Child-Safety Books

1.2.3. Relax is a book that lays down facts and then give you solutions and scripts. I found this book very good and worthwhile. Can be used effectively with adults.

This book offers many wonderful tools to help children relax, reinforce their value, and visualize a fantastic episode of imagination. It is organized and cross referenced which makes it easy to quickly find just the right message of the day. I teach yoga to 5th graders who now beg for "relaxation at the end of class". Some of the kids have ADHD, autism, and other learning differences. This has been one tool that will never get old or redundant. It spans a broad age range. I have coordinated some of the stories a week before big achievement tests which seems to help the kids with a bit of empowerment. Nothing speaks to the success of my class like having children ask to borrow my books, DVDs, or my music. I would like to know of a better book or another book like this one since it has been such a huge hit with everyone.

Ready, Set, Relax provides teachers and parents with an important resource for helping young children learn valuable self-regulation skills. Jeff Allen and Roger Klein make us aware that learning requires both physical and mental preparation. By introducing physical relaxation and positive mental imaging skills into the classroom environment, children develop essential learning prerequisites, increase self-confidence, and enrich creative interactions between teacher and child. The lessons of Ready, Set, Relax should be eagerly integrated into every elementary school curricula.

Great book for short relaxation scripts, with lots of em. I have used them with several kids so far (I am a child therapist) and they seem to like them. However, you can also find lots of relaxation scripts on the web and elsewhere...so if you want them all handy and in one place, buy the book. If you can be patient and scrounge together your own, go for that.

Lots of "I am calm" and "I am relaxed" affirmations. Very good selection of "scripts" which are short visualizations meant to relax children. This is very mainstream and a great way to introduce children to relaxation. Great emphasis on breathing however, to teach the mechanics of proper breathing, I have coupled this with Indigo Dreams and The Children's Awareness Curriculum. The kids really enjoy relaxing and love talking about the visualizations in Ready Set Relax. Great way to teach children, especially if you are short on time.

There are several useful observations, opinions and suggestions in the first part of this book. Many parts and especially the physical defensive moves part are so vague as to be useless. In whole this is a promotion piece for the authors' business of giving seminars and training lessons.

Highly informative and empowering...you will be armed with the necessary knowledge to protect your child from harm.

If you've never read a parenting book and have no idea how to communicate with your kids, this is a truly helpful manual. It is really an outline of their seminars and could be a pamphlet rather than a "full-length" book (it has like 4 inch margins). That makes it an easy read, jam-packed with information, but the info is so very basic. Try it as a starting point, perhaps, but there are no magic bullets in here. Love your children, pay attention to them, teach them simple safety instructions, and you don't need to pay for this book.

The info is extremely basic, more about parenting in general than protecting your children from predators. For example, their number one ingredient for protecting your children is "commitment", i.e., being a committed parent...know your children, listen to them, be aware of what they're doing, who they're with, etc. And they'll teach you the difference between introversion and extroversion. And how your kids should react if someone tries to abduct them - don't go with the bad guy. Walk tall, act confident, and no-one will bother you. Stuff like that. If that's news to you, you'll find the booklet helpful. If you're looking for serious help to protect your kids, go elsewhere.

As a parent,you want your child to be safe and protected. Yet you know you can't always be with them every second.

This book gives you exercises and games to play with your child so you have an aware, self-assured child who has skills to use when challenged.

The games are designed to develop your child's confidence, not increase their fears.

I strongly recommend this book to every concerned parent, aunt and uncle, and friend.

Hopefully your child will never need the tactics taught by Jones and Jackson, but if they do this book can give your child self-confidence and tools to use when the child needs it most.

Six children every MINUTE are abducted by a non family member. 50% of them will be sexually molested. 20% of all girls will be sexually molested before they turn 18!



Joyce and Preston have given me some great techniques to keep this from happening to my grandkids. Read my note on the back cover of the book. It has ALREADY saved my 8 year old grandson from possible harm. This book will save children's lives.



