All Bodies are Good Bodies

All Bodies are Good Bodies by Charlotte Barkla, Erica Salcedo (Little Hare Books) HB RRP $24.95 ISBN 9781760503932

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Here is a clever new picture book for young children that helps a child identify and celebrate their own unique body from debut author Charlotte Barkla, colourfully illustrated by Erica Salcedo.

All Bodies are Good Bodies explores nine different body parts with simple and engaging text for young children that is supported by diversity inclusive illustrations of all sorts of different bodies.

Basically, this book celebrates individual differences with a sense of wonder and encourages reader engagement. The illustrations not only support the text but add multiple layers of meaning.

The words ‘I love … are repeated throughout the book at the start of each page turn and body part along with the illustration of the body part. This can help a small child being read the story predict the text so that they may join in the reading of the story. 

The illustrations are bold and beautiful and along with white space create strong visuals with the cartoon like drawings of children. They depict movement and wonder and a sense of fun as each body part is explored.