Who's in Charge

Who’s In Charge is a powerful affirmation that we get to decide what to do with our bodies because we have autonomy over ourselves. Written in short phrases and kid-friendly words this book is perfect for babies and beyond. The illustrations use bold colors and strong strokes to embolden the reader and convey the message that bodily autonomy is in your hands. This story doesn’t get into the why or the politics of the importance of safe boundaries, but it does lay the foundation for young children’s understanding about their personal space. This book is an excellent first read for young children in communicating needs and understanding you have control of yourself.

Who’s in Charge is a book that teaches children about body autonomy, their voice, and their choices. The author does this through colorful images in which children are asked who is in charge of different parts of their body and the children answer that they are in charge of all these various items. 

What I liked: I am excited to see the body of literature growing regarding consent for younger children. It's important that children begin learning about consent at a young age and have the language to explain that their body belongs to them. I love that this book goes through various body parts and not just the general ones that we instantly think of. 

I also like that this book shows how children’s voices belong to them as well as the choices that they make. I appreciate that this book is not only about body autonomy but also accountability for your actions and choices with others. 

What left me wanting more: There were several pages in which I had to spend a lot of time looking for the words on the page because they were blending in with the background. There was not a lot of contrast between the words and the background which would make this difficult to read aloud to children unless you had the book memorized. 

Final Verdict: Who’s in Charge is a great book to introduce young children to body autonomy, consent, and their choices. This book will keep children engaged and help to start conversations about their bodies, their voice, and their choices.