Most stories are