CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

A STUDY AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NON-SEXIST LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN

A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Educational Psychology by Barbara Rigney

August 1988 The Thesis of Barbara Rigney is approved:

Terry Kaplan j

California State University, Northridge

i i DEDICATION

To my daughter, Kate, for her loving presence during my return to school.

To my family and friends, for their support and belief in me.

i i i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to thank Dr. Rose Bromwich for her suggestions and support throughout the writing of this paper. I especially appreciate the time she took in reading and revising it with me. She has been a wonderful, encouraging teacher.

I am grateful to Dr. Betsy Ringsmuth for taking time from her busy schedule to read and respond to this paper and for her editorial skills. She has given me much direction in the field of early childhood. Many thanks to Terry Kaplan for listening to me, for her thoughts regarding children's books, and for her exemplary editorial comments.

iv TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION ••• • 0 • • • • • iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... iv

ABSTRACT . . . ~ . . . . . vii CHAPTERS 1 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE ...... 1 Introduction ...... 1 Purpose ...... 1 Background ...... 2 Rationale ...... 2 Scope and limitations . . . . . 4 Definitions ...... 4 2 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE . . . . . 7 Introduction ••••• . . 7 Biological Sex Differences 8 Life Experience Differences • 9 Sex-role Development ••••• 10 Sex-role Stereotypes ••• 12 Theories • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 15 Biological and Psychoanalytic Theories 16 Social Learning Theories •••••••• 17 Cognitive-Developmental Theories 18 Conclusions ••••••••••••••••••• 19 Development of Sex Roles ••••••••• 20 Sex Role Acquisition and Selection •••• 21 Mothers, Fathers, Peers and Sex Typing ••••• 22 Recent Developments in the Study of Sex Roles 24 3 PROCEDURE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 26 Theoretical Framework/Introduction • • 26 Collecting Data/Public Libraries • • • • 26 Limitatios/Problems Encountered • 27 General Information Gathered from Libraries • 28 Collecting Data/Bookstores • • • • • • • • • • • 29 Limitatios/Problems Encountered • • • • • • 30 General Information Gathered from Bookstore Owners/Managers • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 30

v TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) CHAPTER Identifying Criteria for Book Selection . . 31 Analyzing Materials ••••• ...... 32 Criteria for Selection of Books •••• 33 Check the Illustrations • • • • . . 33 Check the St oryl i ne • • • • • • 33 Look at the Lifestyles ••••• 34 Weigh the Relationships Between People 34 Note the Heroines and Heroes • • •••• 35 Consider the Effects on the Child's Self-image 35 Watch for Loaded Words • • • • • • •• 36 Watch for Stereotypes ••••••••••• 36 Watch for Expression of Feelings by Both Males and Females •••••••• 36 Look for Well-developed Characterization 37 Watch for Females and Males in Flexible, Diverse Roles ••••••••••• . . . . 37 Watch for Behaviors Exhibited by Male and Female Characters ••••••••••••••• 38 Books That Did Not Reach My Criteria •• 38 Fairy Tales--A Special Consideration ••••• 39 Suggestions for Using the Bibliography 39 Special Points to Consider ••• . . 39 4 ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 41 Books Suggested for Toddlers •••••• . . 41 Books Suggested for Preschoolers 45 Books Suggested for Kindergarten, First and Second Graders ••• 55

5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS •• • $ • • 64

Sex-role Learning 64 Children's Literature 65 Parents and Teachers • ...... 66 Non-sexist Literature ...... 67 Society and Cultural Change . . . . 68 REFERENCES ...... 71 APPENDICES

A List of Los Angeles Public Libraries Visited 78 B Correspondence Relating to Project ••••• 80

vi . )

ABSTRACT

A STUDY AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NON-SEXIST LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN by Barbara Rigney Master of Arts in Educational Psychology

The purpose of this project is to provide a theoretical framework for the childhood task of acquiring a gender identity and to compile an annotated bibliography of non-sexist children•s literature. A 1 ist of non-sexist children•s books and the criteria used to select these books for use by parents and teachers is provided. The paper includes a discussion of sex-role development and socialization differences between females and males. It concludes with comments on the effective use of non-stereotypical materials and on the responsibility of adults in making available to children books which reflect the changes taking place in our society.

vii I have attempted to supply a list of books that I believe are of literary quality, availability and non-sexist. The books are selected for three age groups: toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarten, first and second graders. Public libraries and recommended bookstores within the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County are listed as literature resources for this bibliography.

viii Q •

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

Introduction

How do children acquire a gender identity? Clearly, anatomy alone does not explain how sex roles are learned. These roles are being communicated to young children by the expectations placed on them by significant adults in their lives and by many other influences in our society. "Sex role stereotypes are transmitted to children quite early in life and with remarkable efficiency and significant impact" (Cann & Garnett, 1984, p. 333). One vehicle for the presentation of societal values and roles to the young child is children•s books with pictures. If these books are sexist in nature, they help promote the stereotypes that children encounter. Early education is needed in the home and in the schools to counteract these stereotypes and provide exposure to non-sexist literature.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to provide parents and teachers with an annotated bibliography of non-sexist children•s books and a list of resource locations, such as public libraries and bookstores located in the San Fernando Valley, the northwest section of Los Angeles. I trust that this bibliography will help parents and

1 2

teachers realize that children receive hidden messages about themselves and others of their sex through illustrations, language and the content of their books. Parents and teachers have a unique opportunity to present non-sexist role models through literature.

Background

I developed an interest in this topic both professionally and personally. Professionally, for the past 4 years, I have been facilitating Parent Education Groups for the Los Angeles Unified School District Adult School and the Preschool Laboratory at California State University, Northridge. Many parents have brought up questions about how to raise children without restricting them by sex role stereotypes. My personal interest in this topic is related to my past experience in my own family. Raised in a traditional environment as the eldest of four brothers and four sisters, I had the opportunity to note first-hand the differential treatment of boys and girls in my family and other families that I knew. Now, as a parent of a young daughter, I am aware of her cognitive, physical, social and emotional selections and preferences based on gender. I want to give her the widest view possible, based on her ability, allowing maximum opportunity for choices and options.

Rationale

Gender restrictions often cripple boys and girls in terms of future self-concepts, occupational choices and interpersonal 3

relationships. "Studies of children•s vocational aspirations indicate that children learn quite early what roles society expects of them" (Gough, 1976, p. 16). In principle, children of both sexes are brought up as people; in practice, gender is a highly significant factor in their upbringing and there are differences in the socialization of boys and girls. Although the existence of the double standard based on gender has long been acknowledged, problems resulting from rigidly assigned roles have only recently gained widespread attention. One of the responsibilities of parents is to put before children those literary works we consider most worthy of their time and attention. This annotated bibliography will give information to parents about quality non-sexist children•s literature available to them to save them the time of finding these materials on their own. Many parents consider good books part of the optimum environment they provide for their children. Good books should be an important part of growing up because they deal with many of the universal questions people have struggled with over the centuries. Good literature is "precise, intelligent, colorful, sensitive and rich in meaning, it offers the child a way of expressing what he or she feels" (Bettelheim, 1976, p. 12). Books can also serve as socializers and encourage discussions between parents and children. Using books that do not represent sexist stereotypes might also help in raising their level of awareness of the restrictive nature of all rigid sex roles. 4

Scope and Limitations

The scope of this paper includes a brief examination of theory and research on sex-role acquisition and the ramification of stereotyped attitudes, and aspects of non-sexist childrearing, particularly the literature parents choose to read to their children. I have chosen to use books found in the local libraries and bookstores in order to supply interested parents and teachers with a convenient resource list. I will limit the resource list to those children•s books available in the geographical area known as the northwest section of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. I chose this area because I work with parents and teachers who live here. I will annotate 20 books for toddlers, 25 books for preschoolers and 25 books for kindergarten, first and second graders.

Definitions

To aid the reader, definitions of terms used in this thesis/ project are provided here in alphabetical order. Definitions have been derived from references such as the Dictionary of Education (1973), the Psychiatric Dictionary (1953) and the Penguin Dictionary of Psychology (1985). Annotated bibliography: a list of references accompanied by notes that may indicate the subject, content, method, findings, etc. or may give evaluations of each publication listed. Children: in this paper, 11 Children 11 is used to designate males and females from birth to approximately age 7. 5

Children's literature: published reading materials of a superior and lasting quality, read by children and to them, that are meaningful and enjoyable to them. Child socialization: the process by which the child learns society's values and his or her own social rolese Gender: rather than the word "gender," sex has gradually emerged as the term of choice in discussion of male/female differences, identity, societal roles and the like. Gender identity: one's identity as it is experienced with regard to one's individuality as male or female. This sense of self­ awareness is generally treated as the internal, private experience rather than the overt expression of gender role. Gender role: the overt expression of behaviors and attitudes that indicates to others one's affiliation with maleness or femaleness. It is generally assumed that gender role is the public expression of gender identity. Sexism: the social system that divides life roles according to sex rather than individual abilities and interests, assigning to women the role of housekeeper, nursemaid, playmate, etc. and to men the role of manager, ruler, scholar, scientist, etc. It is the system (i.e., patriarchy) that the women's movement seeks to eliminate and to replace with a system that allows life roles to be self-assigned, independent of sex. Sex-role: the full range of behaviors and attitudes of one's role in life as it is associated with one's sex. 6 . )

Sex-role stereotype: the typical beliefs concerning the particular patterns of behavior that are expected of parents according to their sex. Sex typing: that part of the process of socialization in which the child learns to adopt traits, values and behaviors that the culture deems appropriate to the child's gender identity. Stereotype: a set of relatively fixed, simplistic over­ generalizations about a group or class of people. p '

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Introduction

The causes of the wide sex differences in behaviors of males and females in society are still a matter of controversy. Some scholars view them as linked strictly to biology; others argue for the powerful influences of social and cultural factors. The folklore that has grown up about sex differences is often vague and inconsistent. Recent research has laid to rest myths surrounding these differences. Currently, there is no evidence that women are biologically inferior or less intelligent than men, that women are more passive and dependent than men or that they have lower achievement drives. Women are viewed not as asexual but as having sexual appetites that match or surpass those of men. There are a few sex differences. In the cognitive area, girls tend to excel at verbal tasks during infancy and young adulthood. Starting somewhere in adolescence, males on the average tend to score higher than females in areas of mathematics and visual-spatial performance (Maccoby & Jacklin, 1974; Petersen & Wittig, 1979). The social-emotional area showing the most consistent sex difference is that of aggression. "Males on the average score higher on measures of aggression than females starting in earlier childhood primarily because of a very few aggressive males" (Fagot & Hagan,

7 8

1985, p. 349). Women may not be more passive than men, but they are less aggressive.

Biological Sex Differences Several biological areas exhibit sex differences. These include genes, hormones, brain organization and physical characteristics. Genetic factors, related to sex chromosomes (XX or XY), which determines the sex of the embryo, are possible biological influence on sex-role development and on psychological sex differences (Money & Ehrhardt, 1972). Sex hormones also have been proposed as one biological influence. Dornbusch (1966) points out that male and female hormones associated with reproduction and lactation may have secondary effects producing sex differences on other spheres, such as aggression. Differences in brain structure and function also have been theoretically implicated in psychological sex differences and sex roles (Bryden, 1979). There are several physical sex differences: for example, on the average, women are generally smaller and have less muscle tissue than men. Girls, on the average, have a more rapid physical maturation rate than boys. Reported differences between the sexes, physical strengths, spatial abilities and verbal abilities, which may have specific biological components, are difficult to evaluate without considering early and continuing skills training and general socialization into culturally defined "feminine'' and "masculine" orientations. But, all these differences, genes, hormones, brain structure and physical 9

unlikenesses do not explain the sex differences in psychological characteristics (Waber, 1979).

Life Experience Differences The distinction between male and female serves as a basic organizing principle for every human culture. Although societies differ in the specific tasks they assign to the two sexes, all societies allocate adult roles on the basis of sex and anticipate this allocation in the socialization of the children (Bern, 1981). Starting at birth, girls and boys are treated differently in many socialization areas. Adults use gender in forming impressions of children, in interpreting the meaning of a child's behavior and in directing their interactions with and responses to children (Condry & Ross, 1985). Adults socialize boys primarily for the occupational instrumental role and girls primarily for the expressive motherhood role found in adult sex-role stereotypes. Children's leisure activities and sex of friends differ by sex; boys play more competitive games and girls play more cooperative games. From early school age, they tend to play in groups of different size; girls play with two or three other girls and boys tend to play in larger groups consisting mostly of boys. Education is differentiated by sex. While in school, boys are often encouraged differently than girls (Wirtenberg, Klein, Richardson &Thomas, 1981). There also are sex differences related to family life and to work, with the division of labor by sex being based on mobility; men are often responsible for tasks that require travel, women usually 10

are responsible for work that allows them to remain near home and take major child care responsibility (Rosenblatt & Cunningham, 1976). There are sex differences in the physical and mental health of men and women. The largest sex differences for mental health problems is for depression (Mayo, 1976). Types of jobs held and pay scales differ for males and females. In the United States, women are clustered in the domestic, health, office staff and teaching occupations, which are low paying (Tittle, 1981). The gap in sex-differentiated pay scales has not narrowed; it appears to be widening. Currently, women earn 74t to every dollar a man earns. As greater opportunities become available, some of the sex differences in life experiences are narrowing, primarily because an increasing number of women are choosing to participate in activities, education, training and jobs that have been considered culturally male appropriate. Today, women make up 53% of the work force (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1986).

