Books for Littles is a must visit website! The website’s aim is “Raising Luminaries” and sharing “Must-Have Kids Books for Tomorrow’s Leaders.”
I’ve seen the book Real Cowboys by Kate Hoefler and Jonathan Bean on a number of book recommendation lists and was ecstatic to recently find it at a used bookstore.
Tonight I stumbled on Books for Littles’s “6 Mistakes We Make Raising Sons – Kids Books To Prevent Sexual Assault. I often talk about the importance I place on kids’ books as a teaching tool — because we must give our boys (and parents of boys) tools. This article features 25 books, including Real Cowboys, that address “mistakes” made in raising boys.
For example, Equating “politeness’ with ‘respect.’ They suggest, fit it now by teaching sons that women are people, not objects. What Mattes to Girls Matters.
Here’s are their book suggestions for this fix:
“If over half of your bookshelf contains only male characters, we have a problem….Not all books starring girls are created equal – most reinforce male supremacy. Massive aggregate booklists….Both girls and boys (and non-binary kids) should read an equal mix of protagonists as powerful, vulnerable, complex protagonists that don’t conform to narrow gender roles….Throwing other women under the bus to boost a single character reinforces the idea that girls have to be ‘like boys’ to make a valuable contribution to the world. Below, find just a few of the stories my rough and tumble boys adore:
Ages 2.5+
‘Little Robot’ is our favorite graphic novel here at Bumblebee Hollow. With minimal text, both my boys could ‘read’ it independently by age 3, which gives me the occasional precious break. In this story of a little girl of color befriending a robot, she experiences a complex range of emotions – from jealousy, bravery, and fear to joy and curiosity. Bonus points because she’s a handy engineer.
Ages 4+
The ‘Princess In Black’ series of chapter books is just witty enough to keep me entertained when the boys ask me to read them over, and over, and over. This super-hero who is into ‘girly-girl’ things like ponies and princess parties shows kids that being traditionally feminine is not mutually exclusive to being a kick-ass monster fighter.”
Also check out these articles from Books for Littles:
Books About Girls Are Not Just For Girls — Representation Matters
Raising Tomorrow’s Fathers — Children’s Books Featuring Loving Dads
Because Diversity in Children’s Books Matters!
whatsaboymom 