Positive, non-sexist books and videos for toddler girl?

[franch]

It's gradually dawning on me how sexist some TV programmes and books for the very young are - stuff like the Tweenies and Bob the Builder are really beginning to irritate me.

As we've cancelled our Sky subscription I'm relying on videos/DVDs from now on, which will allow me to be more selective (not that DD watches much TV but we've got a new baby on the way and I know I'll start resorting to it more when b/fing etc).

So - book and video/TV recommendations for an 18mo please, full of subversive girl power!

Twigleet - I agree. Think the best example I can think of when the untra-PC stuff comes in (not BBC) is Barney. Look att he children ont he hshow - they seem to cover so many different groups. Even Dh commented on it and is rarely observant with children's TV!

Bob the builder was originally written in a very sexist way, Wendy was the "secretary" and wouldn't get her hands dirty.

They quickly changed the script when it was pointed out how un pc it was.

I've just remembered some others

Maggie and the Ferocious Beast (don't know wether you can get that on video/dvd) Angelina Ballerina, Max and Ruby, The little Mermaid, Sing with Belle and 64 Zoo Lane.

But surely the Disney Princess stuff - Belle, Arial, etc would be classed as sexist?

I did think about that but they're not all hairbrushes and all things pink are they?

Like Belle for example she is portrayed as being very confident and not afraid of things. Like standing up to the Beast and Garscon (god I am sad!)

I agree, but the main aim of the stories are for them to find and marry their princes. DD adores them and I personally have no problems about her watching tem, dressing up as them, pretending oto be them, etc. But I suspect if people find the Tweenies or Wendy's role in Bob the Builder sexisat then they will certainly hate the roles of the princesses in these.

Good point Hula.

I personally don't have a problem with any of them, I could see why some people might find Wendy's role a bit sexist and not sure about the Tweenies really.

Hope the suggestions have been useful to you anyway Franch.

Yes, very helpful thanks NBG - hadn't heard of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, sounds great Have seen 64 Zoo Lane, very good idea; saw Max & Ruby once I think but can't remember what the Ruby character is like?

Max and Ruby is basically about their relationship of being brother ans sister, Ruby being older and how they play, help and solve problems together.

There are Max and Ruby books too.

Milkshake on Channel 5 from 6am. Our favourites are:
Peppa Pig
Hi 5 (DD has loved this since 12 months old)
Funky Valley
Ebb and Flo
Fifi and the Flowertots

Dora, Max and Ruby, Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, and Angelina are all on Nick Junior(Sky??)

That's true, gingerbear - Peppa Pig, Ebb & Flo and Fifi all have leading female characters.

Although Peppa is just bossy, Flo's a bit wet and Fifi is, umm, a flower so maybe not much in the way of 'subversive girl power' lol! Much better than Disney though for that age group, imo.

What's the Maggie character in Maggie & The Ferocious Beast like? And the girl in 64 Zoo Lane?

I think Maggie is bit bossy but I have only watched a couple with dd and tbh you don't really see much of a personality in Lucy on 64 as it's mainly about the animals but she is the only female in it.

I know thet are shown on Nick Jnr but I have seen some of them on dvd.

Franch, with your & scummymummy, have ds aged 21 months (think its just as important to give boys non-sexist stuff). I find a lot of the classics quite sexist, or at least based on sexist assumptions (eg male central characters), but don't want to deprive ds of them because I also want him to love reading. Don't have a solution-you can't discuss theories of gender-bias with a 21 month old, he's only just working out that Daddy and ds look a bit different to Mummy!

Here are a few books that we do like though.

Outside over there-Maurice Sendak. Also The sign on Rosie's door-same author but for a bit older.
The Blue Kanagroo books-Emma Chichister Clark.
Miffy. Yes she is a bunny but she isn't fluffy and she does do lots of digging and flying and stuff.
Meg and Mog.

When you dd is a bit older-The Dorrie books by Patricia Coombs are about a little witch who does lots of exciting stuff.
I also really like a series called Hallo Aurora, and Auroroa and the Little Blue Car, by Anne-Cath Vestly. Its about a little girl whose father looks after her and her brother, her mother goes to work-its also a really good set of books.
And of course, Pippi Longstocking, the strongest girl in the world! Astrid Lingren (?) The Bulerby children-same author-is also fairly good.

Great list mergle - some of my own childhood favourites are on there Thanks!

The Hoobs!!!

My 2 yo is addicted to a Hoobs video I impulse-bought from Poundland. I've not actually picked up on any sexism in it....

No sexism, but lots of innuendo in The Hoobs

Ye-es ... I had noticed that actually. i find myself thinking "How did they get away with that one!?"

Ie, the puppet song...

You could do amazing things
With someone pulling all the strings
And touching you in ways you'd not expected....

Or how about Roma, deep-voiced 'friend of Dorothy'?

The fabulously camp Iver and 'Hubbahubba'.

And the infamous episode about baking cakes which contained glorious lines like 'I'm going to take this tart upstairs and really get stuck in.'

as per, I'm agreeing with Miss Marmite!

I am slavishly in agreement with Scummymummy. Maisy is rather fabulous, in that she drives lorries and so on.

Lauren Child's I Am Not Sleepy And I Do Not Want To Go To Bed is lovely - and my younger daughter rather loved it as well as her sister - with a small girl clearly running rings round her big brother who is taking care of her.

Bear Hunt has a troupe of kids with a dad in charge, which is nice.

And I think the Tweenies are horribly gender-stereotyped.

THere are lots of female animals in 64 Zoo Lane. Tikkabilla has a fair mix of male and female presenters and many of them (Sarah Jane and another whose name has wiped itself from my brain excepted) are pretty OK.

When she's bigger there are some fabulous books out there - Winnie the Witch, the Witches Children, Hiccup the Viking (who is small and male and frightened of things)...

Incidentally I am the proud mother of a four year old who adores wearing frocks but also told me a while ago 'Barbie is an alien'

Thanks MI - lol at the Barbie comment

Maisy is infact a boy....?

Definitely a girl!