DOCUMENT RESUME IR 017 663 ED 391 510 Creany, Anne Drolett AUTHOR Children's The Appearance of Gender in Award-Winning TITLE Books. PUB DATE [95] 11p.; In: Eyes on the Future: Converging Images, NOTE from the Ideas, and Instruction. Selected Readings Visual Annual Conference of the International Literacy Association (27th, Chicago; IL, October 18-22, 1995); see IR 017 629. Speeches/Conference Information Analyses (070) PUB TYPE Papers (150) MFOI/PC01 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Awards; *Books; *Characterization; Childhood DESCRIPTORS Attitudes; *Childrens Literature; Females; Fiction; Sex Bias; *Sex Role; *Sex Stereotypes *Caldecott Award; Gender Issues; Visual Imagery IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT children's gender The likelihood that books can shape increases the role attitudes and transmit gender role stereotypes This paper explores the need for non-sexist children's literature. winning children's books. appearance of gender in Caldecott Award readers were Picture books, trade books, content books and basal researchers inspected in the 1970s for the appearance of sexism; materials. Male found ample evidence of sexual bias in these and both characters were depicted more often than female characters roles. In the 1980s genders were shown in traditional, stereotyped which were published since several studies examined children's books changes had taken the original research to determine whether any in which place in the number of female characters or in the manner images was found they were represented. A higher percentage of female roles still in the 1980s than in the 1970s; however, the gender 1980 and 1995 reflected stereotypes. The books published between male main characters share some traits of their earlier counterparts; slightly. Most of still outnumber female main characters, but only portrayed in a the female main characters in recent literature are difference is the deviation from non stereotyped fashion. Another Criteria for stereotyped character portrayals in folktales. parents/educators to evaluate children's books and a list of the 1981-95 are Caldecott Award winning books and honor books for (AEF) included. 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Points of view or opinions stated in this The Appearance of Gender in document do not necessarily repreSent official OERI position or policy Award-winning Children's Books by Anne Drolett Creany Many psychologists and Gender is one of the most of human sociologists agree that children influential facets affects each assimilate gender role stereotypes It development. of identity, individual's sense through a process of socialization. Socialization is the method by interactions with others and place which society conveys behavioral in society. Moments after birth, a labeled according expectations to its members. (Hyde, is child to Many socializing agents gender. As children develop, they 1986). play a part in the transmission of begin to apply gender labels to themselves and also to others. Parents gender role stereotypes. are the first, and one of the most Through such labeling, children agents influential, socializing begin to formulate a sense of their Peers also exert a Through a own gender identity. (Block, 1983). process known as sex typing, a strong influence on the assumption of gender role stereotypes. child begins to acquire the self The behaviors concepts, media, especially television, has and been shown to perpetuate gender preferences which society defines stereotypes (Kalisch & Kalisch, as appropriate for members of a Those culturally given gender. 1984; O'Bryant & Corder-Bolz, 1978). Likewise, children's textbooks and determined preferences, attitudes the gender reflect tradebooks and behaviors are referred to as sex or, gender roles. stereotypes of the culture. roles, When rigid gender roles become for gender-linked Social-learning theorists note prescriptions that important behaviors, they are known as are books socializing agents (Mischel, 1970). gender role stereotypes. Weitzman (1972) stated that picture books significantly affect early sex- Gender role stereotypes act role socialization because they as limits to children's potential present societal values to young growth and development. Boys and Books are a window to children. girls may deny or suppress natural outside showing the inclinations if they believe that world, those inclinations would make children how other boys and girls them appear unmasculine think, act and feel. Children also or find role models in books unfeminine. Children may restrict who represent what children can and their interests and experiences to rc) should be in their adult lives. those deemed appropriate for their Jalongo (1988) notes that literature particular gender by the dominant is a potent force in children's lives, culture. 