Book Review: Rosy and Jack

Rosy and Jack
Nicole Reading
Published by St Luke’s Innovative Resources
£18.50; ISBN: 0958018820

STAR RATING: 4/5

Rosy and Jack is an Australian book written for children who have been sexually abused, writes Caroline Trickey. It contains accessible information relating to how sexual abuse might impact on children.

The book covers issues such as disclosure, responsibility and reassurance, children’s rights, safety issues and recognising and expressing feelings. Rosy and Jack also highlights the central role of the non-abusing carer.

The images are very powerful and vividly depict feelings such as fear and anger. I especially liked the use of pictures to show how our bodies can tell us what we are feeling, such as a churning stomach. There are also some humorous visuals which help make the book engaging.

Importantly, the identity of the perpetrator is left ambiguous so a child should be more able to link the story with their own particular experience.

Occasionally Rosy and Jack tries to give too much information. A few pages are so full that the effect is overwhelming. However, in general, I feel this book is a useful resource for practitioners in this field of work.

Caroline Trickey is a children’s services practitioner at the NSPCC in Swindon