4 Children’s Books about Personal Space

I’m grateful to the participants at the Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter party who suggested book topics that they were having trouble finding. One such topic was about personal space. When I mentioned it to my mom friends, they laughed because our friend Penny gets very uncomfortable when our boxing trainer comes in too close. And that’s the thing about personal space; it’s the space between you and a person that keeps you feeling safe. I’m sure we are hardwired from the time of living in caves to keep a certain distance for the sake of safety.

For kids who don’t have a sense of personal space and boundaries, I found three books (just three — there are not many on this topic!) to introduce this topic. Personal space also segues into safety for children whether it’s the social-emotional trauma of moving or regarding inappropriate touch. I have books to cover all of this.

How about you? Do you have a funny personal space or boundary story? Please share!

Personal Space Picture Book of the Day

Personal Space Camp By Julia Cook

Louis is a space expert but he doesn’t know much about personal space. He lands a spot in his principal’s Personal Space Camp where she uses a hula hoop as a personal spaceship to teach the kids about the right amount of space you need to feel comfortable. There’s also the “comfort bubble” which protects your spaceship from other ships and it isn’t always the same size depending on the situation. Louis gets to practice these concepts using a Personal Space Line-Up Rope (PSLUR for short). I love how this book uses concrete exercises to teach kids about personal space and boundaries. My school doesn’t offer a personal space camp but you can create your own at home using this book! [picture book, ages 4 and up]

4 Children’s Books about Personal Space and Boundaries

Don’t Hug Doug: (He Doesn’t Like It) by Carrie Finnison, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman

It’s ok not to want to accept a hug. Doug prefers a high-five — any version, up, down, low or spinny! But how do you know if it’s ok to hug someone? This picture book is a good reminder that you have to ask!  [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Kindergators: Hands Off, Harry! By Rosemary Wells

For some kids, personal space issues occur because they are just too active and bounce off the walls (or those around them). Harry the alligator is like that. He can’t keep his hands to himself and accidentally-on-purpose bumps into kids. Babette came up with putting a rubber inner tube to show Harry teaching him about personal space and it works beautifully. He couldn’t grab anyone’s juice or join hands at sing-a-long. And when it was his turn to be the playground monitor, he did a terrific job! [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Personal Space FREE coloring book about personal space and safety. This would go with this book list: Keeping Kids Safe from Inappropriate Touch.

Violet Mackerel’s Personal Space by Anna Bradford, illustrated by Elanna Allen

“It’s the Theory of Leaving Small Things Behind,” says Violet. “When you leave something small behind, maybe a small part of you gets to stay too.”

Violet Mackeral doesn’t have an issue with personal boundaries, but she does like to claim a small secret space as her own to hold memories fast. So while this easy chapter book isn’t about knowing others’ boundaries for the reasons of safety or comfort, it still kind of is a book about personal safety and comfort in a different, internal emotional sense of feeling connected in a world of change. [early chapter book, ages 6 and up]

To examine any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.

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p.s. Related posts:

New Picture Books to Teach Consent

How To: Teach Manners to Kids

Keeping Kids Safe from Inappropriate Touch

Teaching Inappropriate Touch to Kids Starting at Age 3

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 Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

• Junior Library Guild Gold selection
• Massachusetts Book Award Long List
• Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
• Starred review from School Library Journal
• Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
• 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
• Green Earth Book Award Long List
• Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

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Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me