What are the best books and movies about stereotypes?

April 12, 2021 4:59 AM

What books and movies help people to think about issues of stereotyping, including how to think about them with kids? I would be interested both in interesting examples that explain or resist stereotyping, as well as blatant examples of the stereotyping that is being pushed against. Ironic and internalized examples of stereotyping would also be interesting. Bonus points if at least some of the examples are appropriate for young people.
posted by mortaddams to Society & Culture (7 answers total)

David's Father by Robert Munsch is a REALLY gentle story about how our expectations and prejudices don't match reality. Julie is a girl who meets David's father, who is a giant.

David's Father
posted by Dressed to Kill at 5:11 AM on April 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

Whistling Vivaldi by Claude Steele goes deep into the science of stereotypes and stereotype threat.
posted by brook horse at 5:36 AM on April 12, 2021

To Kill a Mockingbird (both the film and book).
posted by veery at 6:00 AM on April 12, 2021 [2 favorites]

Came to say Robert Munsch as well! The Paper Bag Princess
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 6:14 AM on April 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

We've had a copy of the Paper Bag Princess since my daughter was born, but we just got a nice new hardcover last week, and it has become her favorite book. It is a great message, entertainingly written, and she just loves emphatically saying the "Ronald, you are a bum" line.
posted by kevinbelt at 6:20 AM on April 12, 2021

What Lane? By Torrey Maldonado
A Normal Pig by K-Fai Steele
New Kid by Jerry Craft
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Not my Idea by Amanda Higginbotham
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Call Me Max by Kyle Lukoff

There are LOADS of lists of antiracist children's books out there - search for those terms and talk to your local librarians (this is a big discussion for libraries nationally) or ask your local indie booksellers
">CBC Antiracist Resources

">NYMagazine Antiracist children's books

The href=%22https://www.theconsciouskid.org/antiracist-childrens-books%22>">Conscious Kid
posted by Geameade at 6:35 AM on April 12, 2021

Sorry about the links. Here:
Children's Book Council Antiracist Resources
The Conscious Kid Books to Support Conversations on Race and Racism
American Library Association's List of LGBTQIA+ Resources for Children
NY Magazine List

Plus
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You by Jason Reynolds


There's also conversations to be had about stereotyping by critically examining the books already in your orbit. There's structural racism and stereotyping in publishing too. The CBC does annual audits of children's books that show the vast majority of protagonists are still overwhelmingly White and male. Who is respresented on your shelves? Who is left out? How are people represented in those books? What books have racist stereotypes in them?
posted by Geameade at 6:56 AM on April 12, 2021 [2 favorites]