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out of print books about gender roles
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From: Nancy Silverrod <nsilverrod>
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 10:55:39 -0700
My absolute favorites are the historical novels of Sally Watson, published in the 1950s and 1960s:
* Highland Rebel, 1954.
* Mistress Malapert, 1955.
* To Build a Land, 1957.
* Poor Felicity, Doubleday, 1961.
* Witch of the Glens, Viking, 1962.
* Lark, 1964.
* Other Sandals, 1966.
* Hornet's Nest, 1967.
* The Mukhtar's Children, 1968.
* Jade, 1969.
* Magic at Wychwood, Knopf, 1970.
* Linnet, Dutton, 1971.
All of these feature spirited girls, most of whom challenge gender roles, or outright refuse to conform to them. They are historically accurate, bringing history to life through adventurous storytelling, with a touch of romance as well. I think my two favorites were Witch of the Glens, set in Scotland, and Jade, which tells the story of a girl who ends upon a pirate ship with Anne Bonney and Mary Read. Couldn't put
'em down, and I still enjoy re-reading them.
Image Cascade has re-released some of them in paperback....
Nancy Silverrod, Librarian
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
415U7D17
nsilverrod at sfpl.org
Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind. -James Russell Lowell, poet, editor, and diplomat (181991)
Message----From: Mercado, Nancy [mailto:Nancy.Mercado at us.penguingroup.com] Sent: Friday, July 22, 2005 10:06 AM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu (Subscribers of ccbc-net) Subject: [ccbc-net] out of print book about gender roles
Amy's post reminded me of one of my favorite books from childhood, also set in the 70s, called THE SECRET IN MIRANDA'S CLOSET by Sheila Greenwald.
The book is about 11-year-old Miranda whose finds an antique doll and keeps it hidden in her closet lest her feminist mother find it. (Her mother is a sociologist who often appears on television bragging about how her daughter has never conformed with traditional gender roles...and how she only played with trucks when she was little!) What I remember loving so much about the book was how Miranda builds such an intricate world for her doll inside that closet...and how she has quite a few independent adventures (asking local shopkeepers for sample materials to use in her dollhouse) because of the doll. So, the thing that her mother viewed as so oppressive actually opens up all of these doors for Miranda and allows her to come "into her own" all the more...
The book is a great reminder that kids don't always fit neatly into our ideological mold.
I still have my old copy, but I'm pretty sure it's out of print. It would be a great one to track down!
Cheers,
Nancy
__________________________ Nancy Mercado Editor Dial Books for Young Readers
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 21:05:58 00 (PDT)
From: Amy Tsaykel
Subject: The Real Me
When I was about 9 years old, I picked up a book called The Real Me by Betty Miles at a yard sale. I must've read it 100 times. Set in the 70s, it very intentionally deals with gender at a time when the thrust of the women's movement had just settled down. Barbara, the main character, wants to pick up her brother's paper route, but state law won't allow it. (How could that have been so just 30 years ago?) The book revolves around her campaign to overturn the law. The topic was serious, I guess, but the book itself was hilariously funny. The book was probably 10 years old when I found it,and even at the time it seemed dated. But I still loved it. I've always wondered why this book isn't more classic. I guess there are other, more current gender issues at hand, and these days equality is just something we take for granted.
Amy Tsaykel
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Received on Fri 22 Jul 2005 12:55:39 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 10:55:39 -0700
My absolute favorites are the historical novels of Sally Watson, published in the 1950s and 1960s:
* Highland Rebel, 1954.
* Mistress Malapert, 1955.
* To Build a Land, 1957.
* Poor Felicity, Doubleday, 1961.
* Witch of the Glens, Viking, 1962.
* Lark, 1964.
* Other Sandals, 1966.
* Hornet's Nest, 1967.
* The Mukhtar's Children, 1968.
* Jade, 1969.
* Magic at Wychwood, Knopf, 1970.
* Linnet, Dutton, 1971.
All of these feature spirited girls, most of whom challenge gender roles, or outright refuse to conform to them. They are historically accurate, bringing history to life through adventurous storytelling, with a touch of romance as well. I think my two favorites were Witch of the Glens, set in Scotland, and Jade, which tells the story of a girl who ends upon a pirate ship with Anne Bonney and Mary Read. Couldn't put
'em down, and I still enjoy re-reading them.
Image Cascade has re-released some of them in paperback....
Nancy Silverrod, Librarian
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
415U7D17
nsilverrod at sfpl.org
Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind. -James Russell Lowell, poet, editor, and diplomat (181991)
Message----From: Mercado, Nancy [mailto:Nancy.Mercado at us.penguingroup.com] Sent: Friday, July 22, 2005 10:06 AM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu (Subscribers of ccbc-net) Subject: [ccbc-net] out of print book about gender roles
Amy's post reminded me of one of my favorite books from childhood, also set in the 70s, called THE SECRET IN MIRANDA'S CLOSET by Sheila Greenwald.
The book is about 11-year-old Miranda whose finds an antique doll and keeps it hidden in her closet lest her feminist mother find it. (Her mother is a sociologist who often appears on television bragging about how her daughter has never conformed with traditional gender roles...and how she only played with trucks when she was little!) What I remember loving so much about the book was how Miranda builds such an intricate world for her doll inside that closet...and how she has quite a few independent adventures (asking local shopkeepers for sample materials to use in her dollhouse) because of the doll. So, the thing that her mother viewed as so oppressive actually opens up all of these doors for Miranda and allows her to come "into her own" all the more...
The book is a great reminder that kids don't always fit neatly into our ideological mold.
I still have my old copy, but I'm pretty sure it's out of print. It would be a great one to track down!
Cheers,
Nancy
__________________________ Nancy Mercado Editor Dial Books for Young Readers
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 21:05:58 00 (PDT)
From: Amy Tsaykel
Subject: The Real Me
When I was about 9 years old, I picked up a book called The Real Me by Betty Miles at a yard sale. I must've read it 100 times. Set in the 70s, it very intentionally deals with gender at a time when the thrust of the women's movement had just settled down. Barbara, the main character, wants to pick up her brother's paper route, but state law won't allow it. (How could that have been so just 30 years ago?) The book revolves around her campaign to overturn the law. The topic was serious, I guess, but the book itself was hilariously funny. The book was probably 10 years old when I found it,and even at the time it seemed dated. But I still loved it. I've always wondered why this book isn't more classic. I guess there are other, more current gender issues at hand, and these days equality is just something we take for granted.
Amy Tsaykel
****
This email may contain confidential material.
If you were not an intended recipient,
please notify the sender and delete all copies.
We may monitor email to and from our network.
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Received on Fri 22 Jul 2005 12:55:39 PM CDT
