“A Boy Like You” Breaks the Mold of How Society Defines Boys
Note: Thank you to Sleeping Bear Press for gifting me A Boy Like You to review. All opinions are my own.
When babies are born, they all seek similar things like food, comfort, and love. They are not born into gender stereotypes. They don’t know that “Boys don’t cry, ” “Girls don’t play with trains,” “Boys must be physically tough,” or “Girls are bad at math.” These are attitudes that they learn from others whether it’s from their family, friends, or the media.
We’ve heard of “Girl Power” or the belief of independence, confidence, and empowerment among young females that break stereotypes of what it means to feminine. For boys, society emphasizes the importance of physical strength to define masculinity. Expressing emotions is pushed to the wayside. There’s no equivalent mantra about how boys can be in touch with their inside strength.
The new picture book, A Boy Like You written by Frank Murphy and illustrated by Kayla Harren, explores these aspects and what it means to be a boy in today’s world. The book shows its readers that being strong is not just about muscles. There’s inside strength, too, which is just as important.
Sample lines include:
Play hard, but play fair.
Be a great teammate.
Say “Nice goal!” and “Good try!”
Don’t say “You throw like a girl.” Ever.
And remember, there’s so much more than sports…
The reader then learns about listening, helping others, and being kind. The book encourages boys to ask for help if they need it and to cry if they feel like it because “This shows you are strong. one day you’ll be a man, and men cry too.”
A Boy Like You breaks the mold of what defines a boy by encouraging him to be true to himself and embrace all the parts that make him unique. It’s an inspiring and timely book that is much needed. Expressive illustrations feature diverse characters so readers from all backgrounds can relate and see themselves in the story.
A Boy Like You is ideal for readers age 4-8 years. You can purchase a hardcover or Kindle electronic version of the book on Amazon.
ENTER THE A Boy Like You GIVEAWAY [Giveaway Closed]
One lucky reader will win a hardcopy book of “A Boy Like You” from Sleeping Bear Press. Please enter via the entry form below. Open to entrants 18+ years old with and a U.S. mailing address.