Frank Sousa

While it's not particularly well-written (the prose is fairly awkward in places), this book is really quite good at presenting water safety rules in a way that kids will want to read, and the song will definitely help them remember. This is a book my daughter has repeatedly asked me to read and I am happy to do it. However, I really wish I had previewed the included cd before I played it for her, because while she likes to listen to it, the condescending speech of the voice-over actors and the off-key singing of the children are like nails scraping across a blackboard to me. It is really and truly awful. That being said, my daughter does like the cd and I'm willing to grit my teeth while we listen to it if it means she'll be safer around water.

As the mother of a 2 year old boy who is afraid of NOTHING, this book has become a staple of our bedtime reading! My son repeats the song anytime he is around water, even the bathtub. It has definately made him more aware of the dangers of water. I will buy this book for all of my toddler/child relatives. I have seen no other book that teaches a child as young as 2 to respect the water.

I am a water safety instructor who teaches swimming lessons according to American Red Cross Guidelines. I teach outside so on days it rains we have to find other activities. I thought this book would be perfect for my younger students, but the Red Cross already makes a book close to what this book is teaching. I think this book is perfect for parents who want their children to know about water safety if they have a pool or grow up/vacation around bodies of water. Touching story as to why the parents wrote the book. I admire them for what they have done.

This is a wonderful resource for parents, teachers and coaches. Stewie the Duck is one of the few books available that addresses drowning, one of the most significant injury-related risks our children face. The authors teach children critical survival skills in a loving, age-appropriate, and fun way. Children really enjoy the CD, and being able to incorporate music makes the lessons fun and effective. This adorable, intelligent book was so impressive that we utilized it in our water safety curriculum program, and have received very positive feedback about it.

This is a very basic story about a duck who isn't allowed to swim with the other ducks until he learns the rules. The main ideas of the story are repeated several times throughout the book and set to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The song goes "Don't jump in 'til you learn to swim, cover your chest with a safe life vest. A grown up must watch you in the pool. You'll be safe if you learn these rules."

The book includes a CD that includes reading the of the story as well as different children singing the same song about five times. I did not give this book a five star rating because the children singing on the cd cannot sing and will make the hair on your back stand up if you are any bit musically inclined. There is one track on the cd that has all the kids singing together and is bearable to listen too.

Nonetheless, this book and cd are a favorite of my 2 and 4 year old girls (I would not recommend this book for anyone over six). I keep the cd in the kitchen all summer long and I play it while I get breakfast ready, especially on days that we go to the pool or beach. The girls especially love it because the book shows Stewie learning to swim at the YMCA where my girls are also taking swimming lessons.

Please note that this book only teaches safety rules and does not provide any instruction for swimming.

I will also mention that the author, Stew Leonard, the supermarket entrepeneur, got involved in water safety for children after his son drowned. This is an excellent tool for all parents to use to avoid this kind of tragedy. I strongly recommend it for every toddler.

This book has information on every aspect of owning a horse. It's a great book for kids as well as adults. I highly recommend this book for people that want to get into horse ownership.

This book is written to young girls, but I read it so I would know at least as much as my daughter does about horses. It's easy reading and a good reference to have, especially if you plan on owning a horse at any time.

Kids who are interested in horses really need a mentor who is experienced in all aspects of the care and handling of horses. And they could certainly use Horse Care for Kids by Cherry Hill, a horse trainer and breeder. In the past, Hill has been a judge and taught courses in horse management and training. She is also the author of 24 equestrian books.

Horse Care for Kids discusses, in a simple and straight-forward manner, all of the essentials of equine care. It is a thorough book, written in an engaging manner that will appeal to young people.

Hill encourages parents to become involved and as knowledgeable as their children in the care of their horses (and she gives sound reasoning). She discusses body language and behavior, what to look for in a good horse, safety, clothing, grooming and health. She also describes through her writing, drawings and pictures, the parts of a horse, gaits, confirmation, breeds, markings and coloring.

