The story is told in rhyme by an energetic character with ginger hair and freckles, she shares her enthusiasm for body parts, from eyes to legs and tummies; ‘I love eyes! Blue eyes, brown eyes, eyes that are green – two different colours are sometimes seen.’
The illustrations are bright, bold and colourful, they work in unity with the text and further build on diversity, showing people with different abilities; wheelchairs, mechanical legs, glasses and more. I adore one scene which shows a variety of people washing and caring for a variety of dogs and one cat!
I love how books like this one plant a simple but important seed for acceptance, open-mindedness and diversity at a young age. This story was a joy to share with my children, we talked about how our own bodies were both similar and different to each other’s. A tickling prompt ending the story made it a better for lead on to energetic play rather than bedtime.
All Bodies are Good Bodies would be great to read in a group, promoting diverse mindset and conversation.
Title: All Bodies are Good Bodies
Author: Charlotte Barkla
Illustrator: Erica Salcedo
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont, $19.99
Publication Date: 1 January 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760503932
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book
