This book really touched my heart. There are lots of little boys that gravitate towards dolls when they are in a room full of toys, like the Character William in the book. In my three-year-old classroom, I witnessed this sort of thing all the time. Not only did the boys like playing with dolls, but they often liked to join the girls in playing dress-up. I'll never forget the look on one father's face when he came to pick up his son who, at the moment, was walking around the play centers with dress-up princess shoes on and a baby doll clenched tight in his hands. He rushed over to the boy totally embarrassed, scooped him up, threw off the shoes and took him over to the tool set. He sternly told him that this is where he should be playing, "not over there with the girl stuff". My heart sank. It is a perfectly natural thing for boys to have a desire to play with dolls, barbies, dress up etc. Masculinity is a learned concept, something that parents teach their children the second they begin interacting with them so that they will grow up to fit in with the rest of society and not be made fun of at school.
The fact of the matter is that we need to embrace what is natural for children. Me and the three and four year old students in my class thought nothing of the boys playing with what one would consider "feminine toys," it was the parents that couldn't handle it. Consequently, I am sad to say that there is no possible way I could ever have put a book like this in my classroom library. Parents often skimmed the book shelf, looking over what was being read to their children. Catching a glimpse of a book like this would have caused an uproar, no doubt.
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you candor when reviewing this book. I am glad that you and your class could see past the type of toys the boys were playing with. My daughter is a big fan of dinosaurs and cars. My mother always wants to know why she is not playing with dolls. That bothers me.
One question, did you have a parent complain about the content of this book? I really think in a preschool setting it would be appropriate to be read. It is in the upper grades when parents believe the childs personality has already been set that I can see this book causing problems. Thanks for blogging so honestly.
HEY RACHEL!!!!! :) I have been in a situation similar to yours. I was in a kindergarten classroom and one of the other boys made fun of a classmate and told him that he shouldn't be playing with the girls toys and that he was weird for doing so. I think that it is so sad that our society is so gender specific when it comes to kids toys. The growing process should be spontaneous and kids should have the power and be accepted no matter what they play with.
ReplyDeleteI am defiantly going to look this book up and read it!
I think it is awesome that you posted such an honest review and put your strong feelings down. As a male I see both sides of this. When I was little I liked playing with my sister and she had dolls, on the other had when she played with my brother and I we had tractors and farm toys. It goes both ways. I don't think I am less of a person because I played with dolls when I was little. The fact that children can have fun and socialize with others and learn respect and understanding through play is so essential in schools. Great blog.
ReplyDelete