Sex-role Development

One of the early attributes of self is gender. A major developmental task for the child during the first 7 years of life is to acquire a gender or sex-role identity. Children between 3 and 7 years of age understand that gender is constant regardless of superficial transformations such as dress and appearance (DeVries, 1969; Kohlberg, 1966; Slaby & Frey, 1975; Thompson, 1975). 11

Sex-roles are sets of attributes, including attitudes, personality traits and behaviors, that a culture defines as appropriate for each sex. These beliefs are held, at least to some extent, by a majority of the members of the culture. Many psychologists consider sex role development an extremely important and lasting aspect of the socialization process (Katz, 1979). Maccoby and Jacklin (1974) noted that this process of 11 Self-socialization11 involves an active attempt on the part of children to match their behavior to desired standards. Researchers have examined sex role development in five basic areas: gender identity, gender constancy, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. Gender or sexual identity reflects people's private perceptions about themselves in relation to their assigned sex. The sense of being rna 1e or fema 1 e is due to the interplay between the labeling of the baby as one sex or the other and the reactions of the society around the infant to that maleness and femaleness. Gender identity is believed to be established by 18 months to 3 years of age (Money & Ehrhardt, 1972). At about 2 years of age, children learn to label themselves accurately in regard to sex. By about 7, children understand gender consistency with the concept that sex does not change with changes in name, dress or behavior. Research (Bussey & Bandura, 1984; Kohlberg, 1966) shows that children pattern their behavior after members of their sex long before they grasp gender constancy. By 3 years of age, children have learned some of the conceptually simpler aspects of sex roles, especially those related to appearance, 12

toys, common articles and some occupations and activities. With increasing age, children•s knowledge increases and broadens to include most occupations and other future roles, activities, appearance characteristics and personality traits (Emmerich & Shepard, 1982). Unlike sex-role knowledge, sex-role attitudes include a judgmental component related to the 11 correctness 11 or 11 fairness 11 of the stereotypes. Studies on sex-roles include attitudes about occupations, child and adult roles, personality traits and activities, as well as the individuals• own self-concepts regarding sex-role. Throughout the life cycle, sex-role attitudes of males often are more sex-typed than females. Attitudes toward home and child care roles show the greatest differences between the sexes; males, more than females, still attribute these roles primarily to women. There are a few psychological sex differences in behavior that are widely accepted in most cultures. Despite attempts by some to avoid labeling, males are still typically viewed as more aggressive and less aware of feelings, whereas females are viewed as nurturing and emotion a1.

Sex-role Stereotpyes Sex-role beliefs become sex-role stereotypes when individuals use those attributes as rules and apply them to almost all females and males. .. Sex-role stereotypes are culturally shared assumptions and expectations about sex differences in abilities, personality traits, activities, and roles 11 (Weinraub, Clemens, Sockloff, Ethridge, Gracely & Myers, 1984, p. 1493). 13

How do children acquire knowledge of sex-role stereotypes? Parents• attitudes and behaviors influence their children•s conceptions of sex stereotypes. Many regard television as another major influence on young children who view an average of 25 to 30 hours a week. Sex-role stereotypes imply that there are many more sex differences than are supported by research and that the differences are larger than they really are. In our culture, the biological pull of genetic sex is frequently polarized from birth onward into assigned sex roles for girls and boys which inhibit the development of full human potential. Stereotypes about the ways in which boys and girls think and solve problems are pervasive. Conclusions from stereotypes affect the opportunities for men as well as for women to reach a variety of educational, occupational and social goals (Burstein, Bank &Jarvik, 1980, p. 289). As children grow older, they are increasingly discouraged from engaging in the sex-specific behaviors that are culturally associated with the opposite sex. Boys, for instance, are often discouraged from cooking, sewing and playing with dolls; many girls are subtly pressured to avoid excelling in science, mathematics and sports. The results of a study (Albert & Porter, 1982) of 1,292 children ages 4 to 6 indicated that despite recent attempts to alter sex roles in the United States, the children continue to perceive that parents expect conformity to sex-role standards. Weinraub et al. (1984) report that by age 5, children in the United States hold stereotypes similar to those of adults. Honig (1983) reported on the Baby Beth/Baby Adam study done by Will, Self & Datan (1976), that adults were viewed as making assumptions about infants depending on ascribed gender identity. If caregivers act on 14

such assumptions, it may be essentially impossible to disentangle the effects of nature and nurture in shaping gender role identity. Generally, the sex-role stereotypes of technologically advanced cultures are quite similar. The stereotypes for femininity include characteristics that can be categorized as expressive or communal. Women, for example, are expected to be domestic, warm, emotional, physically weak, dependent, passive and decorative; they are expected to be homemakers and mothers (Chetwynd & Hartnett, 1978). Parts of this female stereotype are changing rapidly. The masculinity stereotypes include characteristics generally associated with instrumentality or agency and are described by words such as provider, intelligent, unemotional, physically strong, independent, active, aggressive and scientific; men are expected to have jobs outside th~ home, to be successful and to suppress overt emotion (Pleck & Sawyer, 1974). Currently, the sexes are not necessarily perceived as differing in emotionality per se, but as differing in the dimensions of emotion they are likely to express, with females expressing happiness, sadness and fear and males expressing anger (Birnbaum & Croll, 1984). Today, crying evokes conflicted feelings; it is still considered a feminine behavior equated with loss of control, weakness, irrationality, manipulativeness, incompetence, passivity and so forth. Cultures vary and their diversity among sex roles is one indication that many characteristics associated with them are not biologically determined but are transmitted by specific cultures. Because of being labeled a boy or a girl, a highly stylized treatment 15

of the child is inaugurated that is repeated countless times each day. Boys receive more toy vehicles, sports equipment, machines, toy animals and military toys; girls receive more dolls, doll houses and domestic toys (Rheingold &Cook, 1975). Indeed, even today, one of the most problematic aspects of the study of sex differences is the question of their origin. Explanations of the same-sex difference may range from biological factors, such as chromosomes and genes, differences in neural structure, or hormonal influences before or after birth, to environmental factors, such as differential parental reinforcement based on sex, preferred sex role, or labeling based on anatomical structures and the need for behavioral consistency (Petersen & Witting, 1979).

Theories

The area of sex differences is one in which the nature-nuture arguments still persist. Today, an increasing number of people believe that behavioral differences and sex-related differences are due to a combination of many of these factors. Over the past 3 decades, a good deal of research has explored the process by which children come to conceive of themselves in masculine or feminine terms and to adopt the behaviors that are considered culturally appropriate for them as males and females. Traditionally, psychologists have used three general classes of theories to explain the processes involved in sex-role development: 16

biological or psychoanalytic, social learning and cognitive­ developmental.

Biological and Psychoanalytic Theories Newborn males were studied by Bell and Darling (1965) and were found to exhibit greater muscular strength. Korner (1974) found support for this theory by reviewing studies of newborn infants done immediately after birth. She states that females have greater tactile sensitivity than males. Bell and Costello (1964) tested sex differences and stated that females have a sharper sense of touch at birth. The biological theorists believe that innate differences in males and females exist from birth. Boys, on the average, are found to be more active (Brenes,

Eisenberg & Helmstadter, 1985; Maccoby & Jacklin, 1980) and

aggressive. 11 Sex differences in aggression are fairly well­ established during the first six years of life 11 (Fagot & Hagan, 1985, p. 343). But many psychologists studying the relationships among biological, life and psychological differences conclude that biological sex differences do not explain psychological characteristics. The earliest treatment of sex-role socialization is that of Freud (1930). Although largely oriented to the biological in nature, Freud•s view is based on unconscious, instinctual or maturational processes due to possession of differential anatomical equipment by males and females. Freud•s theory emphasizes the chilct•s identification with the same-sex parent as the primary mechanism 17

whereby children become sex-typed, an id that results from the child's discovery of genital sex differences. Freud's psychoanalytic perspective saw the interaction processes resulting in the development of sex-appropriate behaviors as males and females. Biological determinism considers physiological factors as the key element in the roles that females and males assume. Heredity factors predispose each sex to certain patterns of behaviors (i.e., male's strength leads to aggression).

Social Learning Theories The social learning theory postulates that the development of sex-role knowledge is a function of the child's social learning history. It emphasizes the explicit rewards and punishments for behaving in sex-appropriate ways as well as the vicarious learning that observation and modeling can provide (Bandura, 1969; Bandura & Walters, 1963; Mischel, 1970). Although male and female babies are similar at birth, selective reinforcement and imitation play a big part in the process of acquiring a gender identity. In principle, children of both sexes are brought up as people; in practice, gender is a highly significant factor in their upbringing and there are differences in the socialization of boys and girls (Birns, 1976; Block, 1978). Expectant parents often fantasize about the sex of their child. Frequently stereotypical, the plans are conceived within a framework of sex-role constraints, predetermined ideas about how boys and girls, men and women, should act. All one has to do is visit an infant 18

clothing department to see how very early the baseball versus ballerina clothes start. The moment parents know the sex of their newborn infant, cultural and social sex-typed expectations are projected. "Gender-role socialization begins at birth and continues throughout life" (Katz, 1979, p. 155). Fathers stereotype newborns more than mothers. Studies have found differences in parent-child interaction according to the sex of the child. Boy babies are more likely to be handled and encouraged in motor activity, whereas girl babies are likely to receive more verbal stimulation. Tolerance of sex-inappropriate behavior, especially in the early years, is far greater for girls than for boyse Boys appear to be more actively deterred from cross-sex behaviors and traits, especially by their fathers (Chetwynd & Hartnett, 1978). Fathers even give more gender-stereotyped judgments about their newborn infants than do mothers. Comparing parents• descriptions of sons and daughters, all equal in length, weight and Apgar scores; the 1 ittle girls were more likely to be described as little, beautiful, cute and pretty than were the boys (Rubin, Provenzano & Luria, 1974).

Cognitive-Developmental Theories Still another approach focuses upon the part that cognitive development plays in children's acquisition of gender identities. Kohlberg (1966) emphasizes "the ways in which children socialize themselves once they have firmly labeled themselves as male or female" (Bern, 1981, p. 354). This process is called self-socialization. 19

. )

Its major proponent, Kohlberg (1966, 1969) asserts that children will not selectively attend to and imitate same-sex models until they have established a stable concept of their gender identity. Lewis and Weinraub (1979) agree that the child 1 s social cognition of self, others and the relationship of self to others is the critical factor in the development of sex roles.

This theory stresses the role of the child 1 s own behavior in the reinforcement of appropriate sex roles. Primarily interactional, children construct sex role concepts on the basis of individual experience with their own bodies and with their social environments. Once the child has acquired a gender label (which appears to occur no later than the second year of life), he or she comes to value positively behaviors, objects and attitudes consistent with that 1 abel • Cognitive-development focuses on the child as primary agent in his or her own sex-role socialization. Thus, the child selects actively from the available environment to receive input that is consistent with maintenance of the appropriate identity. Following Jean Piaget•s cognitive model, Kohlberg (1966) proposed a developmental progression in sex-role development starting with gender identification at about 2 or 3 years of age developing into gender constancy at about 7 years of age at which time children self-socialize into culturally appropriate sex-roles.

Conclusions Today, there is little dissent from the view that while sexuality is biologically determined, sexual behavior is strongly influenced by 20

. ) cultural and social expectations. Over the last few decades, it has become increasingly clear that biological determinism is a necessary condition for the operation of social learning. None of these theories should be ignored. Each contributes something to our understanding of sex role acquisition. Social learning theory is important in its emphasis on the social and cultural components of sex-role development, the importance of society in shaping sex-typed behaviors. It also highlights the importance of imitation in the acquisition of sex roles. Cognitive-developmental theory emphasizes that sex-role learning is part of the rational process of childhood. Children actively seek to acquire sex roles. These theories, then, are seen as complementing one another. The current trend is to determine how heredity and environmental forces interact at different points in development to produce differences in female and male behavior.

Development of Sex Roles Every culture ordains somewhat different roles between the two sexes, and most adults do believe in at least some aspects of the sex­ role stereotypes. For example, most females attach major importance to marriage and children; as adults, they often try to work outside their homes only ~~hen their families need additional income and when their children are old enough to be in school. Males attach major importance to both their families and their work outside their homes. These stereotypes, however, do not describe reality. In 1986, 49% of mothers with children under 1 worked, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, up from 34% in 1979. "Almost 63% of 21

mothers with children under eighteen are in the work force 11 (Newsweek, 1986, p. 66). These percentages are increasing. Today, sharing responsibilities and role duplication and overlapping is the alternative most frequently advocated. Traditional sex-role stereotypes are inconsistent with many sex differences and are maladaptive for most adult roles (Emmerich & Shepard, 1982). 11 In terms of intellectual performance, boys and girls who are less sex-typed have been found to have higher overall intelligence, spatial ability, and creativity11 (Gough, 1976, p. 15). Adults also need the positive characteristics from both the masculine and feminine stereotypes to function well in society.

Indeed, 11 We must get on with the business of reinventing sex roles so as to make them more congruent with the larger reinvention of our culture as a whole 11 {Sprung, 1978, p. 147).

Sex Role Acquisition and Socialization

One of the most salient characteristics determining the socialization of the infant in any culture is sex. The characteristics that have been considered to be encompassed within one•s sex role include personality traits, values, abilities, interests and behaviors performed within the framework of familial or occupational roles. The content of sex roles are usually both descriptive and prescriptive in nature. Sex-role stereotypes are widely shared descriptive beliefs about what the sexes actually are (Pl eck, 1981). Sex-role socialization is a crucial aspect of socialization, with profound effects on a child 1 s expectations, self-image, and 22

behavior. And studies suggest that traditional views of women as expressive and men as instrumental are still common in American society" (Schwartz & Markham, 1985, p. 157). A major issue to examine is the differential impact of sex-role socialization on girls and boys in our society. Although girls and boys may acquire concepts related to their own gender identity at about the same age, throughout childhood, many more girls than boys show a preference for aspects of the role of the opposite sex (Hyde, Rosenberg & Behrman, 1977; Nash, 1975). One explanation is that masculine characteristics are considered more useful and desirable to society as a whole. Also, females do not appear to be penalized as much as males for deviating from their traditional sex role (Fagot, 1977). Bern (1975) found that "androgynous males and females can engage in a wider variety of situationally effective behavior." Sprung (1975) and Robinson and Hobson (1978) found that androgynous play behavior provides both sexes with a wider range of potential alternatives. "Boys and girls alike should develop both their instrumental and their expressive competencies" (Baumrind, 1980, p. 645).