0 289 4., BEST COPY AVAILABLE The percentage of girls portrayed in influencing the formation of their books actually fell from 46% in 1951- ideas and expectations. Literacy 55 to 26% in 1966-70. Nilson materials can affect children's acknowledges that her findings attitudes not only about themselves may be somewhat skewed since 19 but also about others. of the 80 Caldecott books she reviewed were folktales which were The likelihood that books can created and recorded hundreds of children's gender shape role years ago and usually depicted the attitudes and transmit gender role stereotypes increases the need for exploits of men. non-sexist children's literature. As she examined picture However, several studies revealed the books, Nilson also noticed what she sexism existence in of terms the "cult of the apron" (p. Picture books, children's books. trade books, content books and 918). Of 25 books picturing women, 21 showed a woman wearing an basal readers were inspected for Women were also apron. evidence of sexism. Researchers illustrated as spectators of the found ample evidence of sexual in materials written action--looking out of windows and bias for doorways or sitting on rockers on children. Male characters are not only depicted more often than porches. female characters, both genders are also shown in traditional, Weitzman et al. (1972) also noted the dearth of females in their stereotyped roles (Weitzman, 1972; 18 Caldecott Award study Scott & Feldman-Summers, 1979; of winners and honor books from Nilson, 1971). This paper will 1967-71. Even though women are explore the appearance of gender Caldecott Award winning 51% of the population, 23 women in were pictured as opposed to 261 picture books. men. One third of the books these authors evaluated showed no Sexism in Children's Books women at all. Children's Feminists on further support In of Literature (1971) examined 49 Nilson's findings, Weitzman et al. Newbery Award winning books noted differentiated roles for boys written for an elementary school Boys were independent, and girls. age audience and found three male active, adventurous leaders, often characters for every female. Nilson depicted in outdoor settings. Girls, (1971) sampled 80 Caldecott Award on the other hand, were passive, picture winning and books quiet and dependent, often depicted Caldecott honor books published in indoor settings. These girls, and between 1950 and 1970. She were shown as mothers too, concentrated on illustrated books anxious to please or help males. In because of their influence on young fact, females often derived their readers at an age when gender status as the wives, mothers or identity is forming. Nilson found that daughters of important men. females were not only outnumbered by males but in six of the books, females were excluded. 290 encounters readers have with male Schubert (1980) examined 14 and female characters in the belief Caldecott Award winning books that the total number of images published between 1937 and 1980 for encountered by the child reader evidence of stereotyped roles. She carries more weight that just the to seven limited her analysis number of the characters. Because categories: 1) attractiveness as the different get may children basis for females' achievements; 2) impressions from reading the aspirations and self- limited pictures alone, text alone, or a concept of females are accepted as combination of the two, Engel the norm; 3) females, rather than performed separate counts for males, show strong emotion; 4) illustration and text as well as a females were frequently engaged in total count for both. domestic duties which males did not perform; 5) males watch idly as Collins et al. (1984) also women perform domestic duties; 6) assessed Caldecott Award winners males are shown in a wide range of Their sample and honor books. whereas women's occupations included books published between occupations are very limited; and 7) to Compared 1979-1982. brave, perform males only Weitzman's findings, this study Although deeds. important showed that fewer sexist books are Schubert's data are not complete being written and that more enough to generalize her findings titles, women are appearing in to the larger findings of picture illustrations and Major roles in books, she concludes that young children's picture books. Another children who are exposed to picture significant update is provided by Williams et receive books (1987) who examined 53 of gender role al. reinforcement Caldecott Award winners and stereotypes. honor books published