School book fairs

Hmmm ... I didn't realize that Einstein was strictly for boys. It's got to be all that math and science that the fairer sex doesn't excel at. [img]rolleyes.gif" border="0[/img] Was there a Books for Girls section too? I'm thinking with a pink tablecloth and a lot of books featuring Disney princesses.

That really is too bad. I used to love the book fairs when I was a kid. I’d actually save up my birthday money in anticipation of them. Though, I don’t think I had the eye for sexism that I do now, so I can’t recall any specifics. My mom volunteered at our elementary school library, so she was partly in charge of stocking the library with new and interesting books that could appeal to both genders, so if I remember correctly we had quite the diverse assortment in those days.

I have purchased books that appeal to different students. No, each book does not need to appeal to everyone. What is needed in each classroom and in the school library are a wide range of books that will appeal to selected groups of students including boys, girls, white, black, "Christian, Jewish, Miscellaneous" (Quote from the Simpsons). Note that there are cross-interests.

I understand why there is a "Books for Boys" tag on some of the books. It is very difficult to get boys interested in reading. I also do understand that the tag may discourage girls from reading those books found under that tag. Perhaps Scholastic should have choosen another name to describe those books such as "Real Interest." I know that's not a great name, but it is not gender specific.

I have been to several Scholastic Book Fairs where students end up buying the latest movie-books or those annoying licorice shaped erasers which I have to confiscate after because students whip them in class or misuse them in another way.

I wish the government could better fund our schools so that we would not need to have commercialism in the schools.

[ 10 March 2008: Message edited by: Skinny Dipper ]

My eldest son especially appreciates all the reference books. I am happy to pay the retail prices because these purchases benefit the school library and classroom acquisition of books.

Watch this Michelle. It'll tell you exactly what boys [b]should[/b] be reading.

Ahh, the interminable crisis of the American Male. Its history is as long as that of the United States. Perpetually emasculated, perpetually under siege, masculinity is always at risk.

"Where did TIME TRAVEL come in?"

I've seen these sorts of book sales in federal government departments that I've worked for.

I've no doubt that some of it is simply part of "covert" operations to privatize public education as part of the neo-conservative plan to turn all human relations into market relations. Get a foot in the door, and then gradually murder public education.

The content is also suspect, with stereotyped learning methodologies and so on, and with fund-raising for fundamentalist organizations and pathological anti-abortionists. Before buying a book it's wise to find out - I mean REALLY find out - where your hard earned money is going. ETA: These zealots are good at covering their tracks.

[ 25 June 2008: Message edited by: N.Beltov ]

Michelle - I thought of you last night when I was at the library. I couldn't help but pick up one of the most offensive books I've seen for girls, published by none other than scholastic.

It's called the Girls' Book of Glamour: A Guide to Being a Goddess. It's branded the same way as the Daring/Dangerous books for Girls/Boys, but I'm not sure Scholastic published them.

Here are just a few of the chapter headings:

Put on a Fashion Show

Host a Spa Party

How to Descent a Staircase Gracefully

How to Be the Best Bridesmaid

Of the dozens of chapters, really, there were only one or two that I didn't find completely offensive. (E.g. I thought how to turn your jeans into a skirt pretty DIY and fun). My wonderfully feminist better half went through yesterday and cringe chapter after chapter.

Oh, that's terrible! I don't remember seeing that one.

I read a lot of young adult fiction for female readers. It's kind of an obsessive pastime of mine. I think it's because I read so much in my formative years, and really got so much out of an enjoyment of reading, and I truly worry about the side-effects of Gossip Girl, The Clique, and "non-fiction" books like "A Guide to Being a Goddess."

At the library last night, I skimmed the shelves with my eyes, and it seemed to be a collage of different shades of pink, all targeted at young women. It's sickening really. I guess it's no surprise that the book I'm talking about is packaged to look as though it's out of the 1950's, featuring a young woman bathing in an old-fashioned bath tub. The exception to this 1950's theme is the book's fluorescent pink colour.

I have a bad habit of reading books that make me mad, just to know what's out there. This is another example of that.

Gah! That's absolutely awful! And if I remember correctly, Kit Pearson had some great books with positive female characters. It's a shame to see them summed up with such an awful tag line.

Jabberwock's rationale is why we buy many books from Scholastic. Our youngest son usually starts wanting about 20 titles and we whittle him down to a maximum of 5. We are in an economic space to be able to afford many books and therefore can assist the school which is inner city and undefunded. Parenthetically, our oldest son read Brideg to Terabithia in grade 6 this year.