Children are assigned gender roles from the minute they are born. Boy babies are wrapped in blue blankets and girls in pink. As they grow up, they are also told how to behave and what choices to make, based on their gender. Some common stereotypes are that girls are better at fine arts, and boys are better at science and maths. Girls are considered to be more expressive and emotional, while boys are told to 'man up' from an early age.

While you may not reinforce these gender stereotypes as a parent, there are people all around you and your child who would. This is why it's important to teach him that gender stereotypes are not the norm and encourage him to break them. One way to do so is to expose him to diverse literature and movies that question gender roles. We recommend five books that help break gender stereotypes and make your child more gender-sensitive.

1. Title: 'The Boy & the Bindi'

Author: Vivek Shraya

Illustrator: Rajni Perera

Bindi is a common adornment worn by Hindu women on their foreheads in the Indian subcontinent. It was traditionally red, but women now wear it in all colours. In this book, a young boy is fascinated by the bindi on his mother's forehead. His mother tells him about the cultural significance of the bindi. The boy even asks his mother for a bindi, and his mother provides him with one. This book will teach your child that gender doesn't have to determine our choices. The beautiful illustrations that merge seamlessly with the text make this book a delight to read.

2. Title: 'The Magic Rolling Pin' 

Author: Chef Vikas Khanna

Girls are generally expected to learn how to cook, while boys are sometimes teased if they take an interest in cooking or baking. In this book, popular chef Vikas Khanna speaks of his interest in cooking formed at a young age through a small boy named 'Jugnu'. The book, with its colourful images, immerses the readers in Jugnu's world. It creates a fantastical world for the reader. We see Jugnu cook and take immense pleasure in it. He even earns a reputation for making perfectly round rotis!

3. Title: 'Sparkle Boy' 

Author: Lesla Newman

Illustrator: Maria Mola

Boys and men are discouraged from wearing sparkly things because such things are considered feminine. This book is about a boy named Casey, who likes sparkly things such as his sister's shimmering skirt or his grandmother's glittering jewellery. His parents and relatives are supportive of his interest and let him wear the sparkling things that bring him joy.

However, Casey's sister, Jessie, doesn't think that boys should wear sparkling things. She continuously tells him not to wear them and even shames him at times. By the end of the book, however, Jessie learns the importance of letting people be themselves. And, she accepts her little brother's interest in sparkly things.

4. Title: 'Girls To The Rescue'

Author: Sowmya Rajendran

Illustrator: Ashok Rajagopalan

Fairy tales traditionally depict damsels in distress who are rescued by knights in shining armour. Such stories often promote the idea that women need to be rescued by men and that they are not capable of saving themselves.

This book, however, turns this narrative on its head, where the girls decide to rescue themselves. We meet Snow White and Cinderella, amongst other fairy tale heroines, and see them escape on their own. This story shows that girls can come to their own rescue and save the day, too!

5. Title: 'Hope Is A Girl Selling Fruit'

Author & Illustrator: Amrita Das

Editor: Gita Wolf

Translator: Suseela Varadaraja

The book uses Madhubani art, practised in the Mithalia region of India and Nepal, to tell the story. This is the story of a young girl who travels from her village to Chennai. During her journey, she meets a disabled girl who hails from a poor family. This encounter also makes it an emotional journey for her, making her reflect on her thoughts and feelings. She is also able to view a woman's life as one of making her own choices, speaking for herself, being independent, and sustaining herself. In fact, when the girl displays great resilience in selling fruit despite her poverty and disability, she sees hope in that for women and declares, "I want to be brave, and different." This is reflected in the book's title.

These books can help your child develop a gender sensitive view of the world. Remember, it is also important for you to be gender sensitive and model the behavior for them to follow.

Last updated on: December 30, 2025