Mothers, Fathers, Peers and Sex Typing Parents have clear stereotypes regarding the behaviors they expect to be associated with male infants and female infants (Parke, 1979; Rubin et al., 1974). Parents, peers and teachers all reward children for sex-appropriate behavior and punish them for opposite­ sex behavior (Fagot, 1978; Lamb & Roopnarine, 1979; Langlois & Downs, 1980). 23

Sex typing comes from self-socialization, from parents and other socializing agents selectively furnishing children with sex­ appropriate toys and activities and rewarding their play with them. "It has been proposed that sex typing is more rapid and intense in boys than in girls because boys are taught how to be boys and how not to be girls and girls are taught how to be girls only 11 (Perry, White & Perry, 1984, p. 2116). Perhaps the most direct means by which adults socialize children into sex roles is simply to label for them what objects and activities are 11 for boys 11 and 11 for girls ... This oversimplifies their perceptions of reality and restricts their learning options. Children actually explore less frequently when objects are labeled for the opposite sex (Bradbard & Endsley, 1983). Cahill (1983) points out the importance of peer interaction in gender development. 11 ln their play children construct social worlds around sexual classification and rehearse their performance of gender­ specific behaviors .. (p. 10). Socialization patterns impinge differently on the two sexes: boys are encouraged to control affect, while girls are encouraged to control aggression. Block (1973) examined sex differences in child rearing values. She found that with the parents of boys the emphasis was on 11 achievement and competition, insistence on control of feelings and expression of affect, and a concern for rule conformity .. (p. 517). With parents of girls, however, the emphasis was placed, particularly by their fathers, on developing and maintaining close i nterpersona 1 rel at i onshi ps: 11 they are encouraged to talk about their 24

troubles and to reflect upon life; are shown affection physically; and are given comfort and reassurance .. (p. 517).

Recent Developments in the Study of Sex Roles The concept of sex role as it has been used in psychology appears to be too global in nature. Spence and Helmreich (1978) have suggested replacing the term with four distinct categories: gender identity, sexual orientation, sex-role attitudes and behaviors, and personality characteristics.

There are also a few additional 11 theories 11 that need to be explored more fully. Cahi11 1 s (1983) Social Interactionist approach says that 11 gender development results from children•s construction of social worlds around sexual classification and re-creation of gender ideals 11 (p. 10). The social-interactionist views role development as starting with the sex labeling of the infant, the sex labeling of the self, the view of models (parents, peers, television, books) and gender ideals embedded in the child•s social environment (room decor and toys) • Another aspect of sex role development is that of Observational Gender Learning. Perry et al. (1984) state that 11 by observing that males and females differ in the frequencies with which they perform various behaviors, children come to encode some responses as male- appropriate and some as female-appropriate .. (p. 2114). In fact, fathers and mothers still do differ in the frequency of performing various tasks and functions; male and female television characters 25

behave in divergent ways; male and female playmates differ in toy and activity interests. Bandura (1969), in his nursery school experiment, discovered that in addition to imitating the behavior of adults, children engage in observational learning and will not imitate behavior they have observed unless they believe that it will have~ positive outcome for them. Another area currently being explored is that of parent and teacher expectations and their effect on the actual performance, behaviors and choices made by males and females. Today, we are living in a time of transition. Motherhood (childbearing and childrearing) has come to occupy a smaller proportion of the American woman's adult life. The employment of women and its ultimate effect on the division of labor has only begun to be examined. All these changes cannot help but alter our views and feelings about sex roles. It is hoped that these changes will provide us, both male and female, with less restrictive sex-role identities and with a broader behavioral base. CHAPTER 3

PROCEDURE

Theoretical Framework/Introduction

The importance of exposing children to literature that is free of sex-role stereotypes is recognized by an increasing number of parents and teachers of young children. Children's literature should reflect the variety of role models available in the culture. Through books, children learn about the world outside their immediate environmentc Books provide children with role models, images of what they can and should be like when they grow up. Picture books are often read over and over again at a time when children are in the process of developing their own sexual identities (Weitzman, Eifler, Hokada & Ross, 1972, p. 1126). I have developed the materials presented here for parents and teachers. I want to save them time as well as give them information. It is an important task incumbent on adults to exercise judgment about and avoidance of books which disparage any group. We must constantly be aware of the possibility, even by inference, of stereotypes. A small child with limited experience may well accept what is presented to her or him as the way things or people are.

Collecting Data/Public Libraries

Since I live and work in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County, I chose public libraries (Appendix A) in the following areas: West Valley (Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Encino, Tarzana, Granada Hills,

26 27

Northridge, Reseda and Woodland Hills); East Valley (North Hollywood, Pacoima, Panorama City, Sherman Oaks, Sylmar and Van Nuys). Once I determined my area of research, I looked through the phone books for a list of public libraries in the above-mentioned communities and asked for the names of the children's librarians. I then formulated a letter to be addressed to these librarians (Appendix B). I allowed 5 working days before I followed up these letters by telephone. Many librarians agreed to see me. Some libraries had no full-time children's librarian. I heard from two children's librarians within the first 2 weeks. Heather Sells, Children's Librarian at the Granada Hills Library, wrote to me saying that she had been nominated by the West Valley Region to give me advice (Appendix B). Her letter mentioned that the Woodland Hills Children's Librarian also would be interested in helping me with my project. I received a phone call from Helen Mueller, Children's Librarian at the North Hollywood Regional Library, offering her assistance as well.

Limitations/Problems Encountered Although I received great help from a number of librarians, many libraries are understaffed and their librarians could not spend much time with me. The biggest difficulty was in locating books. Many were listed in the card catalog but were not easily found on the shelves because of misshelving by children, being checked out of the library, or due to loss or theft. This necessitated my visiting each of these libraries a number of times before my list of books became substantial. What I thought would take a few months actually took a 28

year. Another problem was that not all books I identified as non- sexist could be obtained in every library.

General Information Gathered from Librarians All the children's librarians were very cooperative, but two in particular offered me assistance over and above locating specific books. I interviewed Heather Sells who was most informative. She told me that since Proposition 13 was passed in the State of California there have been less funds allocated for the purchase of library books. When given a list of books to purchase for Petit Park Library, she makes her decisions based on personal taste in children's books and the needs of her clientele. I discussed briefly my 11 rough 11 criteria for selection and she added that she does reject books on this purchase list due to many things, one of which is the use of stereotypes. I also spent time in the Woodland Hills Library with Claire Bronsen. Subsequently, I interviewed Helen Mueller at North Hollywood's Regional Library. She has been a children's librarian for over 25 years. She was extremely helpful and informative and had already made a number of selections for me to read in anticipation of our interview. She added one important bit of information to the comments made by Heather Sells, namely that a 1 arge part of the money budgeted for children's books goes toward the replacement of books that have been lost, stolen or destroyed. In summary, all the children's librarians stated that child appropriateness was the most important factor for selecting a new 29

il ' book for the library. This "appropriateness" is defined in terms of the child's age, needs, interests and subject matter. I became aware of all the truly wonderful non-sexist, non-traditional books that are available in our public library system.

Collecting Data/Bookstores

My acquaintance with bookstores and hearing of others from parents and teachers with whom I have been in contact determined the selection of bookstores that I visited. Again, I chose to limit myself to the East and West Valley areas of the San Fernando Valley. Nonetheless, my list would not be complete without one particular store outside the designated geographical area, the Children's Book and Music Center in Santa Monica. This bookstore has a long history and fine reputation for quality literature. Many parents and teachers from the Valley travel the distance to Santa Monica to make their selections. I first wrote a letter to each of the owners/managers of the stores on my list (Appendix B) and they followed up by telephone to set up appointments, \'lhich were brief since many managers needed to attend to their customers. I received permission from the store owners or managers to list their stores with addresses and phone numbers as resources (Appendix B). The books chosen for inclusion in the annotated bibliography may not be available at every bookstore, although stores have the capacity to order selections for a customer. 30

Limitations/Problems Encountered By far my biggest difficulty was to try not to interfere with the business being conducted at these bookstores. I found that many owners/managers did not have more than a few minutes for me as I was always there during store hours and, although they expected my visit, there was no way to determine how busy their store would be on any given day. Also, as in the public libraries, the sheer volume of books necessitated my visiting some bookstores more than once. Although I had not anticipated needing standards for selecting bookstores, two of the places I visited did not have a sufficient number of books that I considered to be of high quality or representative of what I was looking for. Those stores were eliminated from my final resource list.

General Information Gathered from Bookstore Owners/Managers It was extremely informative and enjoyable feasting my eyes on all the new books and speaking to many knowledgeable people. Many bookstore owners/managers see a recent trend for more books published for the very young child. There are more educational books available. Many commented that they find children's books to be more accurate, better illustrated and interested in encouraging the child's imagination than they used to be. There are more books with animals, more concept books and more books dealing with child behavior. There has been a visible movement toward depicting females as independent, able people. Many agreed that stereotypes still exist in literature, but they are now side by side with the new attitudes toward women. 31

There is more emphasis on books about family life. Finally, sex roles are more realistically reflected as our culture grows to accept non-sexism; our literature reflects the culture.

Identifying Criteria for Book Selection

Previously, when selecting children's books for my daughter or for use in my parent groups, I examined them for the quality of their storytelling and illustrations, their use of strong vocabulary and especially for their originality. But in selecting the books to be on the list in this paper, I added another set of criteria: books that are non-sexist in nature, that reflect alternative lifestyles and that meet children's needs. I evaluated picture books using varied criteria including sex role bias and I screened out books which are sex-role stereotyped. I also chose books that could be found in at least one out of two major libraries or one of the bookstores I visited to ensure availability and accessibility. I examined many different criteria for the selection of books in which sexism was absent. I read studies looking at the effects on children of non-stereotyped and stereotyped stories and read studies seeking to identify behaviors exhibited by female and male characters in non-sexist books. I drew on information from numerous sources to arrive at the selection criteria I used (Collins, Ingoldsby & Dellman, 1984; Feminists on Children's Media, 1974; George in Sprung, 1978; Gersoni­ Stavn, 1974; Hyde, 1984; Kingston & Lovelace, 1977-78; Kropp & 32

Halverson, 1983; McDowell, 1977; McGovern, 1980; Mitchell, 1973; Monson & McClenathan, 1979; Osit, 1985; Ray, 1982; St. Peter, 1979; Sutherland, Monson & Arbuthnot, 1981; Trelease, 1979; Weitzman et al., 1972). I also added some comments of my own, keeping in mind that criteria must be reasonable and valid with respect to my goals.

Analyzing Materials While reading books, I inspected the traditional elements of literature: setting, point of view, characters, plot, t_heme and style. I also watched for the use of females in the title, females in the central role and the role functions of females in the story. I was particularly interested in the role models of adult men and women because these models present children with future images of themse 1 ves and they a 1 so influence a child • s as pi rations and goa 1 s. I watched for attitudes about areas extending to behavior and personality traits as well. I believe quality materials for children contribute to shape their self-image, strengthen their self-concept and bolster their sense of belonging within a group in society. The materials selected reflect the need for broadening the horizons and deepening the understanding of all children. Indeed, the diversity within groups should be realistically portrayed to show differences in lifestyles, goals, values and expression. The following are offered as criteria for evaluating children•s books from a non-sexist perspective. 33

Criteria for Selection of Books

In order to select books for this annotated bibliography, I formulated a set of criteria; principles I could use as a standard in judging the large number of books I would eventually read. These principles, however, are obviously not dealt with in every book nor do they appear in every book selected, as the applicability of some depend on the subject matter of the story. They are merely a guide with which a parent or teacher can detect sexism in books and raise their awareness level of social and cultural stereotypes surrounding males and females.

Check the Illustrations Quality illustrations are essential to give depth to the book•s content and to provide positive visual experiences. The illustrations should complement the text. Care should be given to persons in the background. Look for stereotypes: the completely domesticated mother; the demure, doll-loving little girl; the wicked stepmother; the uninvolved but hardworking father; or the aggressive, always brave little boy. Stereotypes are not always blatant; note variations which in any way demean or ridicule characters because of their sex.

Are males the active 11 doers 11 and females the inactive 11 0bservers 11 ?

Check the Storyline

Is it readable in terms of the child 1 s interests and needs? Do the messages conveyed, both directly and indirectly, accurately portray the human condition? It helps to consider uncommon situations and non-traditional roles to bring uniqueness and creativity to 34

what otherwise might be just another story. Subtle forms of bias to watch for: the standards for success, the resolution of problems, the role of men and women. 11 Lively curiosity should motivate the protagonists. Authors should challenge the existing standards. stimulating the young reader to search for alternative understandings of moral issues11 (l~cDowell, 1977, pp. 41-42).

Look at the Lifestyles Do the book accurately portray other lifestyles present in today•s culture? Do they reflect the changing nature of the world? Do they go beyond over-simplification and offer genuine insights into other lifestyles? A wide variety of possible lifestyles and occupations can be presented in children's books showing all kinds of families and people: traditional as well as non-traditional, handicapped, elderly people and characters from a multi-ethnic background.

Weigh the Relationships Between People The material can reflect an accurate and broad view of the world by presenting the various groups of people who make up this world. Do the books offer a balanced view of people in traditional and non­ traditional roles? Do they show females and males engaged in a variety of social, economic and professional relationships? Non­ sexist literature helps destroy many barriers. For example, the elderly can be shown as strong and interesting, providing support to children at a crucial point of conflict or grief. 35

Boys and girls, men and women can be shown displaying affection and providing help, comfort and support to others.

Note the Heroines and Heroes The omission of females as heroines has been noticed by many researchers. Do the books present girls in positive roles? Do they show adult women as role models? Do they display females in a leadership position? Do they show girls engaged in problem solving? Are the achievements of girls and women based on their own initiative and intelligence, or are they due to their "good looks" or to their relationship with boys? When the female character is shown as self­ reliant, spirited and competent, is the male mistreated? Watch for reverse bias, writers who denigrate boys in an attempt to praise girls.

