Rissy’s friends and family wonder if she’s sick, confused, or rude. But kisses make Rissy uncomfortable. Can one little lovebird show everyone that there’s no one right way to show you care?
Rissy No Kissies carries the message that “your body and your heart are yours, and you choose how to share.” A note at the end provides further information for kids, parents, and educators about body autonomy, consent, and different ways to show affection.
Written by Katey Howes,
Illustrated by Jess Engle
Carolrhoda Books, March 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5415-9798-3
Praise for Rissy No Kissies
“This is an artistic gem for consent discussions, sensory-processing contexts, and anyone who champions children’s agency and bodily autonomy. Radiant.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Howes’s experience with neurodiverse people informs this sprightly rhyming narrative; a refrain (“No kissies!”) and soft watercolor art by Engle reinforce the message that speaking up for one’s bodily agency should always be embraced.” –Publishers Weekly
“I’m a Consent Educator and I adore this book. Consent is not as straight-forward as “yes” and “no.” Navigating body-boundaries means navigating social-emotional interactions empathically, respectfully, and with a sensitivity for individual differences. With such sweetness and attention to developmental appropriateness, the author shows how consent can look when done well, when done not-so-well, and what it means to respect others’ choices and preferences…Such a powerful message of bodily autonomy that I know I wish I had as a child.” –Sarah Casper, Comprehensive Consent