between 1972 Williams found that and 1986. Updated Analyses of Sexism in females were significantly more Children's Books visible in picture books but that males were still more likely to be In the 1980's, several studies portrayed. More images of females examined children's books which appeared in the illustrations but were published since the original only one third of the central research to determine whether any characters are female. Most of the changes had taken place in the male and female characters in this number of female characters or the study played traditional gender which they were manner in roles. Williams et al. conclude that represented. Engel (1981) evaluated in the picture books of the early Caldecott winner and honor books 1980s females are not stereotyped, published between 1976-1980. This only "colorless". study showed only a slight decrease in male dominance (72%) when Dougherty and Engel (1987) compared with the percentage of provide another view of Caldecott male characters in Caldecott and Award winners and honor books honor books published between 1966 This published from 1981-1985. and 1970 (74%) and 1971-1975 (78%). the authors to inspection led Engel tabulated the frequency of the 291 interpretation is weakened by its generalize that there is a tendency toward gender equality in picture However, piecemeal subjectivity. books with males and females evaluations which depend solely on nontraditional possessing male and female body counts are characteristics and playing flawed because they may overlook nontraditional roles. This the flavor and subtle nuances of a assertion is made despite the fact text and/or illustration. that the total number of male characters in the books studied was The books published between 206 to 153 female characters and 1980-1995 share some traits of their the total number of male images earlier counterparts. Male main characters still outnumber female was 3,063 to 1,832 female images. main characters but only slightly. Clearly, many researchers The main character in twenty of have chosen to evaluate Caldecott the books is a male; seventeen books Award winner and honor books. feature female main characters. Their analyses varied in An interesting increase in methodology, the amount and type of statistics and in results. It books which have both male and seems reasonable to conclude, female figures as main characters Jumanji is was evident. however, that the Caldecott award an example of such a book (Van winning books of the 1980s offered a of female higher percentage In this story, a Allsburg, 1981). images than did their counterparts brother and sister work together to of the 1970s. However, the gender complete the jungle board-game roles played by male and female that has come to life in their living The sister assumes the characters still reflected and thus room. transmitted traditional gender leadership role in this dilemma. roles. the recently Three of Are the Caldecott Award published books were gender neutral, creating winning books published in the last the possibility decade any different? Are the roles that readers may project whatever played by males and females any gender they deem appropriate on more egalitarian? the characters. The child in In a Small, Small Pond (Fleming, 1993), the bird in Time Flies (Rohmann, Caldecott Award - winning 1994) and the shadow in Shadow Books Published Since 1980 (Brown, 1982) are all subject to speculation as to gender. Fifty-seven picture books have received the Caldecott Award An interesting difference or been named an honor book since noted in the recent books is the (See Appendix A for a 1980. portrayal of each gender. Most of Rather than relying listing). the female main characters (n=17) completely upon a statistical are portrayed in a non stereotyped frequency tabulation of male and Only four females are fashion. female images, this analysis of portrayed as a female stereotype. gender portrayal will be somewhat Males (n=13), however, play Obviously, such an holistic. 