Title: Courage to Tell
Author: Donna Livingston
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-5434-1551-3
Pages: 24
Genre: Children’s Self-Help book, illustrated
Reviewed by: Judith Curr
Pacific Book Review
There are many adorable bedtime stories to fill the bookshelves of any youngster; many with happy endings and fanciful characters. This is not one of them. Instead, Courage to Tell by Donna Livingston is a message clearly stated within an illustrated children’s book; a message so important thus making this book a “must” for all children.
What Livingston has achieved is a very important message using literary situational awareness paired with pictorial illustrations. She begins with a story of children enjoying Grandmom’s house, playing with dogs, and shopping with Uncle George, even fishing with family. Then, with the partitioning of ages from 3 to 6, then 10 to 13, Livingston throws in the inappropriate actions of the uncle, having gained the trust and love of his niece and nephew, beginning to touch the children in their private parts. At first the children are confused, and are embarrassed to say anything. There is one part which the pedophile uncle touches a friend of the children’s and they never see their friend again – apparently that child told an adult and was forbidden to ever go over to their house again. The actions escalate with age, and finally reach a point where the
children begin to know right from wrong, and shout back, “No,” and put an end to it. However in many cases the damage of psychological guilt and pain has already been done. That is why this book is a “must read” to all toddlers and repeated many times upwards through Kindergarten and further. Children have to recognize this abusive behavior immediately and “tell, tell, tell someone.” Livingston even goes one step further instructing kids that if the parent or adult doesn’t believe them – to call 911.
She concludes with illustrative tips showing kids where their “private parts” are, and repeatedly tells them to say something, tell someone, don’t hide the perverted actions of some trusted friend or family member. Courage to Tell is good advice, given in a third- party way, so children can learn just where to draw the line and recognize adults with this iniquitous problem soon enough to put an end to the situation – for the best of everyone. This book should be given or bought by all families, and interleaved in the bedtime storytelling moments so children can understand the methodology used by pedophiles and be knowledgeable as to how best to get help.
Courage to Tell addresses the importance of inappropriate behavior in a way a child can understand. It creates the right way to have meaningful conversations with children. Additionally, this book has all of the ingredients necessary to assist parents, caregivers, therapists, and teachers in helping children to respect their bodies and feel safe and comfortable; to set personal boundaries and to reach out for help if they need it.