Consider the Effects on the Child's Self-image Is the emphasis on providing children with role models of sensitive, capable humans who have a sense of self-worth and dignity? Are the characters people we want our children to emulate? What happens to a girl's self-image when she reads that boys perform all the brave and important deeds? What about a girl's self-esteem if she is not "fair" of face and slim of body? What about the inhuman demands on growing boys not to show emotions, to be always strong and fearless, and to be responsible for the well-being of others? 36

@ '

Watch for Loaded Words Look for quality in writing style and for the way a writer employs language. There is little doubt that even our language has tended to make females seem the 11 other11 sex. Do they alternate the order of using female and male pronouns and nouns? Avoid language

referring to 11 men's work 11 and 11 Women's work ... Words like 11 Sissi' and 11 hero 11 and 11 tomboy 11 can be dissected and exposed. Watch out for

books that suggest that only girls who are 11 tomboys 11 are happy and liberated.

Watch for Stereotypes Be alert to the portrayal of sexual roles, both psychological and occupational. Do the characters in the story have personalities like real people, with strengths and weaknesses, rather than stereotypes? Do they seem authentic in the way they act and react? Be conscious of stereotypes relating to males: active, physically strong, aggressive, outdoors, scientific, independent, unemotional, brave and instrumental. And those stereotypes relating to females: passive, dependent, indoors, emotional, domestic, expressive and decorative.

Watch for Expression of Feelings by Both Males and Females Are boys, girls, adults shown as having emotions? Do the books present boys expressing their emotions as well as their intellect? Do females and males speak in a style and language that fits their situation? Do they show little boys crying, playing with stuffed toys and dolls and helping in the house? Do they offer little girls 37

as assertive, physically confident and strong? Do females and males exhibit active, independent, creative and assertive behaviors? Do males and females display nurturance, cooperation, gentleness and emotional behaviors (Davis, 1985)?

Look for Well-developed Characterization Are the characters well-rounded and unique? Is the emphasis on general human characteristics common to males and females alike? Watch the depiction of the activities of boys and girls. Are boys always active, pursuing adventure and independent? Are girls always passive and found indoors? Are adult females shown as having any options other than marriage? Are adult males always shown as having the total financial responsibility of the family? Are the authors writing about issues and experiences in a manner that makes them relevant to a child•s own experiences and knowledge? Story must contain characters in action to which a child could generalize his own behavior.

Watch for Females and Males in Flexible, Diverse Roles There is much room within books to present a positive, exciting image of both males and females. Are females and males displayed on an equal basis? Does it appear that the characters have power over their own lives? Are women virtually one-dimensional in literature for the young? 11 Look for books that suggest that the only norma 1 mother is a stay-at-home mother 11 {Pogrebin, 1972, p. 25). Do males and females resolve their own problems and reap their own rewards? Are human qualities emphasized? Are all human conditions included? 38

How are the sexes treated as children and adults? Do show men and women in numerous roles, both occupational and social.

Watch for Behaviors Exhibited by Male and Female Characters Is there a wide range of behaviors, whose conduct and assignment are not limited by stereotypic definitions of sex roles? Look for boys and girls acting together as equals. Present a picture of equality in the dimension of independent functioning. In order to combat sexism we must emphasize general human characteristics, common to females and males alike. Note authors that challenge the existing standards and stimulate the young reader.

Books That did not Reach my Criteria

I read through many books at both public libraries and local bookstores. I avoided books with sweet little old ladies, beautiful heroines helplessly dependent on men and independent women shown as evil persons or hateful housewives. I eliminated books with unrealistic portrayals of mothers, fathers and husbands. Finally, I excluded books that showed men making decisions about emotional issues without their actually becoming involved emotionally.

Fairy Tales--A Special Consideration

Much can be learned about the age-old inner problems of human beings and of moral solutions to predicaments from the classic folk fairy tale (Bettleheim, 1976). But many of the traditional and classic fairy tales and myths contain stereotypes. Therefore, I have 39

excluded them from this bibliography. I do feel, however, that classic fairy tales have a place in a child's library. Almost every fairy tale contains the duality of good and evil, without shades of gray; thus, permitting the child to comprehend easily the difference between the two. Used appropriately with certain ages (I believe with 6-year-olds and older), fairy tales can help provide parents and children a sense of generational continuity and material for the discussion of moral principles.

Suggestions for Using the Bibliography

How can we as parents and teachers tap what a story tells us? For the youngest group, the simple exposure to quality, non­ stereotyped literature, featuring boys and girls being capable, is valuable. In preschool and the early elementary classes, books such as William's Doll or The Paper Bag Princess can be read aloud and used for a discussion of sex roles and aspirations. Children can be given appropriate opportunities to role play non­ traditional roles and can be presented with activities that reflect broadened roles for family and work. This activity-orientation to sex equity might allow children to become aware of the broad array of options available to both men and women.

Special Points to Consider Parents and teachers know the value of reading to young children. It stimulates their interest, their emotional development, their imagination and their language. But what specifically do young children want from books? 40

Toddlers are interested in colorful, simple illustrations and exciting sounds. They prefer books that introduce the world, that show familiar objects; books with simple rhymes and repetitions; books they can touch and hold independently. Preschoolers like books that use things that are familiar to them, books that are brief and direct. They like books that make them feel competent or self-actualized. They are interested in books that encourage the acceptance of one's uniqueness; simple, informational books; and books that use exaggeration and humor. Early elementary age children enjoy books about unfamiliar people and places. They like books where they can recognize words and numerals; books with more complex stories; with chapters, and books that are part of a series. Parents and teachers must consistently make their needs known to librarians and bookstore owners. This is imperative in order to have more books available that are high quality and non-sexist in nature. The following books, in part, reflect the effects of the recent social movement and the demands of a discriminating public on the publishers and authors of children's books. CHAPTER 4

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

This section contains books selected according to the criteria listed. Books are listed by age group. The toddler age is designated as 18 months to 3 years of age. The preschool age is being 3 to 5 years of age; and, finally, the early elementary years are considered here to be 5 to 8 years of age. Within each section, the books are ordered alphabetically.

Books Suggested for Toddlers

A Place For Ben. Jeanne Titherington. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1987. When his baby brother is moved into his bedroom, Ben goes elsewhere in search of a place of his own. He soon finds himself longing for company of some kind and we watch his delight in his little brother. A quiet, beautiful picture book showing a little boy's affection for his baby brother. Bear By Himself. Geoffrey Hayes. New York: Harper & Row, 1976. A bear enjoys his moments alone. Green and brown pencil sketched pictures framed in black tell a simple story of a little bear who likes to do things alone. Things like singing, thinking his own thoughts, smelling the rain, talking to the river, lying in the grass and looking up at the clouds. A sweetness about this story shows the sensitive side of this young male bear.

41 42

i' .

*The Carrot Seed. Ruth Kraus. Illustrated by Crockett Johnson. New York: Harper & Row, 1945; Scholastic, 1971. Simple pictures depict a little boy's faith in the carrot seed he plants, despite the fact that no one else believes it will grow. And what a carrot it becomes! Dad's Back. Jan Ormerod. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1985. Small in size but big in its message. Dad comes home from work and plays with his baby. Beautiful pictures evoke a feeling of the warmth and love a father has for his precious child. See also Messy Baby, 1985. Donald Says Thumbs Down. Nancy Evans Cooney. Illustrated by Max1e Chambliss. New York: G. P. Putnams Sons, 1987. Although at first it is very difficult for him to stop sucking his thumb, Donald gradually substitutes other activities until he never even thinks about it anymore. Lovely colored pictures show the struggle this young boy has in working things out himself. Father Gander. Rewritten by Douglas Larche. Illustrated by Carolyn Larche. Santa Barbara, CA: Advocacy Press, 1985. This is a collection of many Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes which have been adapted to reflect no sexism, violence and discrimination. There is mention of children with hair that is not curly and golden, competent little girls and equal time is given to men and women. The colored pencil illustrations, which are full of detail, are also full of people of many races, and even people in wheelchairs. The rhymes still retain their lyrical quality but now Jack and Jill can both be nimble! Gone Fishing. Earlene Long. Illustrated by Richard Brown. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1984. A father and son go fishing with a big fishing rod for Daddy and a little one for the child. One gets the sense of a strong, loving relationship between father and son as the son winds up making the big catch.

*Identifies classic stories written from the '30s, '40s or '50s which have withstood the test of time. 43

Gregory's Garden. William Stobbs. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984. A determined little boy wants so much to have a garden. He digs one and has great difficulty with the animals and the weather, but he keeps on trying and stays optimistic and he finally succeeds. How nice to see a male nurturing his gardene Hey, Look At Me! I Can Be. Merry Thomasson. Illustrated by Valerie Poole. Charlottesville, VA: Merrybooks, 1987. An intriguing idea where your child is the star of the book. By pasting his or her own picture in the back of the book, he or she will become a toy shop owner, animal doctor, baker, artists, pianist, doctor, scientist, teacher and caring parent. This book is full of occupations that really know no sexual boundaries. Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? Nancy White Carlstrom. Illustrated by Bruce Degan. New York: MacMillan, 1986. Rhymed text and colorful, cheery illustrations describe Jesse Bear's activities from morning to bedtime. It is one of sunshine, butterflies, sandboxes and family love. The lilting verse always asks the same question. Jesse Bear, what will you wear? "Juice from a pear and rice in my hair, that • s what I • 11 wear at noon! " There is never a boring moment in Jesse Bear's day. Just Like Daddy. Frank Asch. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1981. A small bear imitates his Daddy's every move until the final scene which shows him catching a big fish just like Mommy. A wonderful toddler book that doesn't deny either sex. Leo The Late Bloomer. Robert Krauss. New York: Scholastic, 1971. Leo isn't blooming. So his mother suggests they wait. Illustrates the ups and downs of the toddler years with simple, clear characters and text. A real delightful book dealing with self-concept. My Daddy. Matthew Price. Illustrated by Jean Claverie. New York: Knopf, 1986. This board book with flaps repeatedly asks questions like, "Who takes me to the swings?" There is a colored-pencil illustration of a toddler swinging on a swing, but when you look under the 44

flap, you'll see a Daddy standing up, swinging his baby back and forth by her arms. My Doctor. Harlow Rockwell. New York: Harper & Row, 1973. Simple story told to reassure child. Large pictures show what you would normally find in a doctor's office, only this time the doctor is female. Calming words and clear pictures help to remove a child's fears about a medical check-up. Noisy Nora. Rosemary We 11 s. New York: Dial Press, 1973. Nora, a mouse, makes noisy bids for some attention from her parents. Independent and clever, she finds ways to get her share of love. A strong, endearing little girl. 1, 2, 3 Play With Me. Karen Gundersheimer. New York: Harper & Row, 1984. A sweet little story contained in a small size book. With sister Minna's help, Memo the mouse counts up all his toys, backwards and forwards. Depicts a tender rel at i onshi p between siblings, allowing both to be capable and helpful to each other. On Mother's Lap. Ann Herbert Scott. Illustrated by Glo Coalson. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1972. A beautifully done picture book for very young children. An Eskimo boy shares his mother's lap \'lith his baby sister and several toys, including his doll. See What I Can Do! I1 on Wi kl and. New York: Random House, 1974. A fine picture book for a toddler, done in durable cardboard with a plastic spiral binding. The child in this book is about 2 years old and is pictured carrying out activities for a child this age. It highlights activities such as taking off one's socks and using the potty, which is a good way to begin to develop a feeling of confidence in their abilities. Ten, Nine, Eight. Molly Bang. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1983. A gentle, loving countdown to bedtime or nap time which will calm and relax even the most persistent evaders of sleep. Colorful, expressive illustrations of a black father and daughter. Also great for learning numbers. 45

There's Something In My Attic. Mercer Meyer. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1988. At last, a strong brave little girl. Convinced there is something making noise in the attic at night, a brave little girl sneaks upstairs, lasso in hand to capture whatever it is ••• Vera The Mouse. Marjolein Bastin. New York: Barron's, 1985. Part of a series of four delightful small books for little hands. Vera is shown making things, having hobbies, being very capable and feeling good about herself. This beautifully illustrated book includes Vera showing feelings.