292 active, adventurous traditional obedience. For example, in Lon Po roles for the most part; only six Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China (Young, 1989) the three males played a non stereotyped sisters outwit the wolf themselves, role. Ten, Nine. Eight (Bang, 1983) in contrast to Grimms' version is an example of the latter. In this wherein the woodcutter rescues counting book a father tenderly helps his daughter get ready for both grandmother and child. bed. Mufar o's Similarly, Another difference in recent Beautiful Daughters, (Steptoe, 1988) is often described as an African Caldecott award winning books is In this story, the evident in folktales. Cinderella tale. Seventeen of the fifty-seven Caldecott award king's heart is won by the daughter who is kind and generous. winning books published since 1980 Both daughters are beautiful; their are folktales. This represents almost one-third of the books, a temperaments set them apart. In higher number than the Creole tale, The Talking Eggs Nilson (Sans Souci, 1989), kindness, the reported. keeping of promises and courage are rewarded with riches. Folktales typically provide a There traditional portrayal of males and are no male characters in this book. females but several of the folktales In fiction, as in folklore, examined here do not adhere to stereotyped portrayals. female characters are less passive For example, the character of Magic and inactive.?., The Grey Lady eludes the strawberry snatcher with Frog in The Story of Jumping determination, good humor and Mouse (Steptoe, 1984) is a powerful cleverness. (Bang, 1980). Cassie figure who grants Jumping Mouse gift which assists him flies through the air in Tar Beach a in claiming the attaining his dream and ultimately (Ringold, 1991), rewards him for his courage and Brooklyn bridge for her own. The kindness to It others. daughter of a migrant family helps is her parents as they work in the interesting to note that if this book was analyzed by a frequency count, fields in Working Cotton(Williams, we would see that Magic Frog, a 1992). In Mirette on the High Wire, female, is a secondary character (McCully, 1992) Mirette walks a who is out numbered by male stretched tightrope across a Parisian street. Interestingly, the characters at least 4-to-1 and would artists depict the female characters fail to recognize this as a nonsexist the above-mentioned books The character of Jumping in book. rather dresses even though also Mouse is wearing a nontraditional male figure; he is a escaping, flying, working in fields dreamer who is very empathic and walking tightropes don't lend toward the plight of others. themselves to such clothing. Other Clearly, folktales feature female more characters award-winning female main characters who do not in picture books are behaving actively fit the mold of passive girls who are rewarded for their beauty and their and adventurously even if few male invited to examine and discuss characters are adopting traditional their own gender stereotypes. Care the traits. Perhaps female should be taken to provide a active, assign tendency to beautifully written and illuEtrated adventurous roles to both males collection of literature which will and females substantiates the offer a balanced representation of claim made by Bauer (1993) that genders and gender behaviors and sexism challenges current to models for serve to of choosing roles s frequently consist children. stories in which girls are not just "as good as" but actually "just like" Bauer suggests that the Appendix A boys. female experience is equally valid and important and worth being Caldecott Award winning taken seriously. books and honor books suggests, Bauer as If, (*) Indicates books cited in paper balanced numbers of male and female characters and active roles 1981 Caldecott Award played by both r,enders are not a sufficient indimtion of nonsexist Fables by Arnold Lobel. children, what literature for Harper. criteria should parents/educators evaluating books? in employ Honor Books the Rudman (1995) proposes following guidelines: Bremen-Town T h e should *characters be Musicians retold and illustrated by individuals, consistent with their Ilse Plume. Doubleday. character develupment and the story's plot; The Grey Lady and the should be *occupations by Aolly Strawberry Snatcher gender free; Bang. Four Winds.* *achievements should be judged independently of gender Mice Twice by Joseph Low. *adults should function as Atheneum. parents and breadwinners in some stories Truck by Donald Crews. should *clothing be Greenwillow. functional and appropriate *females should not always Caldecott Award 1982 be weaker or smaller * language should be gender Jumanji by Chris Van fair Allsburg. Houghton Mifflin. * Adults should not approach criteria critical evaluation or reviews of children's books as a rationale for preventing children's Instead, certain books. access to f 4 both children and adults should be 294 Little Red Riding Hood by the Honor Books Retold and Brother's Grimm. illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Holiday House. * Experienced Travelers by Nancy Caldecott Award Illustrated by Alice and Willard. 