It was so heartwarming to read a book that helps teach kids about healthy and safe touches/displays of affection.

How to say “no”, when a kid doesn’t want a kiss or a hug or just not to be touched at all.

Teaching kids to use their voice shows that they care about themselves too.

No and stop are major key words to use, and this book made that SUPER clear.

This was a great story to teach children about boundaries, consent, and being able to say no. Rissy doesn't want to give kissies & so do some children. It is important to continue to teach kids that their boundaries are acceptable and they don't owe anyone hugs or kisses no matter how they know the person. A must buy to continue this conversation in families.

This book is all about not liking to get kisses. There are other ways to show love and effecting, and Rissy, just wants other’s to know that. This story is very well done, and the illustrations nicely match. I love the info bits in the end matter that emphasizes not to make a child hug and kiss because just like adults they have body anonymity too. The only thing that keeps this from being a 5 star read is that while the book tries to rhyme, many are harsh and cadence flows, then stops, then changes. Makes it hard to read aloud to a large group of kids.

This is a children's book. I have to say this was not my favorite children's book. I read the book to my twin boys, and they liked the pictures in the book. I feel the message in the book did not come though very well. The book I feel was not written very well for kids to understand. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Lerner/Carolrhoda) or author (Katey Howes) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I loved this book , I loved how the book teaches the concept to children about how they can choose to kiss or hug or show emotion to each other. That it is okay to not hug or kiss family members and that it is okay to feel the way we do when you do not want to show that type of affection. Rissy shows children it is also okay to speak up about feelings and not to keep things bottled inside of you. This is a story I will certainly get for my students.

This book shows that you should respect others boundaries and wishes, even children. Despite Rissy being a lovebird she does not like kisses. She has no problem voicing her dislike. It's important for everyone to respect others wishes and not judge or tell them otherwise. As a mother to an autistic son, he is very sensitive to touch and does not like people hugging him. Even though it may come off as rude when he turns or pushes away, his intention is to just get away from the touching. He's now expressive with other displays of affection, such as waving hello or air high fives. This book is a reminder that other people, including children, should have their voiced concerns respected.

Thank you Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very sweet book to help teach kids about consent. Rissy is told by everyone that as a lovebird, surely she should love giving kisses? Except for our feathered friend, she hates it!

Kids will get into Rissy's reply of No kissies! As the story goes on. Rissy questions if there is something wrong with her not wanting to be physically affectionate. I love that her mum reassured her and explained that everyone expresses their care differently. And that it's ok to not want people to touch you.

The watercolour illustrations are gorgeous, with brigh colours popping off the page. The author also includes a couple of pages to help kids and adults talk about bodily consent. I really enjoyed this, and wish these conversations were a thing when I was younger.

I thought this book was done very appropriately for children to learn about personal space & how it’s ok not to want people to be too close or show affection in certain ways. The illustrations were done nicely & the book was easy to follow & I think it would make a great toll in any school counselors office or even doctors office.

This was absolutely perfect— the book was adorable and had a great message. The illustrations were bright, and the short rhyming sentences carried the story forward. This would be a great book to teach children about consent

I really wanted to love this book. My immediate thoughts when I saw the title was 'yes, a book to teach about boundaries for kids' but ultimately I found this book dropped the ball. I found it super confusing that the parents thought there was something wrong with their child instead of stepping up and validating their request not to be kissed. There is a lot of shaming and being made to feel like it wrong until the end.

Rissy No Kissies by Katey Howes tell the story of Rissy, a lovebird who does not like to kiss. Everyone wants to show Rissy how much they love and care for her by giving her kisses, but Rissy continues to say no. She is accused of being mean and rude by others. She is told that all lovebirds love kisses and the other birds wonder if she is sick or confused. Rissy begins to doubt herself own feelings, but she is finally able to verbalize to everyone that kisses make her worried and feel weird. She explains how she can show that she cares in a variety of other ways. Fortunately her mother helps Rissy accept that who she is and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with her.
This is an important book that shows children how everyone can like different things. It also shows children that they are the ones in charge of who gets to touch their bodies and how to touch them. It helps children establish boundaries with others. It also touches on the concept of consent. I particularly think it would be useful for children who may have some sensory processing concerns. It can help explain to well meaning caregivers that some children do not like to be touched and why. My son has severe autism and does not like to be touched, hugged, or kissed. We have relatives who felt rejected because he did not want physical affection. This book can explain that not everyone likes that and that it is perfectly okay. It is also important to teach our children that it is okay to say no.