Books Suggested for Preschoolers

Abby. Jeanette Caines. --Illustrated by Steven Kellogg. New York: Harper & Row, 1973. Pictures evoke the cozy closeness that Abby and her family share. She is an exhuberant little girl who adores her brother. Abby is Kevin's adopted sister. He loves her but sometimes when he gets annoyed, he upsets Abby by saying that he does not like girls. The mother is seen reading and studying. Abby is active and clever. *A Hole Is To Dig. Ruth Krauss. Illustrated by Maurice Sendak. New York: Harper & Row, 1952. A classic book of first definitions with girls and boys doing everything together. All Kinds Of Mothers. Cecily Brownstone. New York: David McKay, 1969. Black and white mothers, working and stay-home mothers all have an important quality in common--their love for their children. Anna Banana And Me. Lenore Blegvad. Illustrated by Erik Blegvad. New York: Atheneum, 1985. Lovely, watercolor illustrations show how intrepid Anna Banana inspires her timid friend to overcome his fears, using a little bit of her magic. Text's lyrical quality lends itself to this warm, funny story which recognizes the fears and triumphs of small children. 46

A Special Trade. Sally Wittman. Illustrated by K. Gundersheimer. New York: Harper & Row Junior Books, 1985. This is a loving story about an old man who pals around with a toddler neighbor. They both delight in their stroller-walks down the sidewalk, and he knows well enough to offer a hand only when needed. As he gets older he is confined to a wheelchair which she now pushes on their walks together. Pen/ink and watercolor dra\'lings grace this story which makes growing up and growing old seem as natural as the passage of seasons. Benjamin And Tulip. Rosemary Wells. New York: Dial Press, 1973. In this small picture book, children can now meet characters such as Tulip, an aggressive little girl racoon who picks fights with timid Benjamin. It is listed despite the risk of seeming to endorse bullying. It proves that meanness knows no sex distinctions, a lesson one might as well learn early as late, particularly when it is illustrated in a style as succinct and funny as this, with an outcome so equable. Best Friends For Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. New York: Harper, 1969. Wonderful Frances (poet, badger, heroine of several books) and little sister Gloria and friend Albert successfully deal with boy­ girl and sibling rivalries. Frances won•t play with her little sister and then Albert won•t play with Frances. The girls allow Albert to join a 11 No Boy 11 outing and find it is more fun when they all play together. Betsy's Fixing Day. Gunilla Walde. New York: Random House, 1978. What child could resist the brightly illustrated pictures of Betsy going about some very important tasks, fixing her easily identifiable toys and things. This little girl is not only capable but nurturing as she takes care of her little brother when he hurts his finger. Black Is Brown Is Tan. Arnold Adoff. Illustrated by Emily McCully. New York: Harper & Row, 1973. Celebrates the joy found by those who value individual differences. Reveals men sharing the care of children. A happy interracial family in which tasks are not sex-stereotyped. Author writes in poetry about everyday events in the life of a loving family. 47 . )

Bodies. Barbara Brenner. Photos by George Ancona. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., 1973. A photographic parade of bodies--every size, shape, color, sex and age--and a simple text proclaim that each person•s body is uniquely different. Shows what fun it is to have one (body)--one that•s uniquely wonderful and uniquely yours. A terrific self­ concept book. *The Country Bunny And The Little Gold Shoes. DuBois Heyward. Illustrated by Marjorie Flack. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1939; 1974. It is difficult to believe that this modern feminist tale was originally written nearly 50 years ago. A gem of a fantasy. Story about a cottontail rabbit who is a mother and a strong proud Easter bunny at the same time. She proves herself to be brave, swift and wise and earn "the little golden shoes" given only to very special Easter bunnies. While she is out delivering Easter eggs, her little bunnies, boys and girls alike, are taking care of the house. Everett Anderson•s Friend. Lucille Clifton. Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi. New York: Rinehart & Winston, 1976. Having eagerly anticipated the new neighbors, a boy is disappointed to get a whole family of girls. Everett Anderson finds out that even a girl like Maria who wins at ball can be a good friend.

Fin M1 Coul The Giant Of Knockmanyhill. Tomie de Paola. New York: Holiday House, 1981. This delightful Irish folktale shows how a man and wife can depend on each other. Fin M1 Coul•s wife, Oonagh, helps him outwit his arch rival, Cucllin. Both are depicted as hardworking in somewhat traditional roles but happy and honest. Together, they come up with clever ideas to avoid the mean giant. Hazel•s Amazing Mother. Rosemary Wells. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1985. When Hazel and her beloved doll, Eleanor, are set upon by bullies, Hazel•s mother comes to the rescue in a surpr1s1ng way. Black ink and soft watercolor painting are a perfect storytelling tableaux. Children revel in this picture book using animals for characters, but will not miss its underlying significance. A magical story of the power of the bond of love. 48

Helga's Dowry A Troll Love Story. Tomie de Paola. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1977. Helga, a troll, ventures into the world of people to earn her dowry in order to marry Lars, but things do not work out as she hopes. They say they love each other but there is no dowry. Undaunted, Inga says 11 Wait I'll earn a dowry ... Being very clever, she does laundry and earns cows; she works in a beauty shop and earns gold; she cuts down lumber (using Lars' new girlfriend) and earns land. In the end she sees Lars for what he really is and decides not to marry him after all. But the king says, 11 I love you for what you are! 11 He's My Brother. Joe Lasker. Chicago: Albert Whitman & Co., 1974. With remarkable sympathy and insight the author masterfully presents a family set free by facing their problem together with patience and tolerance. The narrator's slightly younger brother, Jamie, has a learning disability. The reader feels Jamie's frustration and anger. He responds also to the older brother's occasional impatience and embarrassment. In one illustration, the whole family cheers as Jamie proudly ties his own shoes for the first time. Reveals man sharing the care of his children and playing and talking with them. I Have Feelings. Terry Berger. Photographed by I. Howard Spivak. New York: Human Sciences Press, 1971. Part of a series. Young boy's expression of all kinds of feelings, good and bad, with situations that a young reader could relate to: sensitive photos add to overall feeling of importance of self-esteem development. I'm Terrific. Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Illustrated by Kay Chorao. New York: Scholastic Book Services, 1977. Jason Everett Bear thinks he's terrific but when his friends aren't quite as enthusiastic, he questions his good feelings and tries to change to suit others. His mother comments that she will support him in all his attempts to be a new bear, saying, 11 You're a good bear who's thinking things over ... The soft pencil sketches help endear this sweet little bear and his understanding mother when he realizes he really is terrific the way he was. Ira Sleeps Over. Bernard Waber. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1972; 1975. Ira would like to take his teddy bear to his first sleep-over but is afraid his friend will think him a baby. When Reggie takes 49

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his teddy bear out of a drawer, Ira goes home (next door) to get his, too. Shows that boys a1 so need the comfort of stuffed animals. Very well written and illustrated. Pictures simple but with detail, with mother and father very reassuring. Attacks the designation of toys solely for the use of one sex or the other. I Was So Mad! Norma Simone Illustrated by Doris Keder. Chicago: Albert Whitman & Co., 1974. Simple drawings and text relate situations which sometimes result in such reactions as frustration, anxiety, humiliation and loss of control. A little girl gets mad at tying a shoe, at being teased. Everyone gets mad, but children often have a hard time understanding this feeling. This book helps children know it•s OK to be mad and also helps adults understand a child 1 s feelings. Just The Thing For Geraldine. Ellen Conford. Illustrated by John Larrecq. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1974. Geraldine is an opposum who is very good at juggling. After several disastrous attempts at learning other skills, Geraldine convinces her parents to allow her tooo do what she does best. After making her try ballet, weaving and sculpture lessons, Geraldine•s possum family finally lets her do what she enjoys most --juggling. Appealing colored sketches. *Katy And The Big Snow. Virginia Lee Burton. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1943; 1974. Katy is a tractor who is strong enough to plow out an entire snowed-in city. There is nothing frail about this valiant (female) tractor who saves the town when no other vehicle can get through the snow. A lesson in persistence. Little Fox Goes To The End Of The World. Ann Tompert. Illustrated by John Wallner. New York: Crown, 1976. Little Fox tells her mother all the frightening things she 1 ll see when she travels to the end of the world. Little Fox is adventurous and the mother accepting. *Madeline. Ludwig Bemelmans. New York: Viking, 1939. New York: Penguin, 1977. Madeline•s unique adventures and Bemelman•s expressive illustrations and clear, fast-moving verse keep this series a favorite. This first of the series introduces fearless, high­ spirited Madeline and her 11 schoolmates who live in Paris with their teacher, Miss. Clavel. 50

See also Madeline•s Rescue, 1951, 1977; Madeline and the Bad Hat, 1977; Madeline and the Gypsies, 1977; Madeline in London, 1977; Madeline's Christmas, 1985. Making The Team. Nancy Carlson. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 1985. Though she plans to try out for cheerleading, Louanne Pig helps her friend Arnie try out for football. Louanne can•t get off the ground with her split jumps. Arnie drops every pass he tries to catch. They help each other practice, with surprising results. Martin•s Father. Margrit Eichler. Illustrated by Bev Magennis. Chapel Hill, NC: Lollipop Power, 1971. A young boy and his father engage in outdoor play and daily household activities. This very simple story is about a nurturing father. It shows Martin and his father performing all the housekeeping tasks essential to daily life as well as enjoying play situations together. Although it never specifically states that no mother is present in the family, it can be used as a story with which one-parent children can identify. Miss Rumphius. Barbara Cooney. New York: Viking, 1982; Puffin, 1985. With simple text and beautiful watercolor painting, Cooney tells how, as an adult, Great-Aunt Alice Rumphius accomplishes three childhood goals: to go to faraway places, to live beside the sea, and to do something to make the world more beautiful. Would that every child were given such wonderful advice. *Mommies At Work. Eve Merriam. New York: Knopf, 1955; Scholastic Books, 1971. A good book about mothers who work outside the home. It has a positive tone and combines well the homemaking and working qualities of women. A delightful picture book with working women doing everything from typing letters to building bridges. Busy Moms in various trade occupations, trades and professions. A must! Moonlight. Jan Ormerod. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1982; Puffin, 1983. Lovely wordless book showing the day•s sequence of events. First, it•s supper, then a bath, and after some play there•s time to read a story. When the child has trouble falling asleep, Dad falls asleep while comforting his child. Good for family sharing with a special emphasis on interaction between child and parents. See also Sunshine. 51

My Dad The Magnificent. Kristy Parker. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1987. Although Buddy might exaggerate a bit in bragging about his magnificent father, the good times they share demonstrate that his father really is great. He describes his father to his friend as a lion tamer, cowboy, deep-sea diver, etc. when he actually works in an office and has meetings. He spends Saturdays with his Dad who cooks pancakes, lifts him up and lets him walk on the ceiling, and wash the car. They end every Saturday together with a story, a hug, and Daddy saying, "I love you." My Daddy Is A Nurse. Mark Wandro, R.N. & Joani Blank. Illustrated by Irene Trivas. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1981. Describes the work of men with 10 occupations traditionally reserved for women: flight attendant, homemaker, dental hygienist, weaver, children's librarian, telephone operator, ballet dancer, office worker and preschool teacher. Shows black and white people. My Friend John. Charlotte Zolotow. Illustrated by Ben Schecter. New York: Harper & Row, 1968. A beautiful depiction of friendship between two young boys. They know everything about each other. They share secrets. And they always stick together. Author brings great warmth and fun to this story of best friends who like "everything that's important to each other." Lively drawings illuminate each moment to perfection. My Grandma Has Black Hair. Mary Hoffman. Illustrated by Joanna Burroughs. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1988. A child talks about her grandmother who is definitely not like the grannies in the storybooks. She glowingly describes the stereotypical granny but comes around to praising her grand­ mother's stories recollected from her childhood as the daughter of circus trapeze artists. Grandma says, "I'm not going to change, so the books will have to." My Mom Travels A Lot. Caroline Feller Bauer. Illustrated by Nancy Winslow Parker. New York: Frederick Warner, 1981. A child points out the good and bad things about a mother's job that takes her away from home a lot. Simple illustrations are colorful. Dad shown very involved. 52

Nice Little Girls. Elizabeth Levy. Illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein. New York: Delacorte Press, 1974. Jackie, a little girl with spirit, teaches her classmates and her teacher that division of work and play need not be determined by sex. She opens up her classroom to the exciting idea that boys and girls can do the same thing. Lovely depiction of the relationship between the parents and their daughter. Especially warm and reassuring. Noisy Nancy And Nick. Lou Ann Gaeddert. New York: Doubleday, 1970. Irrepressible Nancy and her new friend, Nick, explore the noisy city together. A terrific, equal relationship. See also Noisy Nancy Norris, 1965. Now One Foot, Now The Other. Tomie de Paola. New York: G. P. Putnams Sons, 1981. Very special story of a grandfather and grandson over a 5-year period. It begins with Grandpa doting on Bobby•s attempts to walk, hours of building blocks together and telling stories. As they both grow older, the roles become reversed. It is a lovely book about life and the loving, giving and taking which sharing can be. Illustrations in muted blues and browns. Oliver Button Is A Sissy. Tomie de Paola. San Diego: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1979. His classmates• taunts don•t stop Oliver Button from doing what he likes best. He realized he wasn•t good at ball, even though his father wanted him to play any kind of ball. He takes tap dance and dances in a talent show. He doesn•t win, but he makes his parents and classmates proud of his attempts. Outside Over There. Maurice Sendak. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. Story about a girl, Ida, who is responsible for watching over her baby sister. Goblins come and snatch the baby sister away; however, Ida does not play a passive role. She rescues her little sister by playing her magic horn, which puts the goblins in a trance. Ida is adventurous and brave, and outwits the goblins. 53

People Working. Douglas Florian. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1983. Depicts all races and sexes. Shows people working at home, including men; shows the value of working with your hands, of working alone, of working together. Princess Smartypants. Babette Cole. New York: G. P. Putnams Sons, 1986. Not wishing to marry any of her royal suitors, Princess Smartypants devises difficult tasks at which they all fail. Until the multi-talented Prince Swashbuckle appears. A magic kiss turns him into a warty toad and he leaves in a big hurry. When others hear of what she did, they don•t bother her anymore and she lives happily ever after. A humurous fairy tale with a difference. Quick As A Cricket. Audrey Wood. Illustrated by Don Wood. Singapore: Child 1 s Play (Int.), 1982. A joyful celebration of self-awareness. A small boy equates himself with the various qualities of some of the creatures of the earth. Large, lavish pictures and simple verse. Quiet On Account Of Dinosaurs. Jane Thayer. New York: Morrow Books, 1964. A fantasy about a little girl who finds a dinosaur on the way to school. She learns so much about dinosaurs that she grows up to be a famous scientist. Smile. Ernest and Celestine. Gabrielle Vincent. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1982. After he explains to Celestine why his collection of photographs does not include her, Ernest remedies the situation. This big, fatherly bear gets such joy and pleasure out of being with the little girl mouse. There•s something about Ernest and Celestine which makes you glad you know them. The universal message of friendship, love and patience is inherent in the story. The Sneaky Machine. Margarita Rudolph. Illustrated by Linda Strauss. Edwards, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974. Henry loves all kinds of machines, especially his grandmother•s vacuum cleaner, but his friends tell him that vacuuming is mother•s work. They learn differently. 54

