5B Book Recommendations on Books That Push Readers Beyond Stereotypes by Constance Leung https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks Reviewed by G5 #geckoreads en-us 2021-05-27 05:53:42 UTC 2025-11-13 19:54:59 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f4da.png Eyes That Kiss The Corners ConstanceKKG https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564103552 This book is about a girl who notices that her eyes look different  from her friends, and how her eyes are as beautiful as everyone else. ​This book pushes beyond stereotypes because the author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, by Joanna Ho, writes about how Asian eyes are just as beautiful as Western, blue eyes.  The book reaffirms that eyes are our identity, they see lots of stories and they connect us to our families.  In the book, the author also used figurative language like 'crinkle into crescent moons', and 'stories whirl in their oolong pools' to represent Chinese culture.  The author pushed us to realize that no matter the eye colour, or eye shape,  we should be proud of who we are and what we represent in our own cultures. 
- Ms. Leung

]]> 2021-05-27 05:55:39 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564103552 Sparkle Boy https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564184029 This book is about a boy who likes wearing dresses, having HIS nails painted, and wearing a sparky bracelet.  One day when the family goes out to the library, Sparkle boy gets bullied for wearing stuff that are meant for girls and ONLY girls. This book pushes though our stereotypes because the author Sparkle boy, By Lesla Newman writes about boys using things that are supposed to be meant for girls. For example in the story Sparkle Boy wore a dress, painted his nails, and wore a sparkly bracelet. This shows that the author is trying to push though of stereotypes that boys can’t wear stuff that girls wears, or boys can’t like sparkly stuff. Instead she is trying to show us that it doesn’t matter what we wear or what we do as long ha you are happy. I noticed that the author used other characters feeling in the book too, for example Sparkle Boy’s sister was always angry whenever Sparkle Boy got something that were meant “ONLY” for girls. The author also used descriptive language such as shiny or sparkle. To help make enhance the books vocabulary. The author pushed us to realize that no matter what gender there is nothing wrong with wearing the other genders clothing as long as you are. Happy, hence it is also a way for you to express yourself and basically express your emotions.  
-Jake

]]> 2021-05-27 06:30:51 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564184029 Stella Brings the Family 28js01_1_1 https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564188067 This book is about a girl who has 2 dads, no mom. She was troubled when it was almost mothers day. So, she brought the whole family.

This book pushes beyond out stereotypes because the author of Stella Brings the Family, by Miriam B. Schiffer, writes about what dads do when there is no mom. The book sends a message that having gay or lesbian parents does not change your identity. Not having a mom does not mean no one makes you lunch and dinner. In one picture, it shows one of the dads cleaning plates. If no one cooked for Stella, why would one of the dads be cleaning plates?When Stella said that she does not have a mom, a friend said, “No mother? But who reads you bedtime stories like my mothers do for me?” She replied with, “Daddy and Papa read stories to me.” This means that dads can read bedtime stories.My dad rarely kisses me. So I formed a stereotype that is, dads cannot kiss children But dads can also kiss. For example, “But who kisses you when you are hurt?” Carmen asked. Stella replied with her dad papa, and almost her whole family. 

To conclude, dads also have a important role, and if you have gay or lesbian parents, it does not change your family structure.

- Jay

]]> 2021-05-27 06:32:36 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564188067 I Will Dance 28cd01 https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564205263 This book is about a girl who has a dream and her dream is to dance like everyone does. The only problem is that she is disabled so she has to stay in a wheel chair.

This book pushes beyond our stereotypes because the author and the illustrator, Nancy Bo Flood and Julianna Swaney, showed that it is not impossible to dance even though you are disabled. At the beginning of the book the girl in the wheel chair thought that she would never be able to dance. After that the next morning her mom got a paper that said “Audition for young dance—all abilities, all ages. All are welcome.” People might think that it is impossible for her to go and dance with other people, and actually the little girl too but then she tried and actually there were lots of people over there that were a bit like her. There were people with canes, crutches, wheels and even walkers. When she came everyone involved her in the circle. In the circle she turned over to the side and she made a move with her hand and the boy beside her made the same move and then everyone started making moves like she did. She was a bit like a model for them! This book shows that you can dance no matter what.

