Children's Literature Connections
Boys who break the stereotype:
My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis
A mom tells a story about her little boy who loves to dress up and dances like a ballerina. She explains that even though everyone in her family loves her “princess boy”, other people stare and laugh at her son for how he looks. Kilodavis wrote this book to promote acceptance of people for who they are instead of what they look like or how they act. Unit Connection: Lesson focused on – What can we do in our school/community to promote acceptance of people for who they are instead of what they look like or do? Why is it important for people to accept others for who they are? Students will brainstorm ideas about how to promote acceptance in their school/community and act on those ideas.
Max by Rachel Isadora
On the way to his baseball game one day, he drops off his sister at her ballet class and decides to watch for a little bit since he has some time to spare. The teacher invites him to join the class so Max takes off his sneakers and tries to match the way the other dancers move. After the class, he races to the baseball field and hits a homerun. At the end, he decides to go to a ballet class before every game for a warm-up. Unit Connection: Lesson focused on – What gender roles show up when we play in our school or community? What challenges do others face when playing something that other’s think they should not play because of their gender? Students will role play or play with different toys that are gender specific and reflect on their emotions when playing.
Oliver Button is a Sissy by Tomie dePaola
Oliver did not like to do things that other boys his age liked to do such as football, basketball, and baseball. Instead, he loved to dance, draw and dress-up so other kids at school call him a sissy. Oliver decides to enter in the school’s talent show with a tap dancing number. Even though he does not win, kids at the school start to see him as a star instead of a sissy. Unit Connection: Lesson focused on - What types of name calling and bullying come from gender roles? What can we do in our school/community to promote acceptance of people for who they are instead of what they look like or do? Students will brainstorm ideas about how to promote acceptance in their school/community and act on those ideas.
William’s Doll by Charlotte Zolotow
William wants a doll that he can play with and put to sleep at night but others make fun of him for wanting a doll by calling him a sissy. In his attempt to offset this desire, William’s father decides to buy him some “manly” toys. Fortunately, William’s grandmother stands up for him and tells his father that he needs a doll so that he can practice being a good father, just like girls use dolls to practice being good mothers. Lesson Connection: Lesson will focus on – What gender roles show up when we play in our school or community? What challenges do others face when playing with something that other’s think they should not play with because of their gender? How have gender roles changed/stayed the same throughout time? Students will role play or play with different toys that are gender specific and reflect on their emotions when playing.
Girls who break the stereotype:
Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior by Robert D. San Souci
Fa Mulan decides to take her father’s place as a soldier in a war since her little brother is too young to fight in battle. Fa Mulan keeps her true identity and rises through the ranks until she becomes a renowned general. After a significant defeat designed by her hands, she asks to return home to her old life. Only once she reaches her home and family does she reveal her true identity to her fire companions. Unit Connection: Lesson focused on – How are gender roles different within other cultures? How have gender roles changed throughout history? Students will relate Mulan’s experience to other cultures idea of gender roles that they have learned about. Students will also relate her experience to present day ideas of women as generals/leaders of a war.
Nessa’s Fish by Nancy Luenn
Nessa and her grandmother decide to take a rest (since her grandmother feels ill) in the tundra after a long day of catching a large amount of fish for everyone at camp. Throughout the night, Nessa protects their fish from hungry animals by using techniques that her family had taught her. The next morning, her family comes to rescue her and her grandmother and they all return to camp with the fish. Lesson Connections: Lesson focuses on – How are gender roles different within other cultures? What types of situations might change these gender roles? Students will learn about the gender components of the labor division within the Inuit people and compare them to what the book represented. They will explore why there are differences between the traditional division of labor and the division of labor represented in the book.
Mama Played Baseball by David A. Adler
A little girl’s father gets drafted in WWII and in order to make enough money, her mama decides to try out for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Her mama makes one of the baseball teams and the little girl and her grandparents attend her games in support. One day, her father comes home after the war has ended and the little girl tells him all about her mama playing baseball. Lesson Connection: Lesson focuses on – What types of situations might change traditional gender roles? How have gender roles changed throughout history? How might the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League have changed other’s ideas of women playing sports? Students will watch some clips of A League of Their Own and learn how the acceptance of women playing sports has evolved over time.
