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Where Hands Go

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Where Hands Go a beautiful new book written by Krystaelynne Sanders Diggs. This book is a resource for parents, teachers, therapists, and guardians who want to discuss this critical topic with younger children. It’s an excellent introduction for kids to recognize when touch can be harmful and how to talk about it with confidence and understanding. Where Hands Go will empower your child so they know they have the power to say no when unwanted touches happen. You can give your child a tool they can use their whole life to keep themselves safe from harm.

You’ll find this book is a beautiful read for parents, teachers, therapists, and guardians who want to discuss this critical topic with younger children. It’s an excellent introduction for kids to recognize when touch can be harmful and how to talk about it with confidence and understanding. The author does a great job explaining the importance of body autonomy to kids in an articulate and age-appropriate way.

You’ll find this opportunity to communicate with your kids about a serious subject great support. The book is written in a delicate but straightforward manner so that everyone will enjoy the message and importance of its theme. It’s a great read to recommend for anyone who has children or works with them regularly, Where Hands Go is an essential read for children and their families.

24 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 9, 2021

18 people are currently reading
134 people want to read

About the author

Krystaelynne Sanders Diggs

49 books25 followers
Krystaelynne Sanders Diggs is a passionate Bay Area-based children's book author dedicated to empowering children's minds through literature! After graduating from California State University’s East Bay campus with three degrees, she completed her Masters in Political Science from Binghamton University. Krystaelynne’s background in child advocacy and deep commitment to creating safer communities has led her mission to address essential topics that are often overlooked in children's literature such as body safety education.

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5 stars
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25 (23%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Rosh ~catching up slowly~.
2,315 reviews4,696 followers
Read
May 21, 2024
It goes without saying that such topics must be accompanied by a conversation by a parent/guardian. A parent can’t simply rely on the book to do the parenting. I was hoping that this book would serve as a good option for a parent to introduce the topic of safe touch. But it turned out to be a case of “good intention, bad implementation.”

The story is written in rhythmic verse and talks of a little girl who has been taught by her mom where hands should go through a poem. I wasn’t a great fan of the rhymes as they seemed forced and included a couple of words too difficult for children to understand. (‘stray’ and ‘unruly’) But more than this, I wasn’t a fan of the information provided. Basically, this poem only states that kids should shout ‘NO’ and run away when ‘hands begin to stray’. But what does ‘straying’ actually mean to a child? What parts of your body would come under that definition? And why is it stated that it is mommy’s duty to protect the child? What if a child doesn’t have a mother? What if the mother is the cruel one? There are many missing bits of information in the content and the book does not provide any effective solution to what should be a very serious message in today’s day and age.

The illustrations are quite adorable and far outshine the content of the book.

I’m not really sure to whom I would recommend this book. It has its heart in the right place but it doesn’t serve the purpose it was intended for. It says too little and leaves a lot on parental shoulders. So I shall not be leaving a rating for this. I don’t wish to hurt the prospects of the book that means well.

Thank you, NetGalley and BooksGoSocial, for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Natalie  all_books_great_and_small .
3,041 reviews154 followers
August 20, 2021
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Where Hands Go is a beautifully illustrated children's book to help teach children in a subtle way, what is safe and unsafe in the form of touch.
In the story the mummy gets the girl ready for bed each night by reciting a poem like song to her about touch and when to run.
Parents often don't know how to broach this subject with their children and this is a great way for both parent and child to communicate this together.
Profile Image for Dana A..
85 reviews10 followers
August 9, 2021
Where Hands Go is an educational book that is as much for parents as it is for children!

In this book a mother recites a poem to her daughter every night to teach her about appropriate and inappropriate touching by adults and it is done in a way that is comfortable for both the parent and the child. Hard topics like this are not talked about sometimes to younger children simply because parents/guardians don't know how to approach them and Krystaelynne Sanders Diggs has given the perfect example of how to do so with this wonderful book that is RELEVANT and NECESSARY.

The illustrations in this book are phenomenal!

