The Great Big Hug by Isy Abraham-Raveson

Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, and welcome to Sex Ed Rescue. So, Sex Ed Rescue is this awesome YouTube channel where I review a bunch of books and share videos to help you talk to your kids about sex. I also have a website with loads of information to help parents find a better way to approach love, sex, relationships, and growing up.

Today, I want to talk about a book called The Great Big Hug, written by Isy Abraham Ravenson and illustrated by Todd Hall. It’s a book designed for younger children, and it’s all about consent. So, what exactly do I mean by consent? Well, the author does a great job summing it up at the back of the book. It’s about power dynamics and recognizing nonverbal cues. It’s about setting and respecting boundaries, and understanding that consent can change.

Now, let’s take a quick look inside the book. The artwork is absolutely lovely, and the artist did an amazing job. The story starts with two animals, an elephant and a meerkat, who are really good friends. Every day, the elephant gives the meerkat a hug. But one day, when the elephant went in for a hug, the meerkat said ouch. They both looked at each other, confused. The elephant thought maybe they had become too big to hug the meerkat without hurting them, so they decided to find someone else to play with.

But the same thing happened with their other friends. They kept assuming what their friends wanted instead of actually finding out. It wasn’t until they met a whale who didn’t want a hug that the elephant realized something important. Not everyone likes the same things, and that’s okay. The elephant learned that they could still be friends with others, even if they didn’t always want to play the same way.

What I love about this book is that it gives you different scenarios for consent, which can spark important conversations with your child. For example, when the elephant approaches the ostrich and the ostrich says no, you can ask your child why they think the ostrich said no. Did they say it with words or with their body language? These discussions help kids understand consent in various situations.

The book also shows how the elephant learns to adapt their behavior and respect their friends’ boundaries. They apologize when they realize they made a mistake and ask if there’s something else their friends would like to do instead. It’s all about understanding that consent can be verbal and physical, and that it’s important to check and ask for consent.

Books like The Great Big Hug are crucial because they lay down the foundations of consent from a young age. And it’s not just about sexual consent, but also about respecting boundaries in everyday situations. By teaching kids about consent early on, we’re helping them develop a strong understanding of what’s right and wrong when it comes to relationships.

So, let’s make sure our kids grow up with the knowledge and respect for consent. These conversations are so important, and books like The Great Big Hug are invaluable in building that foundation. They’re just as important, if not more, than books that explain where babies come from. It’s all about teaching core behavior and giving our kids the tools to navigate relationships with respect and understanding.

I hope this review helps you see the value of The Great Big Hug. Cheers!