My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis
A mom tells a story about her little boy who loves to dress up and dances like a ballerina. She explains that even though everyone in her family loves her “princess boy”, other people stare and laugh at her son for how he looks. Kilodavis wrote this book to promote acceptance of people for who they are instead of what they look like or how they act. Unit Connection: Lesson focused on – What can we do in our school/community to promote acceptance of people for who they are instead of what they look like or do? Why is it important for people to accept others for who they are? Students will brainstorm ideas about how to promote acceptance in their school/community and act on those ideas.
Max by Rachel Isadora
On the way to his baseball game one day, he drops off his sister at her ballet class and decides to watch for a little bit since he has some time to spare. The teacher invites him to join the class so Max takes off his sneakers and tries to match the way the other dancers move. After the class, he races to the baseball field and hits a homerun. At the end, he decides to go to a ballet class before every game for a warm-up. Unit Connection: Lesson focused on – What gender roles show up when we play in our school or community? What challenges do others face when playing something that other’s think they should not play because of their gender? Students will role play or play with different toys that are gender specific and reflect on their emotions when playing.
Oliver Button is a Sissy by Tomie dePaola
Oliver did not like to do things that other boys his age liked to do such as football, basketball, and baseball. Instead, he loved to dance, draw and dress-up so other kids at school call him a sissy. Oliver decides to enter in the school’s talent show with a tap dancing number. Even though he does not win, kids at the school start to see him as a star instead of a sissy. Unit Connection: Lesson focused on - What types of name calling and bullying come from gender roles? What can we do in our school/community to promote acceptance of people for who they are instead of what they look like or do? Students will brainstorm ideas about how to promote acceptance in their school/community and act on those ideas.
William’s Doll by Charlotte Zolotow
William wants a doll that he can play with and put to sleep at night but others make fun of him for wanting a doll by calling him a sissy. In his attempt to offset this desire, William’s father decides to buy him some “manly” toys. Fortunately, William’s grandmother stands up for him and tells his father that he needs a doll so that he can practice being a good father, just like girls use dolls to practice being good mothers. Lesson Connection: Lesson will focus on – What gender roles show up when we play in our school or community? What challenges do others face when playing with something that other’s think they should not play with because of their gender? How have gender roles changed/stayed the same throughout time? Students will role play or play with different toys that are gender specific and reflect on their emotions when playing.
Girls who break the stereotype:
Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior by Robert D. San Souci
Fa Mulan decides to take her father’s place as a soldier in a war since her little brother is too young to fight in battle. Fa Mulan keeps her true identity and rises through the ranks until she becomes a renowned general. After a significant defeat designed by her hands, she asks to return home to her old life. Only once she reaches her home and family does she reveal her true identity to her fire companions. Unit Connection: Lesson focused on – How are gender roles different within other cultures? How have gender roles changed throughout history? Students will relate Mulan’s experience to other cultures idea of gender roles that they have learned about. Students will also relate her experience to present day ideas of women as generals/leaders of a war.
Nessa’s Fish by Nancy Luenn
Nessa and her grandmother decide to take a rest (since her grandmother feels ill) in the tundra after a long day of catching a large amount of fish for everyone at camp. Throughout the night, Nessa protects their fish from hungry animals by using techniques that her family had taught her. The next morning, her family comes to rescue her and her grandmother and they all return to camp with the fish. Lesson Connections: Lesson focuses on – How are gender roles different within other cultures? What types of situations might change these gender roles? Students will learn about the gender components of the labor division within the Inuit people and compare them to what the book represented. They will explore why there are differences between the traditional division of labor and the division of labor represented in the book.
Mama Played Baseball by David A. Adler
A little girl’s father gets drafted in WWII and in order to make enough money, her mama decides to try out for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Her mama makes one of the baseball teams and the little girl and her grandparents attend her games in support. One day, her father comes home after the war has ended and the little girl tells him all about her mama playing baseball. Lesson Connection: Lesson focuses on – What types of situations might change traditional gender roles? How have gender roles changed throughout history? How might the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League have changed other’s ideas of women playing sports? Students will watch some clips of A League of Their Own and learn how the acceptance of women playing sports has evolved over time.