I highly recommend Where Hands Go to all parents/guardians, grandparents, teacher's, and librarians. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read an ARC.
Profile Image for Asma.
511 reviews101 followers
July 31, 2021
I received this e-book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Where Hands Go is a book aimed to teach kids about touches, good and bad touches in the smoothest, easiest way. And it was beautifully illustrated. I liked it.
Profile Image for Letícia.
23 reviews5 followers
August 1, 2021
I can't begin this review without mentioning that “where hands go” is a necessary book, period. As the name suggests, it’s a story about boundaries, about how okay it’s okay for someone else to touch you. Without much ado, it is a perfect sex education book for parents, guardians or teachers to read along with children, teaching them that their bodies belongs only to themselves and that other people, even though they are adults, cannot disrespect it. The book conveys this message in a very simple way for the child’s better understanding. In addition, it has beautiful illustrations, with a little black girl as the protagonist (representation does matter!).
“Where hands go” is an educational book and is a great resource for those who do not yet know how to start sex education with their children.

**ARC kindly provided by Netgalley
Profile Image for Sharanja.
160 reviews34 followers
February 11, 2022
A mother and daughter go through their nightly routine before bedtime. As the little girl is bathed and clothed, she recites a poem her mother taught her about "good" and "bad" touches. Its goal is to teach the little girl that her body is hers and she always has the right to say NO to a bad touch.

This book is a great introduction to the topic of consent for young readers. But keep in mind that you should be guiding the child as you read together with them. It's meant to be a conversation starter for small children, not a textbook about body autonomy.
Profile Image for NTE.
404 reviews51 followers
August 18, 2021
Trigger Warning: Book being reviewed discusses childhood sexual abuse, hereafter called CSA, just in case you need to skip.
Where Hands Go by Krystaelynne Sanders Diggs is a really well-illustrated resource that uses an easily accessible poem (whose rhyme scheme doesn’t hit 100% of the time, but you know that I’m much more of a stickler for that than most readers, and definitely child readers), to talk to kids about bodily autonomy. Through really great illustrations of a young, black, female-presenting child & her mom, and a bedtime routine that will be easily relatable for many children, Sanders Diggs (who runs an organization focused on helping children heal from the trauma of CSA called Kids Again Foundation, where the infographic below is from) opens the door to discussions about CSA in a really gentle way that most little kids will understand.

Teaching them that they’re in charge of their body and get to say how or when other people touch it, and that there are circumstances in which they are not just allowed to disobey what other people request of them, but encouraged to do so is how to protect your kids from CSA, step 1 of 90,000. Knowing that there are times where the appropriate response is to “shake my head NO! NO! NO! Before I get up and GO! GO! GO!” is an essential skill for all children to master. There are a lot of ways that predators manipulate small children into allowing/participating in CSA, but one of the main feelings survivors talk about is not knowing that they had the option to say stop, because young children, especially, are conditioned to just.. obey grown-ups. Again, unfortunately, 1/3 of CSA perpetrators are people that the children know, and they’re used to just having to do as the bigger/older person tells them to. Arming kids with the tools to be able to question whether a touch is appropriate or not, or if the abuser is doing something to that they need to talk to their parent/someone they trust about is one of those things we all know we need to do, but also one of those conversations that we sometimes have a hard time figuring out how to start.

Where Hands Go is a great way to start that conversation with your littles.
Profile Image for Caoilo.
206 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for a copy of this book.


Where Hands Go is a book aimed at teaching children what is a safe and unsafe touch. It uses a rhyme to get it's point across with the aid of illustrations.

It is no surprise in 2021 that such a book needs to be written. We may consider our selves a civilized era but in truth the amount of abuse that children have/are going through has only began to surfaces in a way.


Though the premises is a good one I'm not sure if it would work. I would not like it to be graphic in description but I think it might be too gentle for most children to understand. As a survivor I think back to my four year old self and I don;t think I would have understood what was being implied. I probably would have thought it was just something that sounded nice and rhymed. Older children may understand the importance but not all.

The writer is to be commended for the line, "my body is mine and mine alone". As someone who grew up in the Roman Catholic Church we were taught our bodies were god's and not our own. Which lead to issues in later life. Sanders Diggs is already giving the child bodily autonomy.

Setting the book around bath time may also be a problem. this is a time when nakedness is expected. I think if it had other interactions it may have been better. I do see that the author was trying to make it palatable for young kids.
Profile Image for Farah G.
1,868 reviews34 followers
May 15, 2023
This children's book contains adorable illustrations which are likely to appeal to young kids. That is important, because the topic it discusses can be a difficult one to raise with a young child.

