Welcome to Consent

Welcome to Consent by Yumi Stynes and Dr Melissa Kang is a must-read guidebook designed for tweens and teens of all genders, offering crucial insights into understanding and navigating consent. Written by the award-winning authors behind Welcome To Your Period and Welcome to Sex, this invaluable resource offers a comprehensive approach to a topic that affects everyone, regardless of age or gender.

The book serves as a thoughtful and engaging manual on the rules of consent, aimed at curious young readers aged 11 to 14, as well as their parents or guardians who seek to support them. With their combined expertise as an adolescent health expert and a journalist, Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes have crafted a reassuring and informative text that addresses real-life situations with empathy and clarity.

Understanding consent is vital in numerous aspects of everyday life, from simple interactions like getting a haircut or visiting the doctor to more intimate situations such as hugging a friend or kissing a partner. Welcome to Consent deftly explores the intricacies of consent, emphasising that it’s not always as straightforward as a clear 'Yes, you can!' or 'No, you can’t!'.

Through a blend of relatable illustrations, clear explanations, and real-life examples, this critically acclaimed guide breaks down complex concepts related to bodily autonomy and consent. Readers will learn to navigate new or changing feelings, recognise power imbalances, stay safe in online spaces, and maintain mutually comfortable relationships. Key lessons include active listening, setting boundaries, and advocating for oneself and others.

Stynes and Dr Kang approach this essential topic with a balance of passion and sensitivity, providing young readers with the tools they need to understand and assert their boundaries effectively. The overarching message is one of empowerment: everyone deserves to set their own boundaries and have them respected.

• 'Impressively comprehensive... The overarching message is that everyone deserves to set their own boundaries and have them respected. ★★★★★' – Commonsense Media
• 'Utterly indispensable.' – Readings
• 'Thorough and empowering.' – Kirkus

I'm ready for this book if:

• I’m curious about how consent works.
• I will get a haircut or visit the doctor on my own one day.
• I think I might kiss someone or have a relationship in the future (even if I’m not ready to yet).
• I don’t know how to actually TALK about consent.
• It’s hard to say no.
• I don’t know when to say yes.
• I find consent confusing!

★ HIGHLY COMMENDED: Australian Book Industry Award for Book of the Year for Older Children ★

★ A BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2024: Bank Street College of Education ★

Read the entire Welcome To series by Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes:

• Welcome to Your Period: Your easy, no-silly-questions guide to handling it like a boss
• Welcome to Your Boobs: Your easy, no-silly-questions guide to your breast friends
• Welcome to Consent: How to say no, when to say yes and everything in between
• Welcome to Sex: Your no-silly-questions guide to sexuality, pleasure and figuring it out