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Gender Roles: "Realistic" Picture Books
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From: Megan Schliesman <schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu>
Date: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:44:39 -0500
Carin mentioned Bob Graham's book "April & Esme: Tooth Fairies," which made me smile for several reasons. FIrst, it's such a great book. Second, like so many of Bob Graham's books, it does, indeed, reflect a real dimensionof family life, with both parents nurturing/worrying. SUre, they are tooth fairies, but they also feel like a very real family.
Which makes me think of another author/illustrator who creates realistic picture books about children and families, even if they happen to be mice: Kevin Henkes. Like Graham's books (which feature people and, er, fairies), Henkes's families include moms and dads who are equally adept at baking, scolding, nurturing.
It's interesting to me that the "family" books of both of these author/illustrators have a sense of whimsy to them, and yet are grounded in incredibly realistic families, whether they can fly or have tails.
Kate Banks's picture book "WHen Mama Comes Home" has real people as characters: a mom making her way home from work on the train through rush hour in a busy city while a dad and kids make dinner in preparation for her return.
These are all examples to me of books that get it right when it comes to gender roles; they are not making a point but rather reflecting a reality that exists.
Megan
-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
My regular hours are T-F, 8-4:30.
Date: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:44:39 -0500
Carin mentioned Bob Graham's book "April & Esme: Tooth Fairies," which made me smile for several reasons. FIrst, it's such a great book. Second, like so many of Bob Graham's books, it does, indeed, reflect a real dimensionof family life, with both parents nurturing/worrying. SUre, they are tooth fairies, but they also feel like a very real family.
Which makes me think of another author/illustrator who creates realistic picture books about children and families, even if they happen to be mice: Kevin Henkes. Like Graham's books (which feature people and, er, fairies), Henkes's families include moms and dads who are equally adept at baking, scolding, nurturing.
It's interesting to me that the "family" books of both of these author/illustrators have a sense of whimsy to them, and yet are grounded in incredibly realistic families, whether they can fly or have tails.
Kate Banks's picture book "WHen Mama Comes Home" has real people as characters: a mom making her way home from work on the train through rush hour in a busy city while a dad and kids make dinner in preparation for her return.
These are all examples to me of books that get it right when it comes to gender roles; they are not making a point but rather reflecting a reality that exists.
Megan
-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
My regular hours are T-F, 8-4:30.
---Received on Wed 07 Aug 2013 11:44:39 AM CDT