If your child is interested in horses, Hill's book is a great beginning. It's informative and easy to read and provides great information for the beginner. As a child horse owner, I would have been thrilled to own Horse Care for Kids.

Armchair Interviews says: Horse Care for Kids is a great gift for that new or beginning horse owner and rider. We highly recommend!

I agree with the review from "From School Library Journal." I did think that this book had excellent pictures and a lot of good information but did not think that it was complete.

The worming section particulary bothered me as it showed a picture of the worm lifecycle and said to "talk to your veterinarian." Considering how much information there is about worming meds this should have been more detailed. I also would have liked the author to strongly stress that a horse buyer should have taken EXTENSIVE lessons before rushing out to buy a horse. A parent buying a horse for a child that doesn't know the basics of horse care and riding (from working with read horses - not ones in books) is a recipe for danger and possibly disaster.

On a tangent, fans of the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls will be entertained with some of the photos as they appear to have come out of Riata's own book.

People I'd recommend this book to: a fourth to sixth grade girl - I think that they'd love it as a first "serious" reference!

This book has wonderful illustrations depicting how to halter a horse, body language of a horse, horse colors, grooming a horse, and many more practical things to teach you to become a responsible and successful horse or pony owner. It is an easy- to-read book with 116 very informational pages. I highly recommend this book for any child interested in horses, especially one who is thinking about owning a horse.

Cover to cover this book is filled with valuable information for Moms, Dads and caregivers. I love the way the book is laid out- such a quick and easy book to reference on any subject. I think it's a great gift idea for new Moms & Dads and also great for parents whose children are older.
My daughter is 5 now and I still want to give her the best care I can,so to me it is important to stay informed. Thank you!!

With all the information about child safety out there, it is great to have all this information in one place and from a trusted source. The book is easy to read and the information is presented clearly and concisely. I recommend it as the must have resource for parents (and anyone who takes care of children in their home).

Do you have a subscription to Consumer Reports online? Then you can skip this book and just surf for the latest reviews. Otherwise, this is a fine little book to prepare you on what to look for, what questions to ask. It's actually a little thin on specific recommendations -- not every product has a review per se -- and be forewarned: there are no recommendations on car seats, as they are re-evaluating their safety criteria on car seats/crash worthiness. You may be just as well off getting the recommended list from your registry at Babies-R-Us or Target or wherever, and looking at the online customer reviews of the products.

Any parent who doesn't have the utmost concern for the safety of their child cannot call themselves a parent. "Consumer Reports Guide to Childproofing & Safety: 600 Tips for Keeping Kids Safe at Home and on the Go" is a complete and comprehensive guide for parents who seek to keep their child as safe as possible while they navigate one of the world's most treacherous and hazard-filled paths - life. With suggestions on avoiding bad toys or products, and how to treat common injuries, "Consumer Reports Guide to Childproofing Safety: 600 Tips for Keeping Kids Safe at Home and on the Go" is a top pick for any concerned parent and for community library parenting collections.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

New parents are bombarded with this stuff all the time. Why subject yourself to an entire book of fearmongering? I was hoping for a "room by room" description of what to cover up and contain, but instead I got "600 ways to Kill your kids". Enough is enough.

My little one was getting to the age when I needed to start teaching the "stranger danger" etc (just over three years old), and when I saw good reviews on this book I decided to add it to my purchase. When it first arrived I was disappointed at the simplicity of the structure of the book, but once I read it I was EXTEREMLY HAPPY that I had bought it.
This book has the perfect wording for introducing your child to self awareness and protection. No scary terms, just simple instructions on the basic concept of "MY BODY IS MINE."
I purchased another book and also a video at the same time, but I have set those aside for perhaps another few months, when I feel that the bigger "stranger" concepts are more understandable.
I give a HUGE thumbs up to this book for any parent, because even if you aren't ready to deal with the tough issues of abuse, this is the perfect way to help your child prevent someone from taking advantage of them.

