Connecting literacy to social issues such as gender stereotypes supports reading and writing achievement while also allowing students to think critically and in justice-focused ways. Such practices allow students to critique gender stereotypes in texts while also examining and even challenging their own implicit perceptions of gender. However,…

"Boy books" are frequently promoted as a surefire way to increase reading motivation and engagement among young adolescent boys. This study challenges the "boy book"/"girl book" dichotomy, suggesting that particular book covers may discourage boys from reading novels they might otherwise enjoy. It also presents…

In his book "To Be a Boy, To Be a Reader: Engaging Teen and Preteen Boys in Active Literacy," William Brozo suggested that many adolescent boys have become mentally and academically detached from school. While Brozo acknowledges that a solution to these problems is multifaceted, he asserts that engaging boys in literature that makes use of…

Discusses available options for teachers and parents who are concerned with the sexist aspects of their children's reading materials. (JM)

Presents a checklist for teachers to use in analyzing educational materials for sex stereotypes and related language usage. (JM)

Provides evidence that current reading textbooks contain racist and sexist stereotypes despite promises to make changes, and concludes that these stereotypes are harmful to the students who learn from such textbooks. (RB)

Argues for a more complex view of literate activity guiding curricular and assessment practices. Suggests beginning by counting as basic both a critical literacy and a social imagination--the ability to imagine what it is like to be someone else. (RS)

Examines sex inequalities in both text and pictures of award-winning children's books from 1972 through 1997. Compares findings with a study examining award-winning children's books from 1940 to 1971. Finds few gains in representation of females, and finds that the decade of the 1950's remains that with the highest representation of females in…

Reviews the literature criticizing school textbooks for sexism and suggests new series deleting sexist stereotypes should be developed. (RB)

Shows how Caldecott and Newbery Medal books have reflected the changing norms of society during the past two decades. Specifically in the increased number of books with women as main characters, positive images of females, and situations similar to those encountered in everyday life. (EL)

Discusses the fact that, although publishers have acknowledged the problem of sex bias in textbooks in the United States, guidelines lack specifics, timetables, and procedures for monitoring content and enforcing compliance with the guidelines. (MB)