Gender+Roles+and+the+Depiction+of+Gender+Children's+Literature

Gender Roles and the Depiction of Gender Children's Literature

 ** Waber, Bernard. __Ira Sleeps Over.__ Boston. Houghton Mifflin Company. 1972 and Renewed 2000. **

 **__ Summary __**__ : __ Ira is a young boy who is invited to his first sleep over at a friend's house. He is very excited and tells his entire family about his news. His sister puts doubt into his thinking by asking Ira if he will be taking his teddy bear. She points out that Ira had never slept without his teddy bear before. Ira was not nervous until his sister makes this statement. He is suddenly anxious thinking about the sleep over. Ira decides that he will "play it cool" with his friend the next day at school. His friend talks about how they are going to do "boy" things and have a pillow fight, wrestle, magic tricks, and look through his junk collection. Ira notices the masculinity of all these ideas and asks his friend what he thinks about teddy bears. Ira's friend ignores the question and continues to talk about their upcoming sleepover. Reggie, Ira's friend, says that they can also tell ghost stories that evening. Reggie says that his house is perfect to tell ghost stories in because it is very dark at nighttime. Ira notices that Reggie ignored his inquiry about teddy bears and asks Reggie again what he thinks about teddy bears. Reggie was all of a sudden in a hurry to get going and head home. Ira said that he would see Reggie later on that night. Throughout the night, the boys did all of the activities that Reggie spoke about earlier. Later that night Reggie's father came in and said that it was bedtime. The boys sighed and decided that they could still tell ghost stories, even if they were in bed. The story that they were telling became very scary to both of them and Reggie paused to get something out of his dresser. What Reggie retrieved was his very own teddy bear! Ira then appeared at his home's front door, which was next door to Reggie's home. He told his family that he was going to take his teddy bear over to Reggie's house. His sister insisted that Reggie would laugh, but Ira was sure that he wouldn't. When Ira got back to Reggie's room, he found Reggie fast asleep with his teddy bear. They both slept through the night, holding tight to their fuzzy friends.


 * __Analysis: __** This book depicts the idea that it is just as okay for boys to have teddy bears or dolls as it is for girls. The characters relate well to one another. As far as issues with status or power, the book addresses the idea that having a teddy bear may not be "cool" in the eyes of some- that it may not be socially appropriate for boys to have dolls or bears. Ira, the lead character, could possibly be considered a victim of these socially acceptable norms. However, Ira wins in the end, realizing that he can be an independent person with independent ideas and behaviors. The story does a great job of letting children become aware that certain behaviors are not only common throughout friends and strangers, but also that they are completely acceptable.

 __**Questions for Discussion**__:  **1.** Why does Ira's sister believe that Reggie will laugh at Ira's teddy bear?  **2.** Why does Ira feel nervous about the idea of not bringing his teddy bear?  **3.** Why do you think Reggie first ignores Ira's questions about teddy bears?  **4.** Were you surprised at what Reggie gets out of his dresser?  **5.** What lesson can we take from this story?

 __**Ideas for Classroom Usage:**__  **1.** Have each student bring with them to class their favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal. We could then either read this story, or read a different story aloud in a reading circle (as an entire class).  **2.** After reading the story as a class, each student is to make a list of the things that they would want or feel they would need to bring to a sleepover. The class could then share their ideas to see who has the same items, and who has an item that nobody else thought of.

 Submitted by: Jennifer F.

** Madison, Lynda. **__**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The Feelings Book : The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions **__ <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">. American Girl Publishing. Copyright 2002. **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;"> __**Summary:**__ This is a book by the popular American Girl series that enables young girls to be able to cope with their feelings. The book is geared solely for girls and their unique attributes. The book, despite being somewhat lengthy (100 pages), gives girls the tools that they need to express their feelings while staying in control. The book also deals with issues such as handling anxiety, fears, grief, and jealousy. One of the best parts of this book, in my opinion, was the incorporation of letters by real girls that were sent in to the American Girl Magazine. The book gently and tactfully conquers issues that girls deal with through puberty and even prior. It expresses the notion that it is okay to have the feelings that you do, and that it is absolutely normal. The book is also an excellent source for developing positive self-esteem and focus in young girls.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;"> __**Analysis:**__ This book is an excellent pick for both teachers and parents of young, pre-teen, and teenage girls. The message is straightforward, yet optimistic, and in my opinion would be a great boost of self esteem for girls, especially ones that may encounter strong emotions, anxiety, or troubles. The best attribute to this book is that it not only describes the certain kinds of feelings that can occur, but also gives girls ways to deal with them. I like that it doesn't just leave girls hanging with a description of what they are feeling and how common it may or may not be. In fact, there is an entire chapter (appropriately entitled, "Help!" that offers strategies and ways to cope with emotions and feelings.)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> __**Questions for Discussion:**__ <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 1. Think silently to yourself- have you ever had any of the feelings described in this book? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 2. If so, how did you deal with them? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 3. Do you feel that there were better ways to cope with your feelings now that you have read this book? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 4. Do you see how it is normal for ALL girls to have feelings and emotions, and this doesn't make us wrong or different?

