Dealing with Dragons

I was reading the current issue of Ms. magazine last month and was really excited about the cover article on ‘Click Lit’.  It surveyed several books that are feminist in nature, most were for tweens and teens.  This is something I constantly am looking for, there is so much great literature out there but often it is problematic from a feminist perspective.  Most of the books in the article are a little old for my daughter, but I did run out and buy, "Dealing with Dragons" , by Patricia C. Wrede.  It is excellent!  The story is so compelling and the main character has really great qualities.  One of my favorite parts explained the roles of Kings and Queens in the dragon’s world and how they were different roles that either gender could fill rather than tied to a specific gender. 

The only thing I found difficult is how the book highlighted the fact that this princess was different.  I appreciate what the author is trying to do and that most people are so steeped in the princess culture that this is a necessary occurrence.  However, I would like to see more literature that presents people (including princesses) behaving any way they would like.

I believe this is a predicament that ties closely to Dr. Sandra Lipsitz Bem’s essay, “Feminist Child-Rearing” (sorry, I couldn’t find a link for it).  In this writing she explains the way that she raised her children gender-neutrally so literature was difficult to find.  As a result of that she didn’t give them traditional feminist children’s literature like, “William’s Doll’, because it would highlight the fact for her children that some people thought it inappropriate for William to have a doll.

While I think it is good for Jane to understand that those views are out there and learn how to address them, I also don’t want her to feel that she and any one like her has to fight a constant battle to be who they are.