My Mom is a Firefighter written by Lois G. Grambling and Illustrated by Jane Manning is a great book that erases gender stereotypes and promotes open student thought. The title may fool you into believing that the story is completely about dispelling gender stereotypes, but really it is about the life of all firefighters. It is a great informational read into the life of firefighters and their families. And what young student isn't compelled to learn what firefighters do while they're not fighting the flames.
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| "Mom tell's us that firefighters are part of a team. "Everyone has to do his or her job."" |
It is the description about what happens in the firehouse and how Billy, whose mother is a firefighter, relates that keeps the reader turning the pages. Billy's mother not only has time to put out dangerous house fires, she also makes it home in time to help prepare Billy for his spelling test. The story is so real that any student can place themselves in the book and imagine that one of their parents or guardians is a firefighter. This is what makes a book like this one incredibly special.
This looks like a cute book. I like that they show the mom in a job and then as a mother. I feel like that double-role is something that often gets ignored in school and hidden under the push to be accepting of women in the workplace. It is very politically correct to focus on the fact that women can do anything men can, but a lot of times there is no mention of the fact that many women have to work hard to balance work and family. Now that I am getting older this is something that concerns me more, because I don't feel like I ever talked about it or considered it until this last couple years.
ReplyDeleteYay for breaking stereotypes! I really like Jenny's comment about how the story highlights the double-role of women in their work and home lives. Are there many books that highlight the double men in this regard as well? I think the double-role shows the humanity behind the firefighter, brings her down to earth, and shows children that their firefighting heroes and heroines are people just like their parents.
ReplyDeletegood book and good message. But what if we had mom being the firefighter and dad staying home and helping with the spelling test? No matter how far we come, there still seems to be some gender stereotyping. I do agree that any child could relate to this book. It is great to see a woman depicted in a role where you usually see men.
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