*The Story of Ferdinand. Munro Leaf. Illustrated by Robert Lawson. New York: Viking, 1936; Puffin, 1977. A story about a non-stereotyped bull! He is gentle, quiet, peace-loving and fond of flowers. He does not like to fight, charge or roar ••• but he is still a great big, strong bull. This world-famous tale is about a Spanish bull who preferred to smell the flowers than fight in the bull ring. Simple black and white illustrations further enhance children's understanding of the story about one of the world's most famous pacifists. It is a fine non-sexist book because it subtly criticizes prescribed roles. A classic story of peace and individuality. The Temper Tantrum Book. Edna Preston. Illustrated by Rainey Bennett. Puffin, 1969. Showing anger and frustration help a child realize that these are valid feelings, a subject seldom explored in picture books. Animals prove that anger, frustration and humor know no sex. The Terrible Thing That Happened At Our House. Marge Blaine. Illustrated by John C. Wallner. New York: Scholastic, 1975. When mother goes back to work as a science teacher, the world temporarily turns topsy-turvy for the whole family but things work out as everyone cooperates. That Summer Night. Charlotte Zolotow. Illustrated by Ben Schecter. New York: Harper & Row, 1974. A gentle story of a nurturing father and his little girl. When she can't go to sleep on a warm summer night, her Dad figures out all sorts of ways they can enjoy themselves. Tough Eddie. Elizabeth Winthrop. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1985. A role conflict book. Although Eddie appears to be a tough kid, he also plays with a dollhouse, a secret he feels he cannot reveal even to his closest friends. Bright colored pictures show him being brave when he is at the park and a bee lands on his nose. In the end, he realizes that maybe he'l 1 bring his dollhouse for show and tell. 55

The Trouble With Mom. Babette Cole. New York: Coward-McCann, 1983. A young boy's mother, who is a witch, is not immediately accepted by the parents of the children in his new school. Trouble is she just isn't like other Moms. Her hats are decorated with snakes and mice and she flies her son to school on a broomstick. Truly funny, inventive pictures with all kinds of people shown. What Is A Girl? What Is A Boy? Stephanie Waxman. Culver City, CA: Peace Press, 1976. Simple photos help tell the story. One of the best sex education books ever written. Also great for dispelling stereotypes with a picture of a boy crying and a girl playing basketball. A must. William's Doll. Charlotte Zolotow. Illustrated by William Pene DuBois. New York: Harper & Row, 1972; 1985. Author introduces the reader to a boy who loves trains and basketballs but who also wants a doll for a toy in this sensitive story. His peers and family make fun of him. Grandmother understands William's need for a doll and gets him one, saying that someday he'll be a father, too, and wants to practice. Will I Have A Friend? Miriam Cohen. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. New York: t~acmillan, 1967. A little boy on his first day at child care center (taken there by his father) asks if he will find a friend at school. He begins the day feeling uncertain but by the time he leaves, he's found many friends and feels more secure. It shows that boys have feelings of uncertainty and that a father can take part in his ·child's life.

Books Suggested for Kindergarten, First and Second Graders

Arthur's Pen Pal. Lilliam Hoban. New York: Harper & Row, 1976. In this 11 ! Can Read 11 book, Arthur thinks he would rather be related to his pen pal who can Indian wrestle and do karate than to his little sister who beats him at jump rope. When Arthur discovers who his pen pal is, he learns to appreciate his younger 56

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sister and he learns that rope skipping is a skill, too. In addition, Arthur and Violet are cared for by a babysitter, a very rare character in children•s books. A Three Hat Day. Laura Geringer. Illustrated by Arnold Lobel. New York: Harper Trophy, 1985. A hat collector is having a very bad day until he meets his true love in the hat section of the department store. He tries on all types of hats: fur, top, sailor, straw, bonnets and bathing caps. A true individualist. Be Nice To Josephine. Betty Horvath. Illustrated by Pat Grant Porter. New York: Ranklin Watts, 1970. How nice for this young boy to find out how much he likes his cousin. He starts out being resentful, plotting to pull tricks on her but soon enjoys spending time with her. Charming, simple pictures and lovely words convey how his mood shifts as he gets to know Josephine. Represents a loosening of tight-held stereotypes. The Big Balloon Race. Eleanor Coerr. Illustrated by Carolyn Croll. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. Ariel almost causes her famous mother to lose a balloon race and then helps her win it. This "I Can Read" book will delight readers based on Carlotta f4yers, the most expert and popular balloonist in America in the 1800s. Father was an inventor and balloon maker. Ariel eventually became an aeronaut herself. This true-life adventure will have beginning readers laughing and cheering all the way to the finish line. Brave Irene. William Steig. New York: Farrar, Strauss, Girous, 1986. A story of love and courage. Irene, a dressmaker•s daughter, must deliver a gown to a duchess. She defies the wiles of the snow-covered countryside and wicked wind to complete her mission. This winning heroine will inspire every child to cheer her on. Cam Jansen Series. David A. Adler. Illustrated by Susanna Natti. New York: Dell. See Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Babe Ruth Baseball, 1982; and the Mystery of the Stolen Gold Coins, 1982; and the Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones, 1981; and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds, 1980; and the Mystery of the Television Dog, 1983; and the Mystery of the U.F.O., 1982; and the Mystery of the Circus Clown , 1983; and the Mystery at the Monkey House, 1985. 57

A delightful mystery series which young readers will take an interest in. Girls and boys side-by-side, solving mysteries. Cam•s resourcefulness and unusual gift of a photographic memory makes this a welcome addition with a satisfying amount of action and humor. Good characterization and easy reading with solid, easy-to-look-at illustrations. The Case Of The Double Cross. Crosby Bonsall. New York: Harper & Row, 1980. This fun 11 I Can Read Mystery .. illustrates children•s imaginative play while allowing the little girl characters to put one over on the boys. Desire to be part of a boys• private eye clubhouse leads to an imaginative disguise. Marigold concocts a mystery that finally gets her and her friends into the boys• private eye club. Children can appreciate the simple drawings. See also The Case Of The Scaredy Cats, 1971. A Chair For My Mother. Vera B. Williams. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1982. A child, her waitress mother and her grandmother save dimes to buy a comfortable armchair after all their furniture is lost in a fire. Shows sometimes Mom laughs when she comes home from work and sometimes she is exhausted and falls asleep. Multi-ethnic characters. *Crow Boy. Taro Yashima. New York: Viking, 1955; Puffin, 1976. Another classic children•s book which belongs on every non­ sexist list. Crow Boy deals with the feelings of a young boy, a subject not usually dealt with in stories for young children. Chibi is the butt of all the class jokes for 6 years in elementary school until a male teacher takes the time to discover his uniqueness as a person. By letting Chibi display his unusual talent, he helps the children realize that they never bothered to find out what kind of person Chibi was, just because he was a little different. A further asset of Crow Boy as a non-sexist book is that it is set in another culture, rural Japan. It teaches the appreciation of differences. Elizabeth Blackwell--The Story Of The First Woman Doctor. Shari Steel smith. Illustrated by J. Kerstetter. Seattle, WA: Parenting Press, 1987. Biography depicts struggle and determination of young Elizabeth who overcame prejudices, disabilities, etc. to become a doctor and finally to teach women to be doctors. 58

Free To Be You And Me. Marlo Thomas and Friends. New York: Bantam, 1974. Book includes a collection of non-stereotyped songs ("It's Alright To Cry," "Parents Are People") and stories (Sisters And Brothers, Glad To Have A Friend Like You) for "free" adults and children to enjoy together. A number of the stories, poems and songs demonstrate that people can choose to do or be whatever they desire. See also Free To Be . . • A Family, 1987. Girl And The Goatherd Or This And That And Thus And So. Evaline Ness. New York: Dutton, 1970. A charming tale of a girl who learns that beauty is not the most desirable thing in the world. Being loved is far more important. Unusual use of color in illustrations. The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses. Paul Goble. New York: Bradbury Press, 1978. A story about a young Indian girl who loves wild horses so much she leaves her Indian tribe to go live with them. She is adventurous, active, daring and independent. *Gone Is Gone Or The Story Of A Man Who Wanted To Do Housework. Wanda Gag (retold and illustrated). New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1935. An old folk tale retold of a man and wife who exchange their work, with the husband learning a valuable lesson about his wife's chores. Small in size, with black and white drawings. For the young reader noting lifestyles in adults around them--this book in effect looks at the very traditional roles of farmer and farmer's wife and winds up with respect for both roles. A delight and a good starting point for discussion of the value of work. Jellybeans For Breakfast. Miriam Young. New York: Parents Magazine Press, 1968. Two little girls imagine all the fantastic things they will do some day, including going to the moon. Jumanji. Chris Van Allsburg. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1981. Left on their own for an afternoon, two bored and restless children find more excitement than they bargained for in a mysterious and mystical jungle adventure board game. Black and white pencil illustrations creates a strong sense of depth and 59

space to this surreal story. Peter and Judy are plunged into the most exciting adventure of their lives (it is the little girl who insists the children finish the game). The marvelous words and drawings convey a mix of the everyday and the extraordinary. Just Think! Betty Miles &Joan Blos. Illustrated by Pat Grant Porter. New York: Knopf, 1971. Mothers who work, fathers who enjoy their kids, athletic girls. It's old folks at home and young ones, too. The Mrs. sculpts while her husband makes coffee. Dad walks his son to school while mother works in a lab. Girls and boys together jump rope and play cowboys, dolls and baseball. An egalitarian grab-bag of bright words, concepts and busy-day activities. Just Us Women. Jeanette Caines. Illustrated by Pat Cummings. New York: Harper & Row, 1982. Doing what pleases them, a young black girl and her favorite aunt share the excitement of planning a very special car trip for just the two of them. Warm, cheerful pictures and book's unhurried rhythm reinforces the sense of their relaxed companionable journey on this very special trip. Kevin's Grandma. Barbara Williams. Illustrated by Kay Chorao. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1975. All grandmas are not traditional. Everyone should enjoy this unusual one and her imaginative grandson. Black and white sketches and slight exaggeration add to the fun. When he's sick, grandma doesn't bring him crayons and coloring books--she dashes upon a motorcycle with Mad Magazine and peanut butter soup. She's quite a character. Love You Forever. Robert Munsch. Illustrated by Sheli a ~1cGraw. Canada: Firefly Books, 1986. Warm, soft drawings elicit much feelings as does this text showing mother holding her baby while singing. Marvelous depiction of ages and stages. Real emotions felt as grown son repeats song to his own precious baby. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything. Linda Williams. Illustrated by Megan Leoydi. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1986. A little old lady who is not afraid of anything must deal with a pumpkin head, a tall black hat and other spooky objects that . 60

follow her through the dark woods trying to scare her. Pictures outlined in black show that she lives alone and likes walking alone in the woods. Marcella And The Moon. Laura Jane Coats. New York: Macmillan, 1986. Marcella, a duck, is a good role model to foster independence and creativity in a child. While the other ducks are enjoying their usual nightly parade around the pond, Marcella paints. The full moon sparks her imagination and she artistically records all its phases. When it doesn't appear one night, making it too dark for the other ducks to swim, they come to Marcella, knowing that she can explain the phenomenon. Delightful illustrations in muted tones. Readers will appreciate Marcella's devotion to her task and love of her hobby. Minou. Mindy Bingham. Illustrated by Itoko Maeno. Santa Barbara, CA: Advocacy Press, 1983. It is a story of a Parisian cat whose needs are thoroughly provided for in grand style, but through tragedy, finds herself on her own. Throughout the story, in subtle and not-too-subtle ways, we come to see the folly in neglecting to prepare ourselves to be self-supporting. By the end, she has earned herself a. reliable method of self-support as well as independence. Illustrations in soft watercolors with lots of detail. Mothers Can Do Anything. Joe Lasker. Chicago: Albert Whitman & Co., 1979. Text and illustrations demonstrate many occupations of mothers including plumber, dentist, subway conductor and others. To see occupations shown and to have females performing them is remarkable. Describes all kinds of mothers doing different things. Creates no ideal (whether working in or outside the home) and allows for differences in personality and values. Love for their children is the mothers' common quality. The Paper Bag Princess. Robert Munsch. Illustrated by Michael Martchenko. Toronto: Annick Press, 1980. A charming tale of a princess who outwits a dragon. This book shows that a princess is sometimes better off not marrying her prince. Clever heroine does everything to save the prince only to have him complain of the condition of her clothes. She decides not to marry him after all. 61

Petronella. Jay Williams. Illustrated by Friso Henstra. New York: Parents Magazine Press, 1973. A smart and plucky princess rescues a prince from an enchanter by passing three dangerous tests with wit and bravery. Unfortunately, the prince is a fool and the princess goes off with the enchanter instead. Pippi Longstocking. Astrid Lindgren. New York: Viking Press, 1960. Pippi lives in Villakulla with no parents, plenty of money and two pets--a horse and a monkey. Readers will delight in this wildly adventurous, unusual girl. The Polka Dot Private Eye Series. Patricia Reilly Giff. Illustrated by Blanche Sims. New York: Dell. See The Mystery of the Blue Ring; The Riddle of the Red Purse, 1987; The Secret of the Polk Street School, 1987; The Powder Puff Puzzle, 1987. Dawn and her friend, Jason, work hand-in-hand to solve a variety of wonderful mysteries and riddles. Shows how they work together and appreciate each other's differences and similarities. The Practical Princess. Jay Williams. New York: Parents Magazine Press, 1969. Beauty, grace and common sense are given to Princess Bedelia at birth, and it is the latter she uses at 18 to save herself from a dragon, to escape an unwanted marriage, and to rescue a prince in captivity. Instead of passively accepting her fate as a dragon's dinner, she blows him up--and this is just the beginning. In this witty f&iry tale for older picture book r~aders, it is the clever, commonsense princess who rescues the prince and marries him. The Queen Who Couldn't Bake Gingerbread. Dorothy Van Woerkom. Illustrated by Paul Galgone. New York: Knopf, 1975. An amusing retelling of an old German fairy tale. Both the king and the queen learn about choosing a mate for her or his inner qualities rather than looks. They also learn to do for themselves and to be considerate of each other. Sam Johnson And The Blue Ribbon Quilt. Lisa Campbell Ernst. New York: Lethrop, Lee & Shepard, 1983. While mending the awning over the pig pen, Sam discovers that he enjoys sewing the various patches together but meets with scorn 62

and ridicule when he asks his wife if he could join her quilting club. The men in this turn-of-the-century rural area turn the tables and the two quilting clubs cooperate to win the blue ribbon. Appealing depiction of country 1 ife. Sleeping Ugly. Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Diane Stanley. Coward-McCann, 1981. Princess Miserella was very beautiful but inside, where it's hard to see, she was the meanest, wickedest and most worthless princess around. Plain Jane, on the other hand, had a face to match her name but a sweet and loving nature. A meeting with a disguised fairy brings them together in the middle of the dark wood and there, in a hilarious round of misunderstandings and misused wishes, Miserella and Jane both get the rewards they deserve. Kindness knows no beauty and this tale tells all. A refreshing change from the usual fairy tale ending. Someone New. Charlotte Zolotow. Illustrated by Erik Blegvad. New York: Harper & Row, 1978. A youngster discovers changes within himself as he matures and acquires new interests. Sensitively told, with easy, soft illustrations of a young boy questioning his new feelings. Something Queer At The Ballpark. Elizabeth Levy. Illustrated by Mordicai Gersteine New York: Delacorte Press, 1975. Gwen, an amateur sleuth, sets out to discover who took her best friend's lucky baseball bat. Girls play baseball well, are inquisitive and spirited. Sonya's Mommy Works. Arlene Alda. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1982. With Sonya's mother working, Sonya has adjustments to make, not all of which are easy. Photographs of family life shows her dressing herself and making her own lunch for school. Also shows Dad reading her a bedtime story when Mom is out of town and displays her close relationship with her babysitter. Tatterhood And Other Tales. Ethel Johnson Phelps. Illustrated by Pamela Baldwin-Ford. New York: Feminist Press, 1978. A collection of folk and fairy tales from around the world, with a feminist slant. Girls can be heroic and they don't want to marry the prince. What makes these tales noteworthy is that every one of them is about a brave, strong, clever or independent 63

