A Truck for Jane, a Doll for John: Books Depicting Non-Traditional Gender Roles
Note: The following list was devised to indicate titles in children's literature that show males and females in non-traditional pursuits. Titles with an (F) denote females in non-traditional roles, and titles with an (M) denote males in non-traditional roles.
Picture Books
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman (F)
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride by Pam Muñoz Ryan (F)
Angela's Airplane by Robert Munsch (F)
Animals on Board by Stuart J. Murphy (F)
Axle Annie by Robin Pulver (F)
Beautiful Warrior: The Legend of the Nun's Kung Fu by Emily Arnold McCully (F)
Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban (F)
Charlie Drives the Stage by Eric A. Kimmel (F)
Dahlia by Barbara McClintock (F)
Fire Engine for Ruthie by Leslea Newman (F)
Girl Who Loved Caterpillars: A Twelfth Century Tale from Japan by Jean Merill (F)
Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings by Deborah Hopkinson (F)
Girl, You're Amazing! by Virginia L. Kroll (F)
Henry's Baby by Mary Hoffman (M)
Horace and Morris But Mostly Dolores by James Howe (F)
Jess Was the Brave One by Jean Little (F)
Just Like Josh Gibson by Angela Johnson (F)
Little Granny Quarterback by Bill Martin, Jr. (F)
Mama's Coming Home by Kate Banks (F) (M)
Maria's Comet by Deborah Hopkinson (F)
Max, the Stubborn Little Wolf by Marie-Odile Judes (M)
Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully (F)
Miss Spider's New Car by David Kirk (F) (M)
No, Agatha! by Rachel Isadora (F)
Oliver Button is a Sissy by Tomie De Paola (M)
Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch (F)
Piggybook by Anthony Browne (M)
Pilot Mom by Kathleen Benner Duble (F)
Players in Pigtails by Shana Corey (F)
Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke (F)
Pugdog by Andrea U'Ren (F)
Ruby's Wish by Shirlin Yim Bridges (F)
Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt by Lisa Campbell Ernst (M)
School Picture Day by Lynn Plourde (F)
Seven Brave Women by Betsy Gould Hearne (F)
Something Good by Robert Munsch (M)
Steamboat Annie and the Thousand-Pound Catfish by Catherine Wright (F)
Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs (F)
Swish! by Bill Martin, Jr. (F)
Ten Nine Eight by Molly Bang (M)
Thunder Rose by Jerdine Nolen (F)
True Heart by Marissa Moss (F)
Virgie Goes to School With Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard (F)
What Grandmas Do Best/What Grandpas Do Best by Laura Joffe Numeroff (F) (M)
What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best by Laura Joffe Numeroff (F) (M)
White Dynamite and Curly Kidd by Bill Martin, Jr. (F)
William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow (M)
Readers
Baseball Ballerina by Kathryn Cristaldi (F)
Fiction
Ballad of the Pirate Queens by Jane Yolen (F)
Ballot Box Battle by Emily Arnold McCully (F)
I Live With Daddy by Judith Vigna (M)
Nonfiction
Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure by Robert D. San Souci
jPZ8.1 .S227 BRA 1999 (F)
Child Care Workers by Karen Bush Gibson jHQ778.5 .G5 2001 (M)
Construction Workers by Tami Deedrick jTH149 .D44 1998 (F)
Dance by Bill T. Jones jGV1596.5 .J66 1998 (M)
Daring Nellie Bly: America 's Star Reporter by Bonnie Christensen
jBIOG PN4874 .C59 C49 2003 (F)
Day in Court with Mrs. Trinh by Alice K. Flanagan jKF337.5 .P7 F58 1997 (F)
Doctors by Mary Dornhoffer jR690 .D674 2000 (F)
Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior by Robert D. San Souci
jPZ8.1 .S227 FAM 1998 (F)
Hoops with Swoopes by Susan Kuklin jBLHIS GV885.1 .K85 2001 (F)
I Want to Be a Firefighter by Stephanie Maze jTH9119 .M39 1999 (F)
Joan of Arc: The Lily Maid by Margaret Hodges jBIOG DC103.5 .H64 1999 (F)
Meet Rory Hohenstein, A Professional Dancer by Jill Duval jGV1785 .H58 D88 1997 (M)
Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin: An Irish Tale by Jessica Souhami
jPZ8.1 .S706 MR 2002 (F)
Ms. Murphy Fights Fires by Alice K. Flanagan jTH9148 .F495 1997 (F)
Nurses by Cynthia Fitterer Klingel jRT61.5 .K57 2003 (M)
Officer Brown Keeps Neighborhoods Safe by Alice K. Flanagan
jHV7922 .F58 1998 (F)
Plumbers by Tracey Boraas jTH6124 .B67 1999 (F)
Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett: A Tall Tale by Steven Kellogg jPZ8.1 .K3 SAL 1995 (F)
Story of "Stagecoach" Mary Fields by Robert H. Miller
jHE6385 .F53 M55 1995 (F)
Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson by Michelle Y.Green jBLHIS GV865 .J5985 G74 2002 (F)
Tasty Baby Belly Buttons: A Japanese Folktale by Judy Sierra jPZ8.1 .S573 TAS 1999 (F)
Truck Drivers by Karen Bush Gibson jHD8039 .M795 .G53 2001 (F)
Who Keeps the Water Clean? Ms. Schindler! by Jill Duval jTD743 .D89 1997 (F)
Women Working A to Z by Maria A. Kunstadter jHD6057.9 .K86 1994 (F)