This simple book is all about empowering our young kids to say no to uncomfortable touch. The simple illustrations and language help kids understand it is okay to say "No!" to anyone when they don't like what's happening.

It includes examples of times kids like to be touched, like giving a hug or holding a baby's hand. And some times when they might not like to be touched, such as someone holding them too tightly.

They then provide a script for kids to practice saying if someone touches them in a way they don't like or asks them to touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Teaching our kids their bodies are their own and they have the right to decide when they will share their bodies is a message that will serve them in the long term and that's what this little book is all about!

This book is a great way to start teaching your kids about appropriate and inappropriate touching. This is a tough subject, and I didn't want to scare my little ones about this, and this book does a great job of showing children how to be assertive and say "NO" when someone wants to touch the child or wants the child to touch them.

There are many plusses to this book. That it was even written and is available is a HUGE plus. It is a message that children need to hear...over and over and over...That it is their body. That they have the right to feel *good* or *not good* about what someone is doing to it...and that they can say that, LOUDLY.

I do wish it was more visually *interesting* as it really is geared to younger childen. It could use more color to keep up the interest. Unfortunately, I tended to lose my son's interest when I was reading this... When he was young a *message book* wasn't strong enough reason to sit still, he visually needed the pictures. That said, I still did read this when from time to time. I would just pick up where I *lost* him the previous time.

The importance of this message can't be underscored enough and I don't think that the lack of visual *punch* is enough of a reason to not buy this. On the contrary, I think you should find every way you can to teach this message to your children.

This is a book with a message that cannot be stressed enough. One major message that cannot be overemphasized is that abusers are NOT always strangers. Very young children are provided with tools of empowerment in this book and I like the direct way this serious topic of improper touching is addressed. While the illustrations are somewhat bland and lacking in color, that still does not detract from the book's main message.

I like the examples of unwelcome nonsexual touches such as enduring hugs and kisses from somebody the child either dislikes or does not know; unpleasant variations on "acceptable" touches, such as a hug that is too firm. Good or acceptable touch is explored, such as holding someone's hand and kissing someone you like/love. A good point about doctor examinations is given - although check ups are never pleasant, it is important to discuss with children why the doctor needs to examine every part of their bodies to ensure good health with no intention to hurt. That is a special case, but it still needs to be openly discussed.

Many children love to test out their new-found powers and in reading this to a group of young children and telling them to practice declaring refusal is very effective. It is also very empowering. Being loud with an abuser will undoubtedly get them to back off as predators do not want to attract attention to themselves.

The drawback is that it can be somewhat awkward to explain to a relative or other trusted adult such as a neighbor why your child refuses a hug and expresses dislike for it, but honoring the child's wishes is paramount. For example, there are numerous cases where children with autism find hugs too overwhelming because of sensory stimuli. The onslaught of sensory stimuli can be the feel of the hugger's clothing; cologne/perfume smells; feeling constricted and scratchy beards can make hugs far from pleasant or welcome. Many nonverbal autistic children who flee hugs can have this behavior explained in this manner. I knew one child who ran from a relative because the relative was loud and booming and known to swoop down on children with raucous displays of affection. The child found the noisy display frightening and annoying. From that child's perspective, the hugger's behavior looked like an attack. Although hugs have gotten good press over time, scant attention has been given to "unpleasant" hugs and the rights of people who don't want them. Then again there is the child's personality. There are people who are not overly fond of hugs and find them restrictive, and intrusive.

The words of David Crosby from 1969, "teach your children... give them a code which you can live by..." is a good summary of this book.

This is indeed an excellent book to help people protect their children from possible abuse, sexual or otherwise. It is non-threatening and having the child/children participate by adding their voices to the work make it all the more effective.