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Submitted By: Jennifer F.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**Jada Pinkett-Smith. __Girls Hold Up This World.__ Cartwheel Publishing. 2004.**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> **__ Summary __**

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Girls Hold Up This World is a beautiful book that empowers women. Jada uses eloquent rhyming words to create a book that describes how beautiful women are. The photographer Donyell Kennedy-McCullough contributed to this wonderful book by adding photos of a variety of women. The book shows women of all age, and race, and even included photos of Jada and her daughter. This book definitely empowers woman, and helps us to realize that even though we are different we are still all connected.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**__ Analysis __** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The book shares the appropriate level of cultural diversity. One of the pages in the book has women of all different races, and age with the caption, “We are sisters of this Earth- members of one powerful tribe.” It expresses that even though we all come from many different backgrounds and ages, that we all come together as a group of women, and we are all the same. The book stresses that women should be proud of who they are and where they come from. It says, “Every color, age, and size, we’re united by beauty inside. I feel that the main idea of the book is to be proud that you are a woman because we are unique and beautiful. The female gender role that is depicted in the book discusses the unstoppable personalities that women have no matter where they’re from, what they look like, or how old they are. Women appear to have a very strong bond in this book, it shows them hugging, mother’s kissing daughters. There is a lot of love in the book and it promotes that no woman is greater than the other, we are all equally strong.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**__ Discussion __**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">How are all of these people different, and similar?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">What does it mean when the book says, “We are sisters of this Earth”?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Do you think that all of the women in this book live the same lives?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">What lessons have we learned from this book?

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**__ Classroom Use __** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I think that I would use this book to show students that we are all the same but everyone has differences that are unique. I would like to include the boys by finding a book about “Boys or Men” and ask them if boys can be similar to other boys. I think that classroom discussion is the best way to get the children to understand the importance of the story.

Submitted by: Katie Bush

Author: Eileen Spinelli Illustrator: Paul Yalowitz Copyright: 1993 Published by Aladdin The children's book Boy, Can He Dance is a great story about a young boy who has a passion for dancing. The little boy's name is Tony. Tony's father is a chef at a hotel and yearns for his son to follow in his footsteps of being involved in the culinary arts. Tony is not interested in being a chef because his true passion is dance. Tony's father has him work in the kitchen, and even though he doesn't want to be there he makes the best of the situation. Tony dances around while he helps around the kitchen. One evening while he is at the hotel kitchen an opportunity arises for Tony. One of the dancers for a banquet at the hotel can not show up. Tony fills in for the missing dancer, and his dad is shocked to see how talented his son truely is. I truely love this store mainly because I have such a strong passion for dance myself. It is not socially accepted in most societies for boys to be dancers. People label males who dance as homosexual or feminine. I feel that this book allows children to see that you should not be limited in your passions, no matter how others feel about it. It took Tony's father seeing how talented he was before he accepted it. In todays society we should expand our children's minds by allowing them to reach for their goals, whether it is considered a masculine or feminine dream. If a little girl has the passion to work in construction, we as adults should promote their dreams and be accepting. Our children yearn for our acceptance and we can help our students achieve their dreams by believing in them.
 * __Summary:__**
 * __Analysis:__**
 * __Questions:__**
 * Do you think that Tony's father ignored his passion for dance because he felt like it was a (girly) dream?
 * What are some typical male or female jobs that our society feel should only be done by a man or a woman only?
 * How can we support our students and children in their dreams?
 * Are girls the only gender who can dance?


 * __Classroom Use__**

1. Have the students write down careers or goals that they would like to have or be when they grow up. After they write down their ideas have all the students share with the class. After each child has shared their ideas see if any boys and girls have the same career goals. I feel that students will see that their dreams should not be ruled by what gender they are.

2. I would like for my students to write a list of jobs that only girls "should do" and then a list of jobs that only boys "should do". After the children have written their list the teacher could write girls and boys on the board. Under each one have the students tell what they wrote and place it under the category they put in under on their paper. After everyone has shared go around the classroom and ask them if they know anyone who has one of these jobs, and if they are male or female. I think it would also be interesting if the teacher could find some guests to come into the classroom who do not have the typical male/female job.


 * Optional books **




 * 10,000 dresses by Marcus Ewert and Rex Ray is a book about a little boy who has dreams every night about beautiful dresses but his parents tell him he is a boy and it isn't right to have dreams about girly things
 * Oliver Button is a Sissy by Tomie dePaola is a story about a little boy who doesnt do typical boy activities.
 * Williams Doll by Charlotte Zolotow and William Pene Du is a book about a little boy who wants his own doll, and everyone feels that little boys shouldn't have dolls