Description

These plush puppets help illustrate You Have a Voice, a book that teaches kids how and when to say no.

Spike is a porcupine who tells the children of a time that he trusted a friend, and then the friend attempted to hurt him. Spike shares with the children his obvious form of self-defense and then reminds the children that even though they don’t have quills to defend themselves, they do have a voice and can tell the person to STOP!!! And then tell someone who will listen to them, so it doesn’t happen again.

Shelley is a shy little turtle who is nearly abused by a relative who frequently comes to visit. She is able to escape and hide within her shell, but she shares her story with children in this book and understands that even though they may not have a shell to hide in, they do have a voice. Shelley strongly encourages boys and girls to tell someone if something similar happens to them.

Squirt (whose real name is April) is a feisty little skunk. She shares her story with children about a time that she thought she was safe in a church setting, but she wasn’t. She was forced to use her self-defense odor to protect herself. She speaks to the children about embarrassment and shame and not feeling like she was listened to. Squirt wants to remind all boys and girls that they have a voice and they should not quit telling until something is done about it.