In addition to this book, I highly recommend Linda W. Girard's "My Body is Private;" Sandy Kleven's "The Right Touch: A Read Aloud to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse" and Cornelia Spelman's "Your Body Belongs to You" and Peter Alsop's excellent collection of songs entitled "Songs on Sex & Sexuality," most particularly the song entitled "My Body." These are all family geared and outstanding teaching tools that will certainly go far in creating a safer environment.

i definitely recommend this book for all who want to know about the sad world of sex offenders....outstanding book for parents and even law enforcement....i really loved this book

After searching around for a good resource to become more educated about protecting my children from sexual predators, and after reading the reviews here on Amazon, I settled on this book. I am grateful. This is a thorough and well-written resource that covers virtually all issues of concern. To be honest, I was a bit worried about reading this book, seeing as I am particularly sensitive to explicit materials, and one of the reviewers said that she felt it was too explicit and that some of the descriptions verged on cheap dime store novels. Admittedly being the type of person who is occasionally offended - for instance - by some material like on the show Family Guy, I realize I am a little more on the sensitive side. But Dr. Baker's book is not overly-graphic; her book gives you the knowledge necessary to become informed. It is enough detail and for all the right reasons - for a greater and incredibly important purpose. I highly recommend this book and highly commend those individuals who are seeking to be better informed.

I purchased this book to give to my sons and daughter in laws so that they may have information to help protect my grand children from sexual predators. As I read the book I became quite concerned by the explicit and detailed descriptions of abuse. I feel that the author went considerably farther than necessary to make her point. Some of the descriptions verged on cheap dime store novels. I purchased the book because of one review that stated she was a victim of abuse and felt that the author did not go into great detail about the molestation cases. I think she is dead wrong. It is true that there is adequate information on how to identify a predator and protect your children, but one has to wade through and endure a lot of sleaze. I finally quit reading the case histories as they were presented. It was very painfull to read the explicit descriptions of what these children went through. I was never abused, but could empathize with their pain. I am returning the book to the dealer for a refund

The information in this book is very good. I worked in a several different male correctional facilities and have read many prisoner files on these types of crimes. She gives parents some good advise on what to look out for. I think all parents and anyone who works with children should read this book.

As a nurse, i found this book to be an eye-opener. It is a must read for anyone with a child or who works with children or for anyone in general who has a concern. I found that I was quite taken by some of the chapters & found them quite informative. The information on how to identify sexual predators was most helpful. Those in medical, will fine this book most helpful, when dealing with questionable situations/settings.

I bought this for my young sons and it gave helpful and useful tips for dealing with all types of strangers. Not scary for young children. Very appropriate.

HELPS KIDS TO BE ON AWARES OF A SITUATION THAT IS DANGEROUS WITH PEOPLE AND HOW TO REACT FOR SAFETY.

This excellent book is a good teaching tool for helping children recognize who is a "kind" stranger as opposed to someone they don't know who is unkind. The beautiful illustrations add to the books appeal; the hypothetical scenarios will undoubtedly help children and parents think of methods to apply when faced with "unkind" strangers.

the book went over well. It was imformative to the children. It help reinforced what the family has been saying.

I bought this book for my 6-year old. We read it together and discussed what they were talking about in each chapter. Excellent book for talking to your kids about strangers - without scaring them. I definitely recommend it for most kids starting at 5-years old.

This book is ok. It's not great. My son loves the pictures but the wording is a little too redundant.

Reviewed by Oliver (child guest reviewer from England)

Each page has something exciting on it, like the train that is rushing round the track so quickly I always think the crane will not get the tree moved in time, but rescue vehicles are quick and manage to get the job done.

Because the book is called Emergency, every vehicle is in a hurry. I can't wait for the page to turn to see which one is next, but I almost know now as I've read it so many times.

We always have some fun with the last page when it becomes nighttime and all the rescue vehicles have to sleep. We take it in turns to spot things on the page and each time we try to pick something that is not easy to find, like the lady sitting in the hospital--I think it is really only her shadow though.

Armchair Interviews says: A wonderful book for children who like things that move fast--and do a special job.

