Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different: True Tales of Amazing Boys Who Changed the World without Killing Dragons

by Ben Brooks, Quinton Wintor (Illustrator)

Overview

Boys can be anything they want to be! This timely book joins and expands the gender-role conversation and gives middle-grade boys a welcome alternative message: that masculinity can mean many things.

You won't find any stories of slaying dragons or saving princesses here. In Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different, author Ben Brooks-with the help of Quinton Wintor's striking full-color illustrations-offers a welcome alternative narrative: one that celebrates introverts and innovators, sensitivity and resilience, individuality and expression.

It's an accessible compilation of 75 famous and not-so-famous men from the past to the present day, every single one of them a rule-breaker and stereotype-smasher in his own way. Entries include Frank Ocean, Salvador Dali, Beethoven, Barack Obama, Ai Weiwei, Jesse Owens, and so many more-heroes from all walks of life and from all over the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762465927
Publisher:	Running Press Book Publishers
Publication date:	09/25/2018
Series:	Dare to Be Different Series
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	27,243
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Ben Brooks is the author of several books, including Grow Up, Lolito, Hurra, Stories for Kids Who Dare to Be Different, and the New York Times bestselling Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different.

Quinton Winter is a British illustrator, artist, and colorist. He has worked for many clients including the Guardian newspaper, Walker Books, Vertigo Comics, and the BBC. He illustrated Stories for Kids Who Dare to Be Different and the New York Times bestselling Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different.

Editorial Reviews

Filled with interesting stories about boys (and men) that contributed and changed the world in their own ways, this text is sure to inspire young readers and show them that there are many, many different ways to make a difference.—Booklist

From the Publisher

2018-07-24

Single-page biographies of 76 different men show modern boys a range of male-identified role models.

Some of the men profiled are wildly famous, such as computer nerd Bill Gates, former president Barack Obama, and Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe. More obscure ones include the 12th-century leper king of Jerusalem and a kid who became famous after being virally mocked on YouTube. Each brief entry attempts to distill large ideas into language accessible for young readers. The apparent goal of showing boys role models beyond famous aggressors is admirable, but with no introductory or conclusive note that ties together the author's overall thoughts, the result is something of a patchwork feel. An overuse of aggressively passive voice and vaguely inspirational statements impede the quality of the text, and questionable or speculative historical information limits its value. The language is simplified to the point of dumbed-down, which contrasts wildly with some of the intense moments, such as the chemical castration of Alan Turing that led to his suicide or the murder of child slave Iqbal Masih; this may make it hard to find an appropriate audience. However, many of the less familiar entries provide an interesting introduction to their lives and efforts, which may lead some readers to search out more and better information. Unfortunately, there is no bibliography or list of further reading, so they'll have to do that work on their own.

A timely and worthy attempt dragged down by poor execution. (Collective biography. 8-13)

Kirkus Reviews

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