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Books Boys Like (About Girls): More Thoughts on Gendered Readers' Advisory
My post last week about Diantha McBride’s open letter to children’s publishers prompted some interesting discussion in the comments. Responding to the issue of gendered readers’ advisory, Mr Chompchomp from GuysLitWire pledged to write about books with guy appeal that happen to star female characters. He came through this week, naming four of my all-time favorite fantasy series—for my own enjoyment and for booktalking to kids—in the process.
While the topic’s fresh in my mind, here are some more novels and series with female protagonists that have strong multi-gender appeal:
- Book of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau
- Damar Chronicles, by Robin McKinley
- Flora Segunda and sequels, by Ysabeau Wilce
- Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
- Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke
- Maximum Ride, by James Patterson
- Skulduggery Pleasant, by Derek Landry
- Young Wizards, by Diane Duane
- Just about anything by Tamora Pierce (particularly the Alanna, Keladry, and Beka Cooper series)
I followed Mr Chompchomp’s lead and stuck to speculative fiction here, but what other books or series—of any genre—would you add?
One final point of discussion (for today): In thinking about my own tendency toward gendered readers' advisory, I realized that when I'm booktalking a "girl book" (a book starring a girl) to a male reader—or said male reader's guardian—I tend to say things like, "But it's full of action! But she's tough and kicks butt!"
But, but, but. I become an apologist for girl-centric fiction. It's like I'm saying, "I'm sorry this book is about a girl, but actually it's quite exciting, if you'd only look past the disappointing fact that it's about a girl." Do I use these kinds of qualifications when I'm booktalking a "boy book" to a girl? No. I hate that.
I even had trouble writing this post! That sentence above, "Here are some more novels and series with female protagonists that have strong multi-gender appeal"? The "that" was originally a "but."
Sexism runs so very deep in our culture, in ourselves. Even when I'm actively trying to kick it to the curb, it's still there. Ugh!
ETA, 7/13/09:
Over at Booklights, Jen Robinson has posted her own list of recommended adventurous books starring girls. More great suggestions -- check 'em out!
The Uglies series by Westerfeld
The Pern series by McCaffrey (before it gets all bloated, and, well, bad)
Forest of Hands and Teeth by Ryan
Silver Phoenix by Pon
Graceling by Cashore
Here Lies Arthur by Reeve
Un Lun Dun by Mieville
Life as We Knew it by Pfeffer
pretty much anything by Diana Wynne Jones
Venturing outside of speculative fiction, the Vesper Holly series by Lloyd Alexander (also his Westmark trilogy), and the Bloody Jack books by Meyer
I'm sure there's more, but you and he have both already mentioned several stock titles in my books-about-girls-that-boys-will-like arsenal, so that's all I can come up with now. Also, I'm counting down the minutes to lunch. :)
YES! These are great suggestions. (I'm feeling all duh about the Uglies, actually. Then again, they're barely ever on the shelf to remind me.) I haven't read The Silver Phoenix or Un Lun Dun yet.
I didn't personally care for The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but I seem to be in the minority, at least in the Kidlitosphere. For all it was about escaping a zombie attack, over all it seemed very slow and uneventful to me. Not that I don't enjoy quiet books, but considering the subject matter I found this one a bit too quiet. And I found the conclusion unsatisfying. I understand that there's likely going to be at least a sequel, but as it was I felt like there was a lot of lead-up with little pay-off.
Addendum, thinking it over some more: I do feel that the Westmark trilogy is more about Theo than it is about Mickle. She's a strong character, but I don't know if I'd say she's the star. Likewise, when I was going over Diana Wynne Jones's catalog it seemed like most of her books (Howl's Moving Castle being an exception) have male lead characters. I haven't read all her books, though. Are there others where girls rule?
A couple more: about half of Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea books have female lead characters; The Girl Who Owned a City, by O.T. Nelson; clearly I'm stuck in a spec fic rut.
DWJ is my very favorite author ever, and I have read all her books multiple times. In her juvie titles, there is very often a male/female pair that's the main focus of the story: Cat with Gwendolyn (later Janet) in Charmed Life, Jonathan and Sam with Vivian in Tale of Time City, the boy griffins with the girl griffins (and the human sons with the human daughters) in Dark Lord of Derkholm, etc. In her YA titles she still does pairs (Rupert with Maree in ) but sometimes does "standalone" heroes (Polly in Fire and Hemlock). Hayley in The Game is the only juvie girl hero (besides Sophie) I can think of off the top of my head who doesn't have a male pair.
Theo and Mickle are, in my mind, another pair--the story wouldn't be complete if it focused on just one of them, and especially in the last book, Mickle really comes to the fore.
These paired hero books are sort of gateways to female hero books that I sometimes use to lure boys in. Although I'd never ever state it like that to them!
Oops. That was supposed to be "Rupert and Maree in Deep Secret."