A great book about consent and boundaries for young readers. It accurately shows how kids can feel pressured to give physical contact they're not comfortable with, as well as ways to stand up for yourself and set those boundaries everyone needs.

I do not think this book is appropriate for children. No means no, yet this character has to continue saying. Everyone knew how the character felt , but they kept pushing her to change her mind even though she said no. I think this gives the wrong message.

An excellent accompaniment of kids and adult notes after this story really made me appreciate how excellent this story about difference and boundaries is. In addition to being struck by how important the messages shared in these notes are, it's a lovely story and has sweet illustrations.

This rhyming picturebook teaches the children an important lesson about consent. Most other lovebirds love kissies but they make Rissy feel uncomfortable, and others are upset with Rissy. But eventually they understand that everyone expresses affection their own way, and you shouldn't force such attentions on others that make them feel icky.

I read this on my Kindle app for my phone and I would recommend reading this book in some other format. The text is rather tiny for a small screen and the pages are clumsy to enlarge and to turn.
But I got an ARC from Netgalley and the final published version might be different.

This was a super sweet book about a little lovebird called Rissy who didn't like kissies. The book explores the topic of consent, respecting people's boundaries and acceptance in a way that anyone can understand. It has cute pictures, simple vocabulary and imparts an important message without being preachy. I liked it and would definitely recommend for young children.

Rissy is an odd little lovebird.... Kisses make her highly uncomforable and she just doesn't like them! Unfortunately for her, noone seems to understand her feelings. Her friends and family are offended but eventually, her mummy explains to her that her feelings are fine and regardless of her preferences, she is a true lovebird. Rissy is then empowered to share with others, how she is comfortable being embraced/loved.

"Rissy no kisses" legitimizes kids feelings and empowers them to stand up for themselves. It also encourages adults to be more understanding towards them.

The illustrations are gorgeous and it's beautifully worded.

I have an autistic son and it feels like this book was written for him. He HATES kisses. He HATES the word love. I have never forced either of these things on him, but instead found things he does like. He loves nose bumps and hugs. He likes when I say I like him and really care about him. I think books like this will make him feel better about himself and comfortable in his own skin. I truly hope to see more books like this published.

Rissy No Kissies by Katey Howes, illus. Jess Engle was a charming book with a message that is long overdue. It follows the adventures of Rissy, a lovebird, as she tries to navigate her life and share that despite being a lovebird she does not want physical affection. As a mother to two children with autism, I am going to share this book with others (especially grandparents) who do not understand that it is acceptable to show love in ways outside of physical touch.

My boys are similar to Rissy with clearly defined boundaries, social stories are crucial to helping them learn. My older son said he often feels this way so this was a good book for me to gain greater understanding and gain empathy for his day to day struggles. It was especially important for Rissy to receive reassurance from her mother that “you get to pick the ways you want to show us you care.” Tips for children and caregivers were also shared at the end of the book.

The illustrations are colorful and they draw even the youngest reader in. Short sentences make the topic accessible for all. Watching the evolution of Rissy feeling uncomfortable to gaining confidence is clearly depicted with great detail. It is clear to all that showing affection can be accomplished in multiple ways thanks to the sweet lovebird Rissy,

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Carolrhoda Books in exchange for my honest review from Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

I received an electronic ARC from Lerner Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Empowering story that offers an excellent example of body autonomy. Rissy the Lovebird does not like kisses and she emphatically says this when others try to kiss her. They don't understand so think something is wrong with her rather than acknowledge her right to this option. Rissy talks with her mom who reassures her she is fine and this is who she is. This empowers Rissy to find her courage to share with others how she wants to show and receive affection.
Kudos to Katey Howes for creating this story to encourage children of all ages to be true to themselves and know it is okay to set boundaries with their bodies and feelings. Love the information at the end for both children and adults. This is one every family should own and read together.