But the importance of teaching kids about "good touch" vs "bad touch" cannot really be overstated. And it is vital that children understand that they have a degree of agency over their bodily integrity.

The rhyming approach taken by the author is a good idea, and again, is likely to appeal to young children. But the rhymes could have been improved in some instances.

Also, I think it would have been useful to have a more nuanced approach to the use of the word no, rather than glorifying it entirely - since, as any parent can confirm, no is a word parents hear all too often e.g. when it comes to vegetable consumption!

But I did love the illustrations, and overall, this is a good attempt to address a difficult topic.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Jessica.
281 reviews
July 31, 2021
I absolutely LOVED the concept of this book. This is definitely a book that needed to be written and also needs to be gifted or bought for children. I feel like it opens the door for those discussions that need to be had with ALL children. Sexual assault on children is a sad tragic truth and definitely needs to be talked about.

This book is about a mother and young child singing a song during her bath time. The songs goes on to say where it’s okay where hands to go and where it’s not okay for hands to go. It also goes on to say what should she do if someone does cross that line (as to run away and let her mother know.)

I loved it. My only complain would be that it was rushed. As in, i wish it was a little longer. But I still loved it, I would still highly recommend it! Great little book for kids.
Profile Image for Robin Ginther-Venneri.
958 reviews71 followers
October 22, 2024
Incredibly Informative

Robin’s Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 Stars)

I absolutely loved "Where Hands Go: An Introduction to Safe and Unsafe Touch" by Krystaelynne Sanders Diggs. This book is an incredible resource for parents, teachers, therapists, and guardians, helping children understand the importance of body autonomy and empowering them to confidently say "no" to unwanted touch. The message is presented in a gentle and straightforward way, making it easy for young readers to grasp such an important topic without feeling overwhelmed.

Even though I read the books out of order, this is the third book I’ve read by this author, and I continue to be impressed by her ability to address critical topics with care and clarity. "Where Hands Go" encourages open conversations and gives kids a lifelong tool for
Profile Image for Andrea Smith.
380 reviews5 followers
September 21, 2022
Where Hands Go: An Introduction to Safe and Unsafe Touch 

5 Stars


Wow! Where Hands Go is a great picture book! I was so delighted to see the diversity found in this book. It's very impressive. I think this book is a good resource for parents to teach their younger children about consent and autonomy over their own bodies. Everyone deserves privacy and "No" should be respected. I loved how the rules were short, sweet, and  rhyming and that helps children to remember the rules. I would highly recommend this book to parents who are looking to have this difficult type of conversation with their children. IMO, parents, it's a must read for all, boys and girls. 


Thank you, NetGalley and BooksGoSocial, for an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Monique.
1,815 reviews
May 6, 2024
"Where Do Hands Go" by Krystaelynne Sanders Diggs has been a game-changer in our household! After seeing it recommended on TikTok, I ordered several sets, and I'm so glad I did. My 8-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter absolutely adore it. We've had some really meaningful conversations about the definitions in the back of the book, which have helped us broach the topic of good touch and bad touch in a way that's accessible and empowering for them. Plus, the fact that the characters are African American adds an extra layer of connection for our family. It's been a wonderful tool for teaching important lessons in a sensitive and engaging way. Highly recommend it to other parents looking for resources on this touchy subject!
1 review
October 17, 2024
A conversation starter

As a person who suffered from CSA, I’m so thankful books and authors like this exist. At first, I expected there to be more concrete examples in the story. But when I got to the appendix at the end the author explains that she left it ambiguous so that every family could decide what kind of touches and situations are and are not appropriate. I also like how she gives some examples many people (including the people responsible for protecting me when I was little) might typically see as innocent but capable of progressing to harmful.

My son is two and still with me at home full time, but we’ll definitely be adding this, and Ms. Sanders Diggs’ other titles, to our library.
Profile Image for Michelle (around - catching up!).
108 reviews7 followers
August 11, 2021
Where Hands Go is a lovely, gentle introduction to teaching very young children about consent. I don't think it's ever too soon to teach kids about bodily autonomy, about what kind of touch is acceptable and what isn't. It can be a difficult subject for parents to bring up and I think this book is the perfect tool to approach that conversation. It's a very short book, told in the style of a poem that's easy to read and understand and the illustrations are so beautiful. I keep seeing this book and I'm glad I read it, I'll be recommending it to friends with young children.
Profile Image for Youtube (SERPERIORREADS) .
216 reviews
August 20, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me this advanced copy of this book, and my legitimate thanks to the author, for giving me the opportunity to read his book.

