Kit and Arlo Find a Way

Teaching consent to 8–12 year olds

By Ingrid Laguna and Vanessa Hamilton

PRE ORDER NOW ~ Publication date August 15, 2025

$32.95

Kit goes to school with her friends Harley and Vanya, and always tries her best at everything she does. Arlo is too loud, too close, just too... much. But when a moving van pulls up next to Kit’s house one weekend, Kit and Arlo find out they have a lot more in common than they thought. Join Kit, Arlo and their friends as they navigate school, home life and friendships, and learn more than a few things about how to get along.

Kit and Arlo Find a Way: Stories about consent for 8–12 year olds is a much-needed consent teaching resource for Grades 3 to 6. An action-packed and relatable fictional chapter book, Kit and Arlo is a page-turning journey of upper primary school kids – Kit, Arlo, Harley and Vanya – developing and exploring friendships with plenty of ups and downs. Entertaining and compelling as a standalone narrative, Kit and Arlo’s secret weapon is that it contains all of the complex components of consent and includes respectful relationships education in an age-appropriate format.

Teachers and parents can read the story, chapter by chapter, and then use the discussion points and ‘read and respond’ notes to facilitate conversations around consent in child-friendly ways. For schools and families needing a more in-depth consent and respectful relationships curriculum, a dedicated Kit and Arlo resources platform houses evidence-based teaching activities, videos, webinars, podcasts, resource links and lesson plans designed to tie in with the story.

Kit and Arlo Find a Way is a vital resource for schools and families doing the essential work of empowering kids with decision-making skills that will carry through to their interactions and relationships later on in life.

The Educational Publishing Awards Australia (EPAA) also recognised the importance and quality of this resource, awarding Kit and Arlo Find a Way wins for both the Educational Chapter Book and Outstanding Primary Resource categories.

NSW government schools should navigate to the NSW Department of Education’s Student Wellbeing external programs catalogue here to learn more about accessing this resource.

Key topics include:

body boundaries and safety
verbal and non-verbal cues
developing a sense of self, personal strength and self-determination
understanding that the responsibly of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ should be shared
understanding that shared activities should have enthusiastic, affirmative and ongoing consent
having the courage to withdraw consent
understanding gendered stereotypes, coercion and power imbalances
learning to have empathy for others
managing disappointment when someone changes their mind
how to be an upstander when someone is being harmed
the keys to respectful relationships and better friendships.

Teaching consent to children

For schools and families needing a more in-depth consent and respectful relationships curriculum, a dedicated Kit and Arlo resources platform houses evidence-based teaching activities, videos, webinars, podcasts, resource links and lesson plans designed to tie in with the story.

Consent is integral to human relationships throughout our whole lives. It is complex and also surprisingly simple.

The basic principles of consent must always apply to all of our connections, including with family, friends, work and play.

However, people are complex. In different situations, we can experience a range of different feelings, thoughts and emotions. In order to be sure that someone wants to share an experience with us equally, and that they are giving affirmative permission.

We need to make important choices and decisions to ensure we always have and give consent.

Download the resources here.

ISBN: 9781923569003

Size: 198 x 129 mm

Black & white, 166 pages

Publication date: August 15, 2025

About the author: Ingrid Laguna and Vanessa Hamilton

Ingrid Laguna is an award-winning novelist and educator. She has published a memoir and numerous books for children. Her work has been published internationally, featured by Reading Australia and given Notable recognition by the Children's Book Council of Australia. Ingrid’s writing has featured in many publications, including The Monthly, The Age, Teacher Magazine and The AEU Magazine. She regularly presents to teachers and students at schools, libraries, festivals and conferences.

Vanessa Hamilton is a sexuality educator and founder of education business ‘Talking The Talk Sex and Health Education’, with over 25 years’ experience as a registered sexual health nurse. She is a parent of 3 teens and is a highly respected speaker, podcaster, blog writer and educator on the topics of human sexuality, consent and respectful relationships. Vanessa has immersed herself in helping parents, teachers and health professionals understand human sexuality and, specifically, how it relates to children.