Categories: Anxiety, Bullying, Violence & Abuse, Sadness, Safety and Protection

Let’s Talk: Have you got a Secret?

The situations explained in this book help children to distinguish between good and bad secrets and encourage communication between the child reader and an adult.

Author: Jennifer Moore-Mallinos
Illustrator: Marta Fabrega
Publisher: Book House

Every child has secrets, and many secrets are fun to keep, for example a surprise birthday gift for mum, or a secret handshake with a friend. But sometimes, children have secrets that make them feel bad, such as a child who is being bullied might be inclined to keep it secret. Have you got a secret? helps children to understand that secrets that make them feel bad are best shared with their parents, or with some trusted older person.

Things we liked:

Very well illustrated and carefully written in a manner that is accessible to children.

Worth noting:

This book covers situations where it is OK to keep a secret (for example, a surprise birthday party or a special handshake between friends). It also covers 'bad' or inappropriate secrets: the sort that make you feel 'unhappy inside' or worry a lot. Examples that are given include when someone hurts you, takes something from you or others, or touches you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable. The book emphasises that you should not keep a bad secret just because someone tells you to, and how important it is to tell a trusted grown-up about it.