It is a book that teaches children what to touch, what not to touch by another person and to know how to recognize when not to let others touch by them.

What a great book to read to a young child. Many times child abuse occurs from those closest to a family or in the places frequented by the little innocent, know how to share who is disrespecting the barrier of not "touching".

4.5
Profile Image for Donna Maguire.
4,841 reviews119 followers
July 29, 2021
I thought that this book was very good – it is a simple way to introduce the topic of “touch” to children without making it a huge issue as such or making them uncomfortable. It gets the message over really well and can easily be read as a bedtime story that gives them more to think about. It deals with the subject in a fun and loving way too. I really liked the illustrations in this one too – definitely I book I will be reading with my daughter as she is starting school in September.
Profile Image for Rani V S.
123 reviews4 followers
August 2, 2021
As mother of a toddler one of my biggest concern was how to introduce the concept of good and bad touch. But I found this gem which makes the discussion easier. The beautifully illustrated book discuss about the topic of touch by means of rhyme so that it is easily understandable for the child. The background set up is laid and illustrated such that children can easily realate to their daily lives. A must have book if you have a child.
Profile Image for Matt Argueta.
91 reviews
August 24, 2025
Similar to other reviews, I think this book was well intended, but poorly executed.

If the intent of the book was to introduce topics to children on body safety and safe/unsafe touch, being more direct on the topics for kids to absorb would have been a better approach

The book has nice illustrations, but seemed to focus more on the flow of the rhyming and the impact was less than I was expecting for a book advertised as one with a stronger message
Profile Image for Atul_reads .
190 reviews12 followers
July 31, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for giving me a chance to read this.

It's beautifully illustrated. Kudos for that 👏🏻. The only thing I found lacking is it's too brief, way brief. I love to see the joyfulness in the pictures but I was hoping there are more words and actions to describe what's going on.
3 reviews
July 13, 2021
Short, but powerful!

This book is illustrated beautifully and provides a simple way to introduce the topic of “touch” without making it uncomfortable to your children. Must buy as a gift and for your own children! Just beautiful! 🥰🥰
Profile Image for Brianna Shelton.
102 reviews3 followers
August 6, 2021
ARC from Netgalley for honest review.

Beautifully illustrated book to read with young ones about where hands go in an educational way. Setting boundaries at a young age. Shows representation with the main characters. This is a must have for littles home libraries, daycares, or even to gift.
2,196 reviews4 followers
August 16, 2021
I thought this book was a great starting point for discussions about body autonomy. The poem will be easy for kids to remember and will help them start to distinguish which touching is good and which touching is bad.
Profile Image for oohlalabooks.
933 reviews166 followers
September 12, 2021
This is a wonderful book for parents and kids to read together. It is a good message and begins the conversation to have. Also it is easy to read, it’s colorful and bright. Thank you to NetGalley, author, and the publisher for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.
Profile Image for Leah.
73 reviews7 followers
April 8, 2022
This is a game changer! This book is an excellent way to talk with young children about different types of touching and who can touch them. The additional resources, facts, definitions, and application questions really bring this book together.
Profile Image for Cassie.
181 reviews18 followers
January 8, 2024
This book is adorable and aims to teach children about body safety. However, the book was more ambiguous about unsafe touches that may leave children confused or uncertain. It can serve as a good stepping stone for parents to begin to educate their children on this topic.
Profile Image for Nae.
95 reviews1 follower
January 23, 2022
Love it

Thank you for this book I have a 1 year old and 3 months and I will be reading this to them every night
40 reviews
November 26, 2023
This is a nice intro to the idea of body boundaries. However, I would caution adults to use this as a starting point and beginning to a conversation.
3 reviews
February 6, 2025
Perfect when teaching kids about touching!!!

My son is 5 and quickly understood the difference between good and bad touches. Love the vibrant colors and graphics!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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