Gender Stereotypes in Children's Picture Books
Books Breaking Gender Stere0types
This is a list of books I have compiled that break traditional gender stereotypes. I have found all of these books at the 95th St. branch of the Naperville Public Library located at 3015 Cedar Glade Rd, Naperville, IL 60564.
There, There by Sam McBartney
McBratney, S., & Bates, I. (2013). There, There. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
There, There is an excellent picture book featuring Hansie Bear, a young and adventurous baby bear who gets into all sorts of mischief. With each little accident and boo-boo, his father is always there to comfort him with a "There, there..." Later when his daddy is hurt, little Hansie comforts his papa with a "There, there..." of his own! This book features Daddy playing doctor and offering comfort as opposed to Mommy. Books featuring Daddy in this role aren't nearly as plentiful. Recommended for children ages 3-7.
The Family Book by Todd Parr
Parr, T. (2003). The Family Book. New York: Little, Brown.
The Family Book by Todd Parr is a highly celebrated picture book illustrating various similarities and differences among families. "Some families are big, some families are small" and "All families are sad when they lose someone they love." This book defies gender stereotypes by showing diverse parents so effortlessly within the pages; "Some families have two moms or two dads." It is excellent to see gay and lesbian families represented within a popular children's book without it being the central theme. Some children might also have two moms or two dads because they were adopted. It's important to expose children to a wider and healthier range of family situations so children can grow to be comfortable with diversity from a young age. Recommended for children ages 3-6.
Sonia Sotomayor by Jonah Winter
Winter, J., & Rodriguez, E. (2009). Sonia Sotomayor: a Judge Grows in the Bronx. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
This biographical picture book depicts the remarkable journey of Sonia Sotomayor, the first female Puerto Rican Supreme Court justice. Winters portrays Sotomayor’s remarkable achievement despite the serious setbacks of growing up in poverty and living in public housing projects in the South Bronx. Through her hard work and determination, Sotomayor was able to pursue her dreams of becoming a judge by attending Princeton University through scholarships, eventually leading her to become a Supreme Court justice nominated by President Barack Obama. Written in English and Spanish, Sotomayor’s story demonstrates to children that regardless of their gender, ethnic, racial, or economic backgrounds, they too can overcome setbacks and follow their dreams to achieve educational and professional success. Perfect for children ages 4-8.
Piggybook by Anthony Browne
Browne, A. (1986). Piggybook. New York: Knopf, Inc..
Piggybook by Anthony Browne is an absolute classic book from 1986 which illustrates the gender roles prevalent in the 1980's which many still abide by to this day. A mother tired of doing all the chores ends up leaving her lazy family and the men literally turn into pigs. They attempt to clean the house and cook themselves but it's horribly disastrous without Mrs. Piggot to do all the work. When the mother comes back to the house, the boys and father beg for her to stay. She stays and the men begin doing all the chores while the mother fixes the car. Piggybook might not neccesarily depict modern families but it can definitely be used to talk about gender stereotypes and gender rolls with children. Best suited for children ages 3-7 but can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone of any age!
My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis
Kilodavis, C., & DeSimone, S. (2011). My Princess Boy: a Mom's Story About a Young Boy Who Loves to Dress Up. New York: Aladdin.
My Princess Boy is a non-fiction children's book about a young boy who loves beautiful dresses and the color pink. Cheryl Kilodavis writes this story based on first hand experiences of dealing with her own son who is a happy princess boy himself. This is an excellent example of a picture book that promotes awareness and acceptance of children who do not conform to gender norms. Recommended for children ages 4-8. Visit myprincessboy.com to learn more about the book and its message. ABC News also reported on the touching story of Cheryl Kilodavis's son in a video here.
The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman
Hoffman, M., & Asquith, R. (2011). The Great Big Book of Families. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman is an excellent nonfiction book, similar in tone as The Family Book by Todd Parr but geared for older children. The book provides more description and details than Parr's book and has more realistic illustrations. The same message is portrayed though; families come in all different shapes and sizes and each one has unique traits that makes them special. This book is my favorite because it shows men and women breaking stereotypes on nearly every page. Examples include mom working while dad is taking care of the children, dad cooking on several different pages, dad knitting a sweater, and on one page says, "Some children have two mommies or two daddies." This book is all inclusive and is an excellent read celebrating families outside the confines of gender stereotypes. Best suited for children ages 5-8.
Phoebe & Digger by Tricia Springstubb
Springstubb, T., & Newman, J. (2013). Phoebe and Digger. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.
Phoebe & Digger is a unique tale of a young girl's love of dirt and a toy that has traditionally been viewed as a "boy toy." That's right -- her favorite toy is not a barbie doll or sparkly pink toy but a metal toy digger. This short picture book also surprisingly covers a lot of issues that children deal with including new siblings and bullying in addition to toy stereotypes. The book has received a lot of positive reviews including School Library Journal describing the book as "perfect for story hour." Recommended for children ages 3-7.
Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell
Falwell, C. (2013). Rainbow Stew. New York: Leo and Lowe Books.
This adorable picture book tells the story of a rainy summer day where the children and their grandpa spend quality time together picking veggies from the garden to make a delicious stew. Grandpa is the caretaker in this storybook and he is portrayed as an expert in the kitchen. As the stew is heating, Grandpa sits and reads stories with the children on the couch. The last page shows the children enjoying the delicious stew with their grandpa, yum yum yum! Finally, a picture book showing an active grandfather completely comfortable in the kitchen rather than the stereotypical books showing grandma as the best cook of all. This is an excellent book for children and shows how completely natural it is for men, including grandpa, to be inside the kitchen preparing meals. Excellent read for children ages 5-8.