We had this bok read to us at our library storytime by a firefighter and my 2 yr. old son had to check it out. So far I read it 3-5 times a day but I don't mind.

It is fun to read and the illustrations are bright and vivid. We will have to buy this one too! Perfect book for your toddler!

We checked this book out at the library a few weeks ago, and have been renewing it over and over since then. I just don't think we can part with it, because my two kids (2 1/2 & 15 months old) still ask for it every night. However, we're going to have to give it back to the city library, so I logged on this afternoon to buy a copy. We've never had a library book he loved like this one, and I love the perspective on rescue vehicles it gives. Instead of being afraid of the sirens and flashing lights, my two-year-old is learning the positive thought "Help is on the way!" The book is written in rhymes that are assembled well and fun to read, and my son is captivated by the words and the bright, vibrant pictures. It's really a fabulous book for not just little boys who love cars (although it is that, too), but for any small child to teach respect and trust for our various real-life rescue heroes.

It's a pity that there is no picture to accompany this listing as the illustrations (vivid, yet simple collage-type) are one of the best things about the book! It's also a bit bigger than most books, so the illustrations really stand out. My son (who just turned four) is obsessed with vehicles, especially vehicles that assist or rescue others, and this book really covers them all -- from the obvious ones (fire engine, ambulance, tow truck) to the less obvious ones (search-and-rescue helicopter, fire-fighting plane, flood raft, breakdown train, snowplow, traffic police motorcycle). Each double-page layout is devoted to one type of vehicle and situation. The last pages show all the vehicles in the places where they "sleep" for the night in a kind of overview of the town. This is perfect for reading at bedtime because of these last pages. (What's also nice about this illustration is that some of the vehicles are partially hidden or tucked away and so my son can "find" them each time.) The book is ... is hardcover and printed on heavy stock, so it's a keeper.

When my son started pretending to shoot things with a gun (made from his hands, or sometimes a stick) a few weeks ago, I immediately thought to look for a book about gun safety aimed (no pun intended!) at preschoolers.

A children's librarian found this one for me. It is exactly what I wanted--a simple way to explain to my three-year-old that a real gun is very different from a toy or pretend gun. The brief, simple text talks about different kinds of guns (shoulder arms vs. hand guns), how a bullet works, and why guns are dangerous even though they don't look that way on TV. The text states that grownups have different opinions about gun laws in the United States, but that all grownups agree that children shouldn't play with guns. The final page gives rules for what to do if you (a child) ever find a gun.

The illustrations are explicit enough to prompt discussion, but not at all scary. This book has generated lots of productive conversation and questions about guns. Five stars for helping out a busy parent with a tough topic!

Values neutral book is good for children, it will answer their questions, thus stopping most of the curiosity.
recommended by pro and anti alike.

I have read this book to my primary grade students since it was published. It presents facts about gun safety clearly, without taking sides. It is amazing how many discussions it provokes from the students. It is a great starting place for teaching safety, particularly gun safety, to young students. It should be a "must have" in any elementary school media center.

As a Mass. State/NRA Firearms Instructor, I am always on the look out for books that I can recommend to my students. This book does a nice job of explaining in simple terms the operation and dangers of Firearms and ammunition. It also contrasts the difference between TV, pretend play, and real life. This book is well illustrated and is politically neutral. This a good book for parents that would like to discuss the subject of firearms with their children but don't really know where to begin. I would also recommend pairing it with a book by Massad Ayoob called Gun Proof Your Children / The Handgun Primer.

While I really like this book and feel it explains well, I did need to mark it down a bit since I don't think that it emphasizes enough how kids should not pretend to use guns or stay away from them. The fact that this is only addressed on one page, versus the several pages of how a gun works, was disappointing. I'm not reading this to my sons so they know the difference between guns & how they work... and to get them excited about the concept of how a bullet can travel to the end of the block before they'd even take a step in a race... I'd rather find a book that will supplement the safety training we try to give our children about staying away from guns... not pretending to shoot people... etc...