This is a fantastic, clear but in-depth & nuanced guide to consent, which goes way beyond “no means no.” Although it does mention sexual assault (as it’s necessary to do to talk about sexual consent in a meaningful way), it has a substantial trigger warning at the beginning, there is no assault depicted directly, and the vast majority of the book is about positive, affirmative consent. It feels fun, which is awesome and important, I think. And it’s short enough to read while standing/sitting in a bookstore or library, which is also key!
I love the art style so much. It’s so cute and fun, which is perfect for keeping this serious subject from seeming too dry or lecture-y.
It’s also super educational about things beyond consent, like defining a variety of types of sex, safer sex, etc. Overall, I highly recommend this for anyone.
Note: this is intended for adults, I believe, and there are a few explicit drawings (e.g. of genitals next to definitions, people making out & touching breasts or other body parts, & a couple times little stick figures having sex). Personally I think it’s totally appropriate for teens, but I would recommend flipping through it first to see if it seems ok for your house/library/classroom/whatever.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! It’s out now.