— Clementine

]]> 2021-05-27 06:39:42 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564205263 Some Boys 28kj01 https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564208237 This book is about a many different boys, and the different things that they can do and like. The things that they are shown doing, can sometimes be seen as ‘girly things’ and something a boy wouldn’t normally do.
This book is pushing past stereotypes because it’s celebrating everyone and the different things they can like, while the book is sending a message that fights back from expectations and stereotypes. The book is showing and describing many different things that boys can do, act, and like. And, the things some boys are doing may be going out of our stereotypical and biased idea of a ‘boy’, and what a boy should be doing. Some things may seem ‘unusual’ to us because of our expectations and stereotypes. Doing things like playing games and sports, but this book is trying to show that boys can also express themselves and like other things in other ways.
 For example, boys are shown that they can play video games and sports. But, some other boys are also shown playing dress-up and dolls. Those things are  what a ‘girl’ would normally do, and things a boy would do, but then mixing up it all. The book is celebrating all the different things that boys can like and do, and pushing into boundaries and past what people expect of how, what and how one gender should like, act and do. The author Nelly Thomas is bringing in a positive message that’s helping us push past our biases. This could be used to help reflect real life scenarios that can happen similar to this, and dispel biases in those types of real-life situations

-Kathleen
]]> 2021-05-27 06:40:50 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564208237 Sam https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564213699 This book is about the boy name Sam he is nine years old, the book author is Dani Gabriel. Sam have a sister they have many fun together like every time her sister Miggle will , but this time his sister and many friend call Sam Isabel. But Sam don’t like people call he Isabel, that is not her name, but no one know he didn’t like anyone to call he Isabel because Sam is a boy, and he never say about that. Everyone treat Sam is a girl, and Sam heat it. One night Sam is is come to Miggle room, and call her sister. That time Sam is brave, and tell her sister he don’t like anyone to call he Isabel, he is a boy! Then Miggle is say“sorry l don’t should be to call to call you Isabel, can you forgive me?”that time her sister  and his friend is never call Sam Isabel.   

Ryan



]]> 2021-05-27 06:42:49 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564213699 Stella Brings the Family https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564217514 This is a book about a girl with two dads and is going to a Mother’s Day party and has to invite her mom…  The author of Stella brings the family, Miriam Schiffer pushes past stereotypes about moms and dads, like moms have to do the dishes, moms are the ones that kiss there children when they’re hurt and moms read stories to there kids before they go to sleep, and some dad stereotypes are that they don’t give as much love as moms, but actually if you have two moms or two dads or one mom one dad, all the love is the same. the author shows that kids can have as much love with dads than moms and also dads can do jobs that moms are stereotyped to always do.  in the pictures her dads gave her a hug when she went to school and when she got back they were cleaning the house and doing the dishes, this showed that it isn’t true that only moms hug there kids and do housework. 
-Lucas

]]> 2021-05-27 06:44:18 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564217514 Jack (Not Jackie) https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564218744 This is a book about a little sister who wants to be a little brother, but his big sister does not want a little brother she wants him to stay a girl, but in the end she sees that he is exactly the same person, and excepts him for who he is.  This book pushes past stereotypes, because the author (Erica Silverman and Holly Hatam) wants us to see that being transgender and being yourself is more then ok, in fact encouraged, and that Jackie prefers to be Jack because she likes to wear “boys clothing” and likes to get muddy and I guess that that means you’re a boy, because you can’t like that stuff and be a girl, which to me is ridicules and unbelievable. But I guess that is the type of world we live in, unless we change that. And this book shows us that. 

