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Re: Gender Roles in Picture Books
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From: Allison Bruce <abruce_at_bankstreet.edu>
Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 12:07:33 -0400
Hi all,
Whoops-- I forgot to reply all to Todd's message. We had an interesting (and friendly!) exchange on this subject. Here it is.
Hi Todd,
That's a good point, and I had mulled on it when I first read BECAUSE I'M YOUR DAD. Before I give you my opinion, let me say that I'm a fan of honest discussion and polite conversation, so I appreciate your email. Now, my take is this:
Yes, it's entirely possible to read this as a very personal message one from father to his son. In many ways, it does, in fact, read like a personal, private letter. My question then is: Why write a picture book for the masses? Why not just give a letter to your child? In every book, there must be something universal for readers to tap into.
Which brings me to my second point - the book is meant to be shared with many kids, not just the author's son. Grownups can pick up on the personal-letter nature of it much more than kids will. And it chooses to use the second person, "you", deliberately. To the literal-minded children who will be hearing this book, that means "me." And that sends kids the message that this is the way "my" dad should be. And that's where it's dangerous.
Have a good one,
Allie
Hi Allie,
I couldn't agree with you more about the question of who exactly the audience of this picture book would be. And I also agree that picture book-age kids are highly impressionable.
I definitely thought more and more as I was reading it how much the book was an individual dad rather than everydad. Which makes it a little less of a gender-role issue imho, but certainly the singularity of audience is the bigger problem. And then the final page that indicates that Ahmet learned this fathering technique from Frank...well, that's certainly going to be lost on the child! (If not the parents, too.)
All the best, Todd
(From Allie to Todd) Good points again! Discussion is always fruitful. So much of what we perceive in a book is exactly that-- our perceptions. I'm really glad we had this email conversation, it forced me to stretch my mind!
Allie
-- Allie Bruce Children's Librarian Bank Street College of Education 610 W. 112th St. New York, NY 10025
212-875-4452 (office) 703-795-4097 (cell)
Author, Feminist Resources for Teens http://feministresources.wordpress.com
Received on Fri 09 Aug 2013 12:07:33 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 12:07:33 -0400
Hi all,
Whoops-- I forgot to reply all to Todd's message. We had an interesting (and friendly!) exchange on this subject. Here it is.
Hi Todd,
That's a good point, and I had mulled on it when I first read BECAUSE I'M YOUR DAD. Before I give you my opinion, let me say that I'm a fan of honest discussion and polite conversation, so I appreciate your email. Now, my take is this:
Yes, it's entirely possible to read this as a very personal message one from father to his son. In many ways, it does, in fact, read like a personal, private letter. My question then is: Why write a picture book for the masses? Why not just give a letter to your child? In every book, there must be something universal for readers to tap into.
Which brings me to my second point - the book is meant to be shared with many kids, not just the author's son. Grownups can pick up on the personal-letter nature of it much more than kids will. And it chooses to use the second person, "you", deliberately. To the literal-minded children who will be hearing this book, that means "me." And that sends kids the message that this is the way "my" dad should be. And that's where it's dangerous.
Have a good one,
Allie
Hi Allie,
I couldn't agree with you more about the question of who exactly the audience of this picture book would be. And I also agree that picture book-age kids are highly impressionable.
I definitely thought more and more as I was reading it how much the book was an individual dad rather than everydad. Which makes it a little less of a gender-role issue imho, but certainly the singularity of audience is the bigger problem. And then the final page that indicates that Ahmet learned this fathering technique from Frank...well, that's certainly going to be lost on the child! (If not the parents, too.)
All the best, Todd
(From Allie to Todd) Good points again! Discussion is always fruitful. So much of what we perceive in a book is exactly that-- our perceptions. I'm really glad we had this email conversation, it forced me to stretch my mind!
Allie
-- Allie Bruce Children's Librarian Bank Street College of Education 610 W. 112th St. New York, NY 10025
212-875-4452 (office) 703-795-4097 (cell)
Author, Feminist Resources for Teens http://feministresources.wordpress.com
Received on Fri 09 Aug 2013 12:07:33 PM CDT
