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Ian David

(69,059 posts)
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 11:34 AM Jun 2012

Scholastic Gives Boys ‘Survival’ Tips and Girls ‘Girly’ Tips

Don't know what to get little Billy or Sally before they go off to summer camp? How about one of Scholastic's new "How To Survive Anything!" books? The "Boys Only" edition looks pretty sweet: you can learn how to survive a snakebite, swarm of bees and forest fire, as well as how to make it through some more unrealistic scenarios, like a polar bear attack or "space."

So what does the "Girl's Only" edition include? Well, there's "How to Survive a BFF fight," How to Survive a Breakout" and, uh, "How to Have the Best Sleepover Ever." (We can't even get sleepover survival tips? My younger self would've at least liked to know how not to end up the only person not kissed during Spin the Bottle...)

<snip>

A reminder: these books were published THIS YEAR. Publishers still think that all girls would rather know how to "pick perfect sunglasses" (so we just dropped the whole survival theme?) and "how to teach your cat to sit" (NECESSARY FOR LIVING!) than actual survival tips, silly or otherwise. We're surprised there's no chapter for boys on how to protect girls because they're too busy surviving fashion disasters or learning how to handle "sudden stardom."

"If you ever find yourself in this situation, please oh please don't say 'THIS ONE IS FOR BOYS AND THIS IS FOR GIRLS,'" begs Ryan North. "Perhaps instead say 'THIS ONE HAS A BUNCH OF INTERESTING REAL-LIFE DISASTER SURVIVAL AND THIS ONE HAS A LOT OF PERSONAL HYGIENE AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP STUFF IN IT, ALSO, TIPS ON GETTING YOUR CAT TO SIT DOWN, I DUNNO.'"

More:
http://jezebel.com/5916965/scholastic-gives-boys-survival-tips-and-girls-girly-tips

17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Scholastic Gives Boys ‘Survival’ Tips and Girls ‘Girly’ Tips (Original Post) Ian David Jun 2012 OP
I think my girls would be more interested in the exboyfil Jun 2012 #1
Scholastic has always had a right-wing bias. Ian David Jun 2012 #2
My daughter's read some of their books exboyfil Jun 2012 #5
When did we time warp back into the 50s? lookingfortruth Jun 2012 #3
This infuriates me Catherina Jun 2012 #4
They already removed the books from the market in response to the outrage. Ian David Jun 2012 #8
Good. Catherina Jun 2012 #10
How to Survive for girls by Lisabeth Salander* longship Jun 2012 #6
That'd be a short book. laconicsax Jun 2012 #12
Well, there's always the chapter on proper use of a five iron. longship Jun 2012 #15
Ooohh. I loved the English language version. Zorra Jun 2012 #13
Check out the Swedish movies. longship Jun 2012 #14
Thanks, I surely will. Zorra Jun 2012 #16
"Tips on getting your cat to sit down" - hey I need those! MH1 Jun 2012 #7
Lame. Warren DeMontague Jun 2012 #9
Incredibly Catherina Jun 2012 #11
Today, with no thanks to jerks like Scholastic Catherina Jun 2012 #17

exboyfil

(17,867 posts)
1. I think my girls would be more interested in the
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 11:46 AM
Jun 2012

boys book. Since when did James Dobson take over Scholastic?

Ian David

(69,059 posts)
2. Scholastic has always had a right-wing bias.
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 11:54 AM
Jun 2012

Years ago, they even published an article on "Smoker's Rights" in their Scholastic Magazine for kids.

Just this year, they published a hit-piece on the proposed legislation to keep farms from exploiting child labor, that had my daughter enraged. She thought it would prevent farmers from letting their kids milk cows.

exboyfil

(17,867 posts)
5. My daughter's read some of their books
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 12:16 PM
Jun 2012

through the book club when they were younger. I do think they run some pretty good authors (Harry Potter being the best example). I guess I really never looked closely. I will keep an eye on it in the future (probably don't need to now my daughters are really good at B.S. detection).

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
4. This infuriates me
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 12:02 PM
Jun 2012

Most of the women I know would prefer the Boys Only edition.

Is anyone organizing against this? The folks at Scholastic need a good talking to.

Ian David

(69,059 posts)
8. They already removed the books from the market in response to the outrage.
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 02:47 PM
Jun 2012

There's probably some good content, between the two books. Hopefully, it will find its way into a more appropriate format.

longship

(40,416 posts)
6. How to Survive for girls by Lisabeth Salander*
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 12:49 PM
Jun 2012

That would be a good one.

*For those who don't know, Salander is the heroine in Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy, known here as The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but in the original Swedish was titled Män Som Hatar Kvinnor, Men Who Hate Women.

I recommend both the books, and the Swedish version of the movies, but not the English language version which horribly miscasts Lisabeth.

 

laconicsax

(14,860 posts)
12. That'd be a short book.
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 08:06 PM
Jun 2012

"Zap them in the balls with a taser" can't be stretched out past a pamphlet.

longship

(40,416 posts)
15. Well, there's always the chapter on proper use of a five iron.
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 07:50 AM
Jun 2012

Last edited Sun Jun 10, 2012, 08:43 AM - Edit history (1)

And another on the art of the tattoo.
Don't forget boxing out your weight class (co-written by Paolo Roberto).

Lots of possibilities here.

Zorra

(27,670 posts)
13. Ooohh. I loved the English language version.
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 01:33 AM
Jun 2012
And loved Lisabeth's character, too!.


She's so....unique.

longship

(40,416 posts)
14. Check out the Swedish movies.
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 07:43 AM
Jun 2012

I like Rooney Mara, but Noomi Repace's portrayal matches the books' characterization much better, IMHO, especially Lisabeth's actions and her extreme social withdrawal.

Plus, all three movies are available on DVD now.

Zorra

(27,670 posts)
16. Thanks, I surely will.
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 01:07 PM
Jun 2012

ASAP.

It will be fun seeing other manifestations of Lisabeth's character. I really did love Rooney's interpretation, I believe she saw some metaphysical kindred spirit in Lisabeth that sparked something completely natural and visceral within her, and that led her to achieve an extraordinary zone/level of performance.

I loved the English version, and if the Swedish versions are equal or better, this will be a real treat for me!


And I've only very rarely seen a film that was better than the book.

Thanks!

MH1

(17,635 posts)
7. "Tips on getting your cat to sit down" - hey I need those!
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 12:52 PM
Jun 2012

but, I've heard rumors that boys sometimes need to know that too.

(seriously, anyone who is trying to get a cat to sit down, probably ought to find something else to do, and just let the cat stand in front of the computer monitor as long as it wants to.)

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
11. Incredibly
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 07:38 PM
Jun 2012

I'm so grateful to my parents for not having imposed these gender guidelines on us.

I don't have kids so I don't keep up with this but I'm shocked this is happening in 2012. I thought we were past this.

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
17. Today, with no thanks to jerks like Scholastic
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 06:32 PM
Jun 2012

I had to reconnect my car battery after I accidentally drained it by leaving the key in the ignition.

I thought I was doing GREAT just getting it out of there and getting it to a battery charging station since I'd read jump starting isnt the best idea. So I trudged all over my small town with the dead battery and found a place to slow charge it.

The next morning, (this morning) I picked it up, brought it home, googled aobut which connection to do first and before you could blink alarms were sounding so loud.

It took 6 google searches and subsequent attempts to luck into success.

Anyway, I'd like to thank sexist educators like the people at Scholastics who thought it was more important to teach me how to pick out the right shades for my nose.

/end of pissed of rant/

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