- Ellie]]> 2021-05-27 06:44:47 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564218744 Mina vs the Monsoon Isabellllllllli https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564219301 This book is about a girl who plays soccer, the author Rkshanna Gudrdz pushed beyond our stereotypes by writing about how Mina plays soccer and how her mom expects her passion for this sport.  In the story, her mom lets Mina wear her old soccer t-shirt to play soccer in the rain. Mina’s reaction to the Monsoon festival showed that girls don’t have to like festivals and celebrations, they could do and wear whatever they prefer. This pushed back our stereotypes that girls should stay inside and shouldn’t be passionate about sports like soccer. 

-Isabel L]]> 2021-05-27 06:44:59 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564219301 Big Boys Cry https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564220688 This book is about a boy who noticed that big boys or men can cry (when he was coming back from his new school. The book pushes beyond stereotypes because the author of ‘Big Boys Cry’mby Jonty Howley writes about big boys or men also can cry, because in this book, Levi was me afraid to go to his new school, so he cried. Then his dad told him that big boys don’t cry. Thus he stopped crying and went to school. But on his way, he saw many man crying. When he saw that they were crying, he felt weird. So he just went school, and when he came from school, he loved it. But he saw that dad was crying, then Levi told him that big boys do cry. So the author was trying to push that big big boys also can cry.

Elena

]]> 2021-05-27 06:45:29 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564220688 Sparkle Boy https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564221419 This book is about a young boy who likes what his sister like, including: dresses, bracelets, and nail polish. His sister often disagree with him, but at the end she realized that boys can like what girls like.This book pushes beyond our stereotypes because the author, Lesléa Newman, writes that boys can wear dresses, polish their nails and wear bracelets. The book reinforced that boys can like what girls like, and there should not be a problem about that. In the book, the author used description words like glittery and shiny. Boys can not like what girls like, girls can not like what boys like, it is one of the most commonly held stereotype about boys and girls. The author pushed us to realize that no matter what gender you are, you can always like what you like. The author is trying to tell us that boys can like what girls like, there is no such thing as boys can not like what girls like, same for girls. The author described the main character’s sister very gender bias, likes to wear pretty things, to show that some people still think boys can not like what girls like, and girls can not like what boys like. The author described the main character very natural and common, to show that boys can like what girls like. I think the author us trying to tell us boys can like what girls like. This book really changed my perspective about boys and girls. We can decide what we like, other people can’t decide for us.
-Daniel 



]]> 2021-05-27 06:45:45 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564221419 Dress Like a Girl 28zw01_1_1 https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564222219 This book pushes beyond stereotypes because the author of Dress Like A Girl, by Patricia Toht, she writes how girls can be what they dream to be. For example being a doctor or scientist would usually be thought as a job for men. But in this picture book the girls in the story where cosplaying them, this shows us that girls can have the same future as boys. Also the author pushed us to realize that girls can be explorers, diverse, and all the jobs that are usually meant for males.  This book pushes beyond the stereotype that males are better then females. In the book another detail that the author put in is that there aren’t only white skinned people but also kids with different skin tones. This also shows that everyone should be treated the same, even if their skin color is different. 

-Zoe ]]> 2021-05-27 06:46:04 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564222219 Big Boys Cry 28jz01_1 https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564222923 This book is about a boy’s first day of going to a new school and what he saw on the way to school and what he learnt when he went back home to find his dad crying because of worrying about the boy’s first day of school. This book pushes beyond stereotypes because the author of Big Boys Cry, Jonty Howely, wrote about how big boys also release their emotions which pushes beyond the stereotype that men should be tough and holds in their emotions. The author also pushed beyond the stereotype that women are the ones worrying about the child by showing that the dad in the story was worrying about his child. Also, the author pushed against the stereotype that black people can and should be educated because in the pictures, not only the white people are kind and welcoming to the main character, people from all over the world were in the school and being kind and welcoming to the main character The author reinforced the fact that big boys cry and can be easily touched (sensitive) from small things like music.
Jenny]]> 2021-05-27 06:46:21 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564222923 “ Jamie Is Jamie” https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564225480  “Jamie Is Jamie ”is about the character Jamie play with his classmate in the free time and everyone like him. The book push beyond stereotypes because the author of the book Afsane  Moradian pushing that some toys are just for girls and some toys are just for boys. It means the toy car and superhero figure are not for girl, and doll is not for boy. The author also pushing the stereotype that boys should play with boys and girls should play with girls. Kind of like boys should not always play with girl because there hobby is difference, for example, boys like to play toy car but girls like to play the doll. And the author try to pushing the stereotype that children play should be structured by whether they are a girl or boy because the author write that Jamie play car but he also dance ballet. 

