“Smooch! A Kiss! It’s stuck on you. The love inside is just like glue. Wipe or rub it’s there to stay, ‘Cause kisses never fade away!,” begins this bright book for young children. No matter what the kids in the book do as they play throughout the day and grow throughout the years, the kiss is there, reminding them of the love of the person who gave it to them. A two-mom family is among the family types depicted.
A kiss as a representation of someone’s love is a not in itself a bad idea—but one of the book’s lines feels iffy in terms of teaching kids consent: “Sometimes you might hide from one, or think a kiss can be outrun, but every kiss is superfast, and once they land, they last and last.” The girl on the cover, being kissed on the ear by someone who is presumably her mom, also seems less than happy with the action; the girl is leaning away, with her shoulders up and her eyes scrunched tightly.
Kids should know that they can say no when someone tries to hug or kiss them, and that there are other ways than kisses (or any physical contact) to express our love. Neither concept is touched on here. (Yes! No! A First Conversation About Consent is a good book to start with if you are broaching this subject with young children.)
While the intent of the book seems good, I cannot recommend it.
Available as a board book or regular hardcover.