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woman. Forget the passive, helpless, subservient and beautiful maiden found in so many well-known tales. These heroines, in one way or another, take on active roles and make decisions to shape their lives. Beautiful pen and ink illustrations. White Dynamite And Curly Kidd. Bill Martin, Jr. &John Archambault. Illustrated by Ted Rand. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1986. Lucky Kidd watches Dad ride a mean bull at the rodeo and thinks about becoming a bull rider when grown and wearing his same number. Colored illustrations show them sharing his rodeo day. On the last page, Curly Kidd's hat comes off to reveal a girl. CHAPTER 5

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed a great deal about the emergence of gender identity, sex-role concepts and stereotypes. Subtle and symbolic forms of sex discrimination in children•s literature became evident. Many parents and teachers deal directly with sex-role stereotypes. Adults have a unique opportunity to present non-sexist role models to children regarding choices open to both sexes. Some authors and editors are becoming sensitive to stereotypes in literature. The major goal of this project was to prepare the annotated bibliography and resource guide for parents and teachers who make quality, non­ sexist books for children a priority.

Sex-role Learning

Sex-role acquisition constitutes one of the most important 1 earning experiences for the young child. As children work actively to comprehend their social world, they learn society•s cultural definitions of femaleness and maleness such as anatomy, reproductive function, division of labor and personality attributes. There are significant differences in the socialization of girls and boys; they are socialized to accept society•s definition of the relative worth of the sexes.

64 65

"The contribution of biological factors to early sex typing cannot be ruled out" (Perry et al., 1984, p. 2119). But whatever biological differences do exist, the environment quickly predetermines the direction of sex-role stereotypes. Children continue to be taught stereotyped views of behavior--ideas about what type of behavior is appropriate for boys versus what is appropriate for girls.

Children•s Literature

Children•s literature plays a potentially significant role in sex-role learning and socialization. Exposure to traditional sex­ typed models in children•s books is one of several media sources that a child comes in contact with that promote sex-role stereotypes. Research in this area indicates stereotypes do exist in children•s literature (Ashton, 1983; Busby, 1975; Collins et al., 1984; Fried, 1982; Gersoni-Stavn, 1974; Hyde, 1984; Kingston & Lovelace, 1977-78; Kropp & Halverson, 1983; Mitchell, 1973; Osit, 1985; Paludi, Geschke, Smith & Strayer, 1984; St. Peter, 1979; Tiedt, 1976; Weitzman et al., 1972; Women on Words and Images in Society, 1975). Young children who read, or are read to from picture books are receiving significant reinforcement of sex-role stereotyping in the years when attitudes are most formative. "The roles in children•s books continue to underrepresent women and to stereotype male and female characters" (Kropp & Halverson, 1983, p. 262). Both boys and girls suffer from rigid, standardized sex roles. They hamper their fullest intellectual and social development. In truth, these role 66

models "not only present children with future images of themselves, but they also influence a child's aspirations and goals" (Weitzman et al., 1972, p. 1139). Sexist books may be an important early source of children's sex-role learning and, as such, contribute to the socialization of the sexes in the early years of childhood.

Parents and Teachers

Books used with preschoolers show males are portrayed as active; females as passive. Adult roles are differentially presented: girls are taught to restrain their aspirations and boys learn their masculinity is tied up with performance in a powerful occupational role. Parents, teachers and family life educators should be cognizant of the influences of reading material which lead children to reach conclusions about themselves which are not true and which are unfair to them because they reduce their confidence in themselves and limit their life choices and ambitions. It is important to read books that show men and women, boys and girls in all kinds of roles. "We can inhibit cultural messages by censoring books whose message is that the sexes differ on nonbiological dimensions" (Adams & Hicken, 1984, p. 306). Sprung (1978) suggests that an intervention can have dramatic effects on attitudes of a great many children. Discussions between parents and children about sexism in books can raise all the issues and allow children to develop standards of their own that will last long after parental censorship is forgotten. 67

11 Since it is impractical to eliminate every book considered sexist, the next best solution seems to be the cultivation of awareness concerning the problem., (McGovern, 1980, p. 22). Sexist books can be teaching tools. Children can be taught to recognize sexism and apply that understanding to all books and to their own 1 ives. A useful phrase to use with children for labeling sexist ideas is 11 0ld-fashioned. 11 Have children look through books to pick out 11 old-fashioned ideas, .. saying people used to think that women could not be doctors, now we know that•s an 11 old-fashioned 11 idea. Using such books as William•s Doll by Charlotte Zolotow can help children be less stereotypical in their views of men and women in our culture.

Non-sexist Literature

The main goal of non-sexist education is to encourage cognitive, physical, social and emotional development of all children regardless of sex. Using non-sexist literature encourages children to experiment with new activities and to question old attitudes. A child can be stimulated to question independently the established institutions and customs. Exposure to non-sexist curriculum, 1 iterature containing male and female models whose roles and activities contradict stereotypes, can help reduce sex typing; thereby, developing more flexible, egalitarian attitudes toward sex roles. Non-sexist books show both males and females in a variety of family, personality and work roles. Adults can be shown pursuing careers and sharing household and child 68

care duties. Both girls and boys can be conceived as appropriate heroes. Certainly, adults can stimulate non-sexist thinking with older children in three major areas: jobs and occupations, family roles and socio-emotional roles (Koblinsky & Sugawara, 1984). Our concern must be the restrictive nature of all sex roles. Indeed, sex equity is definitely a male issue as well. Boys are limited in their opportunities to fully explore their potential as human beings because of the pervasiveness of the male stereotype (Thompson, 1975).

Society and Cultural Change

Educators, parents and politicians claim that they want every individual to have access to all opportunities afforded by this society. But beneath this professed philosophy, there seems to run a deeper current of assumptions that the capacities, interests and talents of people are related to their class, color and sex (Sadker & Sadker, 1982). A report on male-female achievement by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) stated that at age 9, males and females perform equally. The last 30 years have witnessed a widespread trend toward equality of the sexes. Sex roles, which were once based on evolutionary necessity, have become highly elaborated cultural products. But these cultural vehicles are changing rapidly, particularly the areas of courtship practices, marriage, family and the division of labor. Since they determine the form and substance of sex roles, as they change, sex roles must also change. Also, 69

developments in the technologies of work, the household, contraception and longevity have had far reaching effects. And, lately, men have become more involved in child care related fields. In fact, Baumrind (1980) maintains that this supposed increase in male involvement is the most radical and potentially beneficial change in the social structure to emerge from the turbulence of the 1960s. There are many steps leading to social and cultural change. This process requires time and effort. Early education is needed in the home, school and society stressing the commonality of the sexes, and appreciating and accepting the differences. Parents must be knowledgeable about and willing to cooperate in increasing sex-role flexibility. Awareness of stereotypes in literature will help. As our society shifts the traditional vie\'IS of men and women, so does the world of children•s books reflect the changes. Through literature we have a unique opportunity to present non-sexist role models to children to reinforce what they should be learning in their homes and school~ regarding choices open to both sexes. I have attempted to contribute to that opportunity, more specifically, with the annotated list of non-sexist children•s books and the list of libraries and bookstores where these are likely to be found (in a limited geographical area). Concern over the possibility of stereotyping in picture books has resulted in an interest and demand for alternatives. Groups and organizations intent on eliminating distorted stereotypes in children•s books have compiled bibliographies and publishing companies have been established to produce these non-traditional alternatives. 70

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Concerned adults are calling for an earnest and objective expose of the subtle subconscious cultural influences in early childhood which cripple both girls and boys in terms of future self-concepts and interpersonal relationships. Perhaps this will help improve the quality of life and the diversity of options for boys and girls alike, placing the emphasis on individual skills, talents and abilities. Picture books are an important part of many children•s lives. They stir the imagination, entertain and offer various experiences. They increase the child•s vocabulary and aid in reading readiness. They also, perhaps most importantly, teach the values of society. It makes sense for contemporary society to relax the rigidities of its sexual stereotypes, maximizing the similarities between the sexes and the roles that males and females can share. The future of the children of such a society will be one of freedom and individuality. REFERENCES

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Bell, R. Q., & Costello, N. (1964). Three tests for sex differences in tactile sensitivity in newborn. Biologia Neonatorium, [, 335-34 7. Bell, R. Q., & Darling, J. F. (1965). The prone head reaction in the human neonate: Relation with sex and tactile sensitivity. Child Development, ~. 943-949. Bern, S. L. (1975). Sex-role adaptability: One consequence of psychological androgyny. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, l!_, 634-643. Bern, S. L. (1981). Gender schema theory: A cognitive account of sextyping. Psychological Review, 88(4), 354-364. Bettelheim, B. (1976). The meaning and importance of fairy tales. New York: Knopf.

Birnbaum, D. W., & Croll, W. L. (1984). The etiology of children•s stereotypes about sex differences in emotionality. Sex Roles, .!9_(9/10)' 677-691. Birns, B. (1976). The emergence and socialization of sex differences in the earliest years. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly,~' 229-254.

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Block, J. H. (1973, June). Conceptions of sex role some cross­ cultural and longitudinal perspectives. American Psychologist, 512-526. Block, J. H. (1978). Another look at sex differentiation in the socialization behaviors of mothers and fathers. In F. Denmark and J. Sherman (Eds.), Psychology of women: Future direction of research. New York: Psychological Dimensions. Bradbard, M. R., & Endsley, R. C. (1983, February). The effects of sex-typed labeling on preschool children•s information-seeking and retention. Sex Roles, ~(2), 247-60. Brenes, M. E., Eisenberg, N., & Helmstadter, G. C. (1985, January). Sex-role development of preschoolers from two-parent and one-parent families. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, ~(1), 33-46. Bryden, M.P. (1979). Evidence for sex-related differences in cerebral organization. In M.A. Wettig & A. C. Petersen (Eds.), Sex-related differences in cognitive functioning: Developmental issues. New York: Academic Press.

Burstein, B., Bank, L., & Jarvik, L. F. (1980). Human Development, Q(5), 289-313. Busby, L. (1975). Sex role research on the mass media. Journal of Communication,~. 107-131.

Bussey, K., & Bandura, A. (1984). Influence of gender constancy and social power on sex-linked modeling. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 47(6), 1292-1302. Cahill, S. E. (1983). Reexamining the acquisition of sex roles: A social interactionist approach. Sex Roles, ~(1), 1-15.

Cann, A., & Garnett, A. K. (1984). Sex stereotype impacts on competence ratings by children. Sex Roles, .!1_(3/4), 333-343. Chetwynd, J., & Hartnett, 0. (1978). The sex role system: Psychological and sociological perspectives. Boston: Routledge & K. Paul. Collins, L. J., Ingoldsby, B. B., & Dell man, M. M. (1984, March/ April). Sex-role stereotyping in children•s literature: A change from the past. Childhood Education, 60(4), 278-285.