-Cynthia ]]> 2021-05-27 06:47:18 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564225480 Sparkle Boy https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564226178 This is a book about a boy who like sparkly and pretty things. The book pushes beyond our stereotypes because the author of Sparkle Boy, Lesléa Newman, writes about how boys can also wear shiny, pretty, and glittery if they want. I think this book is really nice because it shows in the book how other kids think about boys wearing skirts and being pretty. They think it’s weird and funny, and that shows what a lot of people think. But the book by showing those stereotypes in it, tries to get people to notice about this stereotype. It also shows people getting changed by the main character too. The main character broke their stereotypes. By all of that, the author broke our biases/stereotypes and pushed us beyond it and helped us realize whatever the gender, whatever they like, we should respect them. 

Jamie.B]]> 2021-05-27 06:47:35 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564226178 Jacob’s Room To Choose 28ss04_1_1 https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564227361 Suho]]> 2021-05-27 06:48:01 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564227361 It Feels Good To Be Yourself https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564242686
It Feels Good To Be Yourself is a book that is about gender identity. In the book there’s people who are different but also not different (the same).

This book pushes beyond stereotypes in ways of how the author Theresa Thorn describes people that are transgender and people doesn’t feel like a boy or a girl but themselves just like how people likes to be themselves that was so unique other people might’ve think it’s weird. Just because we are different so we have different perspective and opinions.  This book also says how we are the same, in ways we have parts that may show out more and in different ways and we are all human it doesn’t mean we are different if we want to have a different life style choice.   The author Theresa Thorn also shows how people can show their selves in different ways even though if they were a boy, they can dress up like a girl and show their selves in a different way and don’t have to be a boy and look like a boy, but their selves. According to the author and the illustrator there was a men wearing pink T-shirt, pink pants, pink shoes, pink eyebrows, and pink hair.
-Isabel]]> 2021-05-27 06:53:57 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564242686 Pride https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564503878 The book is about a man named Harvey Milk, who stood up and fought for people that are lesbian, gay, and people that are part of the LGBTQ+ community. This book showed the timeline and process of Harvey Milk. It started from his dream, to him making the rainbow flag (LGBTQ+ community symbol) and standing up, all the way to when he was assassinated. This book pushes beyond stereotypes, because one of the illustrations by Steven Salerno showed two men are on one bicycle, and they have the words “Just Married” behind them, which represents that people that are gay or lesbian also have the opportunity and right to be married and treated equally. This pushes against a stereotype, because a lot of people think that people that are gay or lesbian are not “one of them”, so they think that lesbians and gays don’t deserve to have the same rights and opportunities as them— which is not true. The picture showed a clear image of what the author and illustrator wanted us to see and learn, so it was a very visual way of showing the message. It was very easy to understand, but in the same time very strong and persuasive. Other than this, the author and illustrator also pushed against many other stereotypes and biases. Another stereotype the author pushes against is that people that lesbian and gay are weird and unhappy. From the same illustration, I could see that those two men were very happy. At the same time, they looked extremely normal. Even though these details are from the same illustration, we could see that there are a lot of elements to it that represents many things at the same time. Other than pictures, words can also push beyond stereotypes and biases. On one of the pages it said that Harvey Milk was the politician ever to be gay. This clearly proves that the stereotype “only white, straight men can be a politicians” is not correct. It doesn’t only prove that it isn’t correct by the words, but also the REAL action. It was a true fact, so it’s more easier to understand this, while being shocked. Overall, this book pushed beyond stereotypes, by using illustration and words.

-Ann]]> 2021-05-27 08:59:40 UTC https://padlet.com/ConstanceKKG/pushingbiasbooks/wish/1564503878