Challenging gender stereotype books for children

[Mykidsthinkimclueless]

My children have a very established view that boys are often boys on the outside, girls on the inside and vice versa. They see it akin to how you shouldn't judge people on appearances, it's what is on the inside that counts.

Before school taught about trans issues my eldest had a good grasp of challenging gender stereotypes. (We live in wokesville - no prizes for guessing where!)

My word doesn't count for much this subject. I wondered if there are any books or education materials that are really good on challenging stereotypes.

How old are the children?

Depends on the age. For primary school children, the Malory Towers series might work? They are quite dated, but the girls get into sports, work hard and have some adventures. The ending shows lots of the girls going off to uni and work, and two of them opening their own horse riding school. The Series of Unfortunate Events books are good as well, the older sister Violet is very cool and is into inventing things/building things. I think both these series challenge some gender stereotypes and might open up an interesting conversation.

For teenagers I’m not as sure, mine aren’t at that stage yet. I remember reading Northern Lights about that age which has quite a strong female character, although I have heard that the follow up books released quite recently are disappointing - I haven’t read them so not as sure.

For little ones "My Body Is Me" by Rachel Rooney.

For junior school age maybe "The Boy In The Dress"?

And for age 11+ or thereabouts, "The Turbulent Term Of Tyke Tyler"

Oldest is ten (both boys) and quite interested in social and political issues despite his young age.
Actually both happily read books that have female leads. Maybe I just have to hope he will start to think beyond the messages from school.

My children have a very established view that boys are often boys on the outside, girls on the inside and vice versa

Your oldest child is 10? Was he exposed to this incoherent ideology at school? Where did he learn this?

What about Tyke Tiler? Tyke is a very rambunctious 12 year old and you only find out in the last chapter that she is a girl.

School BovaryX.

Having a look at that one and the others thanks.

@Mykidsthinkimclueless

School BovaryX.

That is propaganda and indoctrination. Of Primary school children. Liz Truss needs to ensure this is shut down.

If you are after books with a strong female lead how about The Train to impossible places or Morrigan Crow?

I was hoping for literature for young people that addresses it directly - the transgender trend one mentioned earlier looks good for young ones. However on reflection an older version of that would be too heavy handed for older child. Likely to be resistant. Will keep going with the recommendations for female leads.

Books that I read with my two who are both v GNC.
Picture books: I personally am not a fan of all of those “rebel girl”- type books. What works best is just normal girls and boys doing non stereotypical things without preachiness -and make it the best written story you can find so it’s extra memorable. Carol Ann Duffy is your woman - a lot of them are out of print but Queen Munch and Queen Nibble, Skipping Rope Snake and anything else you can find by her. Others we found good: Charlie and Lola (Charlie the caring boy and Lola the adventurous); pretty much anything by Quentin Blake but the Mrs Armitage series in particular

First chapter books: Harriet the spy, wolves of willoughby Chase, swallows and amazons series, the practical princess, the boy in the dress (I don’t like Walliams but it’s hard to find something that includes not just non masculine boys but explicitly feminine: worth a look from this perspective) pippi longstocking

I could go on - let me know if you need more or an older age range.

Sadly, they are going to be indoctrinated in to this idea regardless, most likely. I have always been very against gender in my parenting, and my dd13 has been taught the difference between sex and gender and we've discussed this over and over again over the last several years and she has agreed with me, but now every single one of her friends are trans, and she asks every peer what their gender is and they all use him or he/her/them pronouns. Every parent I know who has challenged stereotypes with their children now has a trans identifying teen. It seems the more you challenge it the more open they are to the whole fucking agenda. I honestly don't see how to avoid it anymore. I know at least 20 young teenagers who are transgender just from my dd's childhood and school friends and my friends teens.

but now every single one of her friends are trans, and she asks every peer what their gender is and they all use him or he/her/them pronouns. Every parent I know who has challenged stereotypes with their children now has a trans identifying teen

That is insane. There is an interesting theory about reward systems; one of the core beliefs of the intersectionalists is Manichean; good versus evil and those categories are entirely based on identity. If that is what is being taught at school, it creates a motive to identify as trans.

Really appreciating the book recommendations thank you.

user27378, yes I can see that coming as he hits teenage years. Parents don't stand a chance against peer pressure and the latest "thing". And I guess its the natural order for kids to find a way to disagree with the parents. Not easy if the parents are liberal lefties!!

@BovaryX not sure I'm completely getting your last post but you have me thinking and reading because it sounds interesting!

@BovaryX

but now every single one of her friends are trans, and she asks every peer what their gender is and they all use him or he/her/them pronouns. Every parent I know who has challenged stereotypes with their children now has a trans identifying teen

That is insane. There is an interesting theory about reward systems; one of the core beliefs of the intersectionalists is Manichean; good versus evil and those categories are entirely based on identity. If that is what is being taught at school, it creates a motive to identify as trans.

Fast forward 10 years or so “but you were the grown ups - why didn’t you let this happen?”

Accidental Pirates is a good series . The real hero of the book is a girl and the captain of the ship is a woman. Girls and boys aren't constrained by their sex but by their skills.

There was a post here from a parent who said a huge number of the trans identifying girls in her daughter's school decided they weren't trans in lockdown.

There is so much peer pressure. I think children have such a need to join a tribe at that age - New Romantics and punks were the thing when I was at school. And there's no harm in it unless it becomes medicalised and/or reinforces harmful gender stereotypes

You could look at amightygirl.com/books for female protagonists- you can filter by age etc

Off the top of my head Cornelia Funk & Lari Don both write for that age

And there's no harm in it unless it becomes medicalised and/or reinforces harmful gender stereotypes . Yes this. I can live with the teenage pronouns stuff but glad that teachers/adults in my children's lives will have to now change how things are presented. My son was quite vulnerable to the "wrong body" message (introduced in year 4) and it has taken a long time since that for him to start to feel comfortable with himself. I am relieved that schools will hopefully now have to put forward a more considered message rather than one based on regressive stereotypes.

I hope so too mykids. I'm so sorry your children have been brainwashed at such a young age - we deserve better from state education

For young children, The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch is a good start.

Plot:"Princess Elizabeth plans to marry Prince Ronald, who she thinks is perfect. However, a dragon arrives who destroys her castle, kidnaps Ronald, and burns all her clothes, so she must look for something to wear. Her only option is a paper bag. Elizabeth follows the dragon and Ronald as she seeks to rescue her fiancé, challenges the dragon to burn forests with fire and to fly around the world. The dragon completes the tasks but after flying around the world a second time becomes tired and falls asleep. Elizabeth rescues Ronald, who is ungrateful and tells her to return when she looks more like a princess. Elizabeth calls Ronald out for his ungratefulness. She rejects him as worthless: "You look like a real prince, but you are a bum". She then goes dancing off into the sunset to live on her own."

I recently created a roundup of 25 feminist books for kids, many of which defy traditional stereotypes. Not sure if it’s okay to link here: thinkorblue.com/25-books-for-feminist-kids/

Your kids might be a bit old for them, but Babette Cole is brilliant--Princess Smartypa nts, Prince Cinders, and the puberty book Hair in Funny Places.

OP - don't forget Transgender Trend. They're at the cutting edge of challenging this grooming of children and they do unpick much of the queer theory behind what has (until now) been allowed to be pushed in schools by adults.

Some of their blogs are excellent and (for parents) offer considerable support that you are not alone in challenging the anti safeguarding, anti woman rhetoric being pushed at our children.