Condry, J. c., & Ross, D. F. (1985). Sex and aggression: The influence of gender label on the perception of aggression in children. CD, ~(1), 225-233. Davis, B. H. (1985). Tangle in the story 1 ine. Children•s Literature in Education, ~(4), 227-232. 73

DeVries, R. (1969). Constancy of generic identity in the years three to six. Monographs of the Society for Research in CD, 34 (Serial No. 127). Good, C. V. (1973). Dictionary of education. New York: McGraw­ Hi 11 • Dornbusch, S. M. ( 1966). Afterword. In E. E. Maccoby (Ed.), The development of sex differences (pp. 205-219). Stanford, CA:--­ Stanford University Press. Emmerich, W., & Shepard, K. (1982). Development of sex­ differentiated preferences during late childhood and adolescence. Developmental Psychology,~. 406-417. Emmerich, W., & Shepard, K. (1984, December). Cognitive factors in the development of sex-typed preferences. Sex Roles, 11(11/12), 997-1007. Fagot, B. (1977). Consequences of moderate cross-gender behavior in preschool children. Child Development, 48, 902-907. Fagot, B. (1978). The influence of sex of child on parental reactions to toddler children. Child Development, 49, 459-465. Fagot, B. I., & Hagan, R. (1985). Aggression in toddlers: Responses to the assertive acts of boys and girls. Sex Roles, g_(3/4), 341- 351. Feminists on Children's Media. (1974). Little Miss Muffet fights back. New York: Author. Fried, J. F. (1982, May). Stereotyping in children's materials. Freud, S. (1938/1930). Three contributions to the theory of sex. In A. A. Brill (Ed.), The basic writings of Sigmund Freud. New York: Modern Library. Gearge, F. R. (1978, Spring). Guidelines for the development and evaluation of unbiased educational materials. Perspectives on Non-sexist Early Childhood Education. Gersoni-Stavn, D. (Ed.). (1974). Sexism and youth. New York: R. R. Bowker. Gough, P. (1976). Sexism: New issue in American education. Indiana: The Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. Honig, A. S. (1983, September). Sex role socialization in early childhood. Young Children, 38(6), 57-70. 74

Hyde, J. S. (1984). Children's understanding of sexist language. Dev. Psychology, 20{4), 697-706. Hyde, J. S., Rosenberg, B. G., & Behrman, J. (1977). Tomboyism. Psychology of Women Quarterly,~' 73-75. Katz, P. (1979). The development of female identity. Sex Roles, 2, 155-178. Kingston, A. J., & Lovelace, T. (1977-1978). Sexism and reading: A critical review of the literature. Reading Research Quarterly, .!1.(1), 133-161. Koblinsky, s. A., & Sugawara, A. I. (1984). Nonsexist curricula, sex of teacher, and children's sex-role. Sex Roles, ~(5/6), 357- 367. Kohlberg, L. (1966). A cognitive developmental analysis of children's sex-role concepts and attitudes. In E. E. Maccoby (Ed.), The development of sex differences. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Kohlberg, L. (1969). Stage and sequence: The cog-dev approach to socialization. In D. A. Goslin (Ed.), Handbook of social theory and research. Chicago: Rand-McNally. Korner, A. F. (1974). Effect of the infant's sex on the caregiver. In Lewis & Rosenblum (Eds.), The effect of the infant on its caregiver. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Kropp, J. J., & Halverson, C. F. (1983, February). Preschool children's preferences and recall for stereotyped versus nonstereotyped stories. Sex Roles, ~(2), 261-272. Lamb, M. E., & Roopnarine, J. (1979). Peer influences on sex role deviation in preschoolers. CD, 50, 1219, 1222. Langlois, J. H., & Down, A. C. (1980). Mothers, fathers and peers as socialization agents of sex-typed play behaviors in young children. Child Development,~' 1217-1247. Lewis, M., & Weinraub, M. (1979). Origins of early sex-role development. Sex Roles, 2, 135-151.

Maccoby, E. E., & Jacklin, C. N. (1974). The psychology of sex differences. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Maccoby, E. E., & Jacklin, C. N. (1980, December). Sex differences in aggression: A rejoinder and reprise. Child Development, ~(4), 964-980. 75

Mayo, P. (1976). Sex differences and psychopathology. In B. Lloyd &J. Archer (Eds.), Exploring sex differences. New York: Academic Press. McDowell, M. B. (1977, January). New didacticism: Stories for free children. Language Arts, E!(1), 41-47. McGovern, E. M. (1980). They're never too young for books. Los Angeles: Mar Vista. Mischel, W. (1970). Sex-typing and child socialization. In D. H. Mussen (Ed.), Carmichael's manual of chid psychology (Vol. 2). New York: Wiley. Mitchell, E. (1973, April). The learning of sex roles through toys and books: A woman's view. Young Children, XXVIII(4), 226-231. Money, J., & Ehrhardt, A. (1972). Man and woman, boy and girl: The differentiation and demorphism of gender identity from conception to maturity. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. Monson, D., & McClenathan, D. A. K. (1979). Developing active readers: Ideas for parents, teachers and librarians. Del: International Reading Association. Nash, S. C. (1975). The relationship among sex-role stereotyping, sex-role preferences and the sex differences in spatial visuali­ zation. Sex Roles, l, 15-32. Newsweek. (1986, October 6). 66. Osit, M. M. (1985). Children's stories and familiarity of models on sex-role stereotyping. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Rutgers University. Paludi, M. A., Geschke, D., Smith, M., & Strayer, L. A. (1984). The development of a measure of preschoolers' knowledge of sex­ determined role standards. Child Study Journal, 1!(3), 171-183. Parke, R. D. (1979). Perspective on father-infant interaction. In J. Osofsky (Ed.), The handbook of infant development. New York: Wiley. Reber, A. S. (1985). Penguin dictionary of psychology. England: Viking.

Perry, D. G., White, A. J., & Perry, L. C. (1984). Does early sex typing result from children's attempts to match their behavior to sex role stereotypes? CD, ~' 2114-2121. 76

Petersen, A. C., & Wittig, M.A. (Eds.). (1979). Sex-related differences in cognitive functioning: Developmental issues. New York: Academic Press. Pleck, J. H. (1981). The myth of masculinity. Cambridge, MA: M.I.T. Press. Pleck, J. H., & Sawyer, J. (1974). Men and masculinity. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Pogrebin, L. C. (1972, Spring). Down with sexist upbringing. Ms. Magazine, 18-32. Psychiatric dictionary, with encyclopedic treatment of modern terms (2nd ed.). (1953). New York: Oxford University Press. Ray, B. (1982, September). Little boys and picture books. Catholic Library World, 54(2), 74-78. Rheingold, H. L., & Cook, K. V. (1975). The contents of boys• and girls• rooms as an index of parents behaviors. CD, 46, 459-463. Robinson, B. E., & Hobson, C. F. (1978, February). Day care and early education. ~(1), 16-18. Rosenblatt, P. C., & Cunningham, M. R. (1976). Sex differences in cross-cultural perspective. In B. Lloyd & J. Archer (Eds.), Exploring sex differences. New York: Academic Press. Rubin, J., Provenzano, F., & Luria, Z. (1974). The eye of the beholder: Parents• views on sex of newborns. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 44, 512-519. Sadker, D. M., & Sadker, M.P. (1982). Sex equity handbook for schools. New York: Longman. Schwartz, L. A., & Markham, W. T. (1985). Sex stereotyping in children•s toy advertisements. Sex Roles, ~(1/2), 157-170. Singer, D. G., & Singer, J. L. (1981, Fall). Journal of Broadcasting, ~(4), 373-87. Slaby, R. G., & Frey, K. S. (1975). Development of gender constancy and selective attention to same sex models. CD, 46, 849-856. Spence, J. T., Helmreich, R. L. (1978). Masculinity and femininity: Their psychological dimensions, correlates and antecedents. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. Sprung, B. (1975). Non-sexist education for young children: A practical guide. New York: Citation Press. 77

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Sprung, B. (Ed.). (1978). Perspectives on non-sexist early childhood education. New York: Teachers College Press. St. Peter, S. (1979, Winter). Jack went up the hill ••• but where was Jill? Psychology of Women Quarterly, !(2), 256-260. Sutherland, Z., Monson, D., & Arbuthat, M. H. (1981). Children and books. Thompson, S. K. (1975). Gender labels and early sex-role development. CD, 46,339-347. Tiedt, I. M. (19776). Sexism in education. Morristown, NJ: General Learning Press. Tittle, C. K. (1981). Careers and family: Sex roles and adolescent life plans. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Trelease, J. (1979). The read-aloud handbook. New York: Penguin Books. U.S. Department of Commerce. (1986, December). Statistical abstract of the U.S. 1987 (107th ed.). Bureau of the Census, Library of Congress. Waber, D. P. (1979). Cognitive abilities and sex-related correlations in the maturation of cerebral cortical functions. In A. C. Petersen & M.A. Wittig (Eds.), Sex-related differences in ·cognitive functioning: Developmental issues. New York: Academic Press.

Weinraub, M., Clemens, L. P., Sockloff, A., Ethridge, T., Gracely, E., & Myers, B. (1984). The development of role stereotypes in the third year: Relationships to gender labeling, gender identity, sex-typed toy preference and family characteristics. CD, ~, 1493- 1503.

Weitzman, L. J., Eifler, D., Hokada, E., & Ross, C. (1972, May). Sex-role socialization in picture books for preschool children. American Journal of Sociology, ZL(6}, 1125-1150.

Will, J. A., Sell, P. A., & Datan, N. (1976). Maternal behavior and perceived sex of infant. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 46, 135-139.

Wirtenberg, J., Klein, S., Richardson, B., & Thomas, V. (1981, January). Sex equity in ~nerican education. Educational Leadership, 311-319. Women on Words and Images in Society. (1975). Dick and Jane as victims. Princeton, NJ. APPENDIX A

LIST OF LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARIES VISITED

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East Valley Region West Valley Region N. Hollywood Regional Branch Canoga Park Branch 5211 Tujunga Ave. 7260 Owensmouth Ave. N. Hollywood, CA 91601 Canoga Park, CA 91303 818/766-7185 818/887-0320 Helen Mueller Gail Furei Pacoima Branch Chatsworth Branch 13605 Van Nuys Blvd. 21052 Devonshire St. Pacoima, CA 91331 Chatsworth, CA 91311 818/899-5203 818/341-4276 F. Daniel Gray Linda Morgan Panorama City Branch Encino-Tarzana Branch 14345 Roscoe Blvd. 18231 Ventura Blvd. Panorama City, CA 91402 Tarzana, CA 91356 818/894-4071 818/343-1983 Anne Landon Sherman Oaks-Martin-Pollard Granada Hills Branch Branch 10640 Petit Ave. 14245 Moorpark St. Granada Hills, CA 91344 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818/368-5687 818/981-7850 Heather Se 11 s Cherrie Maylis Sylmar Branch Northridge Branch 13509 Glenoaks Blvd. 9051 Darby Ave. Sylmar, CA 91342 Northridge, CA 91324 818/367-6102 818/886-3640 Donna Hovartos Katy Cueba Van Nuys Branch West Valley Regional Branch 6250 Sylmar Ave. 19036 Vanowen St. Van Nuys, CA 91401 Reseda, CA 91335 818/989-8453 818/345-4393 Angelica Garcia Patricia Kiefer Valley Plaza Woodland Hills Branch Vanowen Park Branch 22200 Ventura Blvd. 12311 Vanowen St. Woodland Hills, CA 91364 N. Hollywood, CA 818/887-0160 818/765-0805 Cl a ire Br on sen Michelle Raeburn APPENDIX B

CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO PROJECT

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September 11, 1986

Dear Children•s Librarian: Allow me by way of this letter to introduce myself. My name is Barbara Rigney and I am presently working on my thesis/project at California State University, Northridge. I would like to visit your library, and talk to you briefly, to get some suggestions on books to include in my annotated bibliography of non-sexist children•s literature. I plan to divide those books, available to parents and teachers, into three age groups: The Toddler, The Preschooler, and the Beginning Reader (Kindergarten through Second Grade). I would also like to list your library with your name in a resource guide for parents and teachers in the San Fernando Valley. I greatly appreciate any time you are able to give me. I will contact you by telephone to set up a time that would be convenient to you. Your time, cooperation and suggestions will be valued. Sincerely,

Barbara Rigney Graduate Student, CSUN Parent Group Facilitator 818/368-4396 82

COPY

10640 Petit Ave. Granada Hills, CA 91322 September 20, 1986

Barbara Rigney 11601 Tampa Avenue Northridge, CA 91326 Dear Mrs. Rigney: I received your letter dated September 11th and have been nominated by the West Valley Region to give my advice and cooperation. The Woodland Hills Children's Librarian (Clare) will also be interested in helping with your project. My library, The Granada Hills Library, has one of the best collections in the system, and is one of the largest libraries. We have a major picture book section which we have divided into Preschooler, 1st and 2nd, and Toddler subsections. Each of these books are marked clearly, and I hope I can offer some valid suggestions. My telephone number at G. H. Library is (818) 368-5689. I'm one of two children's librarians here, so ask for Heather. Thank you. Sincerely yours, s/Heather Sells Heather Sells Children's Librarian 83

October 5, 1987

Dear Bookstore Owner/Manager: Allow me by way of this letter to introduce myself. My name is Barbara Rigney and I am presently working on my thesis/project at California State University, Northridge. I would like to visit your bookstore, and talk to you briefly about my topic which is non-sexist children's literature. I plan to make an annotated bibliography available to parents and teachers including books in three age groups: The Toddler, The Preschooler, and the Child in Kindergarten through Second Grade. I would also like permission to list your store in a resource guide.

I greatly appreciate any time you ara able to give me. I wi 11 contact you by telephone to set up a time that would be convenient to you. I have set aside Wednesdays and Thursdays from work to conduct my interviews. Sincerely,

Barbara Rigney Graduate Student, CSUN Parent Group Facilitator 818/368-4396 84

Recommended Bookstores in the San Fernando Valley and Vicinity

Animal Kracker/Treehouse Pages Books for Children & Bookstore Young Adults 17324 Ventura Blvd. 18339 Ventura Blvd. Encino, CA 91316 Tarzana, CA 91356 818/986-0264 818/342-6657 Abbey Faranesh, Owner Marjorie Kassorla, Manager Bread and Roses The Power of Play 13812 Ventura Blvd. 13608 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 818/986-5376 818/906-2123 Barbara Schneyer, Owner .Bonnie Aharoni, Owner Children•s Book & Music Center 2500 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90404 213/829-0215 Linda Dimitroff, Manager Creative Play Resources 8921 Reseda Blvd. Northridge, CA 91324 818/886-4150 Judy Collins, Owner Educative Toys and Supplies 6416 Van Nuys Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91401 818/782-5580 Bernice Anikstein, Owner The Joy of Learning, Educational Materials for Children 18722 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana, CA 91356 818/343-7116 Andrea Massion, Manager Lewis For Books 7119 Reseda Blvd. Reseda, CA 91335 818/343-5634 Sue Lewis, Owner 85

I hereby give permission to Barbara Rigney to include this store, as a possible resource for parents and teachers, in her thesis/project on children•s literature.

Signed------Position------Store------Date------