big topics. Today, I’ll be talking about one of them called Secrets and Surprises by Janine Sanders.
Now, these books take a unique approach by focusing on one important topic at a time. And let me tell you, it’s a great way to kickstart those conversations. So, let’s dive into Secrets and Surprises. Lisa, the main character, helps us understand the difference between secrets and surprises. This is a crucial conversation because it’s all about keeping our children safe, including when it comes to sex education. We want our kids to grow up healthy and protected, right?
The book cleverly uses a birthday party as a backdrop to explain the concept. It emphasizes that we don’t keep secrets, only happy surprises, because surprises are always meant to be shared. It gives examples of stories involving teachers and secrets, which is a fantastic way to illustrate the point. Remember, we want our kids to understand that secrets should never be kept, but happy surprises are always okay to keep.
The book also addresses why someone might try to trick you or pressure you into keeping a secret. It encourages children to reach out to a trusted adult in their safety network. And you know what’s great? There’s another book in this series that talks about safety networks, so the information connects and builds upon each other. It’s all about creating a comprehensive understanding.
At the end of the book, there’s a section with questions that you can ask your child. These questions are designed to expand the conversation and help your child learn and grow. It’s an opportunity for you to teach and for your child to explore.
All in all, Secrets and Surprises is a fantastic little book that tackles an important topic. I really hope you find it helpful and enjoyable. Cheers!
