What Would You Do?

Award Winning Finalist USA Best Book Awards

What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers teaches and empowers children, in a non-threatening way, to take a proactive role in staying safe from predators and harm.

Author Melissa Harker Ridenour is a former teacher, and has mentored students in every facet of their educational development. As a mother and grandmother, she shares concerns with all parents for the safety of children. Melissa’s love of children and her concern for their safety and welfare is the motivating factor behind the development of her book, What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers. Melissa offers workshops to schools and other educational institutions or organizations. The workshops reinforce for children, in a fun and creative way, some of the information and strategies presented in What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers.

What People Say

Children’s Literature – Cathi I. White for Readers Favorite
Every day strangers are seen. They are everywhere: in our neighborhood, at the stores, at church, near schools, and at parks. There are many types of strangers: tall, short, old, young, big, small, dark-haired, light-haired, male, and female. But how does a child know which strangers are good ones and which are not? Children need to know how to identify someone who is a stranger, what to do if a stranger approaches them, and how to get help if needed. The author has written this unique, interactive book for kids to help them understand more about strangers. There are examples accompanied with questions and answers about what to do. For instance, one question deals with what would a child do if he or she usually walks home with a best friend, but one day the friend is not available. What would the child do? One of the wrong options is to walk home alone. In giving the answer, the author explains the correct response and why the other answers are not good choices. This kind of interaction allows a child to think about each circumstance and how he or she would handle it as well as being able to discuss each question with a parent. The information given helps a child to learn the right way to deal with each situation so they will not be vulnerable to a stranger. When reading this enlightening book, children will have fun with the questions and puzzles. In addition, the illustrations are good visuals to show children what they can do. There is also an informational section for parents and references for additional material. This educational book should be read by all parents, teachers, and children. Reviewer: Cathi I. White

“What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers presents some very important information for children in today’s world. Through a question format, the author presents information to teach and empower children, in a non-threatening way, to take a proactive role in staying safe from harm. The book helps build children’s confidence, determines whom they should trust, and teaches them to respond to potentially dangerous situations. The book is easy to read and includes a review, as well as word puzzles, to insure that the reader learns the content. Including a parent/caregiver guide is an excellent idea. This is a much-needed book and should be in all elementary and middle schools in America.” —John D. Myers, Retired Superintendent of Schools

“This interactive book gives our children and their parents a step-by-step system to staying safe and to evaluate methodically many dangerous situations by giving them choices on how they should respond to strangers. I found this book personally challenging, engaging, and very easy and fun to read.”—Dallas Wolfe, Sheriff of Preston County, WV / WV State Police (retired)

“What Would You Do: A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers offers children, parents and grandparents valuable lessons and resources on how we can take action to be safe… and how we can seek safety and security in a sometimes scary world.” —Miles Cobbett, Author of the children’s book, Champion, Elementary school teacher, Administrator of the Read to Kids Facebook Fan Club

“Obviously, there is a need for this information. A copy of this book arrived the same day that my stepgranddaughter told me she was learning about ‘safe touch’ at school. She had a difficult time explaining what she had learned, and since she is an A student, there must have been some flaw in how the material was presented. Written so children can understand without feeling panic, What Would You Do: A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers is the way I prefer my grandchildren learn about being safe.
“From understanding how to use Caller ID, setting a family code word, establishing an ICE (In Case of Emergency) list of safe people, to knowing what to do if a stranger comes calling, this book has everything a child needs to know about staying safe whether on the Internet, phone, or at home. With puzzles, quizzes, and a checklist to empower parents, this is a great handbook to help children discover their own answers to personal safety issues. This should be required reading for elementary schoolchildren.”
—Yvonne Perry, author of Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You, http://WhoseStuffIsThis.com, author of The Sid Series—A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children, Author at National Writing for Children’s Center