| Sensitive
Boys Book List Brave Girls and Strong Women Book List (boys can read these too) Tender Boys book list from Berkeley Public Library Books for Adults to help boys break through gender stereotypes Links to organizations for non-traditional men |
Boys suffer from gender stereotypes too. While girls might stifle their opinions to be more socially acceptable, boys tend to stifle or ignore their emotions. This can lead to serious problems, such as learning difficulties, violent behavior, depression, and suicide. There are many books showing girls breaking out of gender stereotypes. What about books which show boys and men in non-traditional roles? These are harder to come by, but are equally important. We want to allow both girls and boys to be true to themselves, instead of trying to conform to rigid stereotypes. It can be difficult to help boys break out of, or even see, the stereotypes that are guiding their lives. See Books for Adults for a list of books for parents and adult caregivers of boys. Also, see Links for organizations which help boys and men to stretch their gender boundaries. All the books on the Brave Girls and Strong Women Book List are suitable to read aloud to boys, or for older boys to read to themselves. Specifically, Boy v. Girl? How Gender Shapes Who We Are, What We Want, and How We Get Along is a good book to introduce older boys to the issue of gender stereotyping. The Moon Over Crete is a novel which shows boys and men in some non-traditional roles. Sing Through the Day: Eighty Songs for Children is a songbook which encourages gentleness and caring. In addition, you can investigate biographies of famous men leaders who took on peaceful, nurturing roles, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Johnny Appleseed, John Muir, Woody Guthrie, and George Washington Carver. For more ideas, see Against the Tide: Pro-Feminist Men in the United States, 1776-1990, a Documentary History. Also try biographies of men who pursued non-traditional careers: artists, dancers, and so forth. Laurence Anholt has written a number of beautiful picture books about men artists, including: Camille and the Sunflowers: A Story About Vincent Van Gogh. Other books written by him feature Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, Leonardo da Vinci, and Claude Monet. For younger boys, try the Raggedy Andy stories. Values such as sharing and helping are emphasized. Also try a neat picture book called Wild Dads by Ginjer Clarke, which shows how animal dads take care of their young. For older boys, try some of Judy Blume's books, such as Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing (and all the other "Fudge" books), and Then Again, Maybe I Won't. The Berkeley Public Library has a list of books which feature boys in non-traditional roles. Check out Tender Boys. Below are a few other books, all from small publishers, which show boys and men in non-traditional roles.
|
| Pelle's
New Suit, by Elsa Beskow Fiction, ages 4 and up. Elsa Beskow wrote and illustrated a number of beautiful children's books which emphasize nature and helpfulness. In this book, Pelle shears a sheep and performs chores for his family and neighbors in order to get a new set of clothes. (Gryphon House) |
| Peter
in Blueberry Land, by Elsa
Beskow Fiction, ages 4 and up. Peter sets out to find blueberries for his mother's birthday, and is taken on a lovely fantasy adventure by the King of the Blueberries. There are no dragons to slay in this adventure. (Gryphon House) |
| Peter's
Old House, by Elsa Beskow Fiction, ages 4 and up. A group of children help an old man to fix up his house. (Gryphon House) |
| Christopher's
Harvest Time, by Elsa Beskow Fiction, ages 4 and up. A charming book about a boy who sees the flowers and plants come alive in his garden. |
| Snipp,
Snapp, Snurr and the Red Shoes,
by Maj Lindman Fiction, ages 4 and up. Three little Swedish boys perform chores for their neighbors in order to earn money to buy Mother a birthday present. Other Snipp, Snapp, Snurr books include: (Albert Whitman and Company) |
| The
Birbal Tales, collected and
retold by James Moseley Folk-tales, ages 5 and up. Birbal was a wise judge in the court of Akbar, an Indian emperor. Here are tales showcasing his wisdom and compassion. This is a wonderful book to read aloud. (Summerwind Marketing) |
| The
Story of the Root Children,
by Sibylle von Olfers Fiction, ages 4 and up. The root children are boys and girls who bring the seasons. Beautiful illustrations. (Gryphon House) |
| Save
My Rainforest,
by Monica Zak Nonfiction, ages 5 and up. The true story of Omar Castillo, who at the age of 8 walked 870 miles with his father in an attempt to save the Lacandon Rainforest in Mexico. An inspiring story! (Volcano Press) |
Here are some books which can help you teach boys to question and challenge gender stereotypes, and to recognize and express their emotions in a healthy way.
| Raising
Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys,
by Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson |
| Emotional
Intelligence: Why It can Matter More than IQ,
by Daniel Goleman |
| Men's
Lives, by Michael Kimmel |
| Boy
Talk: How You can Help Your Son Express His Emotions,
by Mary Polce-Lynch |
| Real
Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood,
by William Pollack |
| Real
Boys' Voices, by William
Pollack Actual interviews and writings by boys on a variety of emotional issues. |
| Real
Boys Workbook, by William
Pollack |
| Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, by Marshall Rosenberg. This book helps adults and children to learn empathy as a way to end violence in the world. |
Games to Help Kids Identify Feelings:
Organizations:
Back to main Gender Equality Bookstore page.