1985 Martin Provensen. Harcourt Brace Saint George and the Dragon adapted by Margaret Hodges. Where the Buffaloes Begin by Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. Olaf Baker. Illustrated by Stephen Gammell. Warne. Little, Brown. On Market Street by Arnold Honor Books Illustrated by Anita Lobel. Lobel. Hansel and Gretel adapted by Greenwillow. Rika Lesser. Illustrated by Paul 0. There by Outside Over Zelinsky, Dodd. The Story of Jumping Mouse Maurice Sendak. Harper. retold and illustrated by John Steptoe. Lothrop.* Caldecott Award 1983 Have You Seen My Duckling? Shadow by Blaise Cendrars. Translated and illustrated by by Nancy Tafuri. Greenwillow. Marcia Brown. Scribner's.* Caldecott Award Honor Books 1986 The Polar Express by Chris When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant. Van Allsburg. Houghton Mifflin. Illustrated by Diane Goode. Dutton. A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams. Greenwillow. Honor Books Caldecott Award 1984 Came by Relatives The Illustrated by Cynthia Rylant. The Glorious Flight: Across Stephen Gammell. Bradbury. the Channel with Louis Bleriot, by and Martin Provensen. Alice Bidgood's the King in Viking. Bathtub Audrey Wood. by Illustrated by Don Wood. Harcourt. Honor Books Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Caldecott Award 1987 Bang. Greenwillow. * Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks. Illustrated by Richard Egielski. Farrar. 295 Caldecott Award Honor Books 1990 Lon Po Po: A Red Riding The Village of Round and Hood Story from China translated Square Houses by Ann Grifalconi. and illustrated by Ed Young. Little, Brown. Philomel. * Alphabatics Suse by Honor Books MacDonald. Bradbury. Rumplestiltskin by the Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins Kimmel. Eric Retold and by Brother's Grimm. illustrated by Paul 0. Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. Zelinsky. Holiday House. Dutton. The Talking Eggs adapted by Caldecott Award 1988 Robert D. San Souci. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Dial. * Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. Illustrated by John Schoenherr. Bill Peet: An Autobiography Philomel. by Bill Peet. Houghton Mifflin. Honor Books by Lois Ehlert. Color Zoo Beautiful Mufaro's Lippincott. Daughters retold by John Steptoe. Caldecott Award Lothrop. * 1991 Black and White by David Caldecott Award 1989 . Macaulay. Houghton Mifflin. Song and Dance Man by Illustrated by Karen Ackerman. Honor Books Stephen Gammell. Knopf. Boots by Charles Puss'n Illustrated by Fred Perrault. Honor Books Marcellino. Farrar. Free Fall by David Wiesner. "More, More, More," Said the Lothrop. Baby: 3 Love Stories by Vera B. Goldilocks and the Three Williams. Greenwillow. Bears retold and illustrated by James Marshall. Dial. Caldecott Award 1992 Tuesday by David Wiesner. Mirandy and Brother Wind by Patricia McKissack. Illustrated Clarion. by Jerry Pinkney. Knopf. Honor Books The Boy of the Three-Year Nap by Diane Snyder. Illustrated Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold. Crown.* by Allen Say, Houghton Mifflin. 296 Honor Books Caldecott Award 1993 Angel by Anne Swamp Mirette on the High Wire by Illustrated by Paul 0. Isaacs. Emily Arnold McCully. Putnam. * Zelinsky. Dutton. John Henry by Julius Lester. Honor Books Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Dial. Seven Blind Mice by Ed Time Flies by Eric Rohmann. Young. Philomel. Crown. The Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Thles by Jon Illustrated by Lane References Scieszka. Smith. Viking. Bauer, M. (1993). Sexism and Working Cotton by Sherley the world of children's books. The Illustrated by Anne Williams. Horn Book Magazine. Oct. , 577-580. Carole Byard. Harcourt. * Block, J. (1983). Differential premises arising from differential 1994 Caldecott Award socialization of the sexes: some Grandfather's Journey by Child Development, conjectures. Allen Say. Houghton Mifflin. 54, 1335-1354. ; Inoldsby, B. & Collins, L. Honor Books Sex-role Dellman, M. (1984). children's Peppe the Lamplighter by stereotyping in Illustrated by Ted literature: A change from the past. Elisa Bartone. Lewin. Lothrop. Childhood Education, 60, 278-285. Dougherty, W. & Engel, R. In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming. Holt. * (1987). An 80's look for sex equality in Caldecott winners & honor Owen by Kevin Henkes. books. The Reading Teacher, 374- Greenwillow. 398. Engel, R. (1981). Is unequal Raven: A Trickster Tale from by Gerald treatment of females diminishing the Pacific Northwest in children's picture books. The McDermott. Harcourt. Reading Teacher, 34, 647-652. Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka. Children's Feminists Orchard on Literature. (1971). A feminist look at children's books. School Library 1995 Caldecott Award Journal, 17, 19-24. Smoky Night by Eve Bunting. Illustrated Diaz. David by Harcourt. 19G)