Rissy No Kissies
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A lovebird who doesn't like kisses?
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Rissy, a gumdrop-shaped lovebird painted in a yellow-green gradient, is seen as an anomaly for repeatedly refusing the kisses of her affectionate neighbors, family, and friends, which make her feel "worried, weird, and wrong." Rissy wonders if she will ever find belonging if she can't accept others' smooches, until her mother imparts a valuable truth: "Your body and your heart are yours, and you choose how to share./ You get to pick the ways you want to show us that you care." 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. Back matter includes a note to kids and one for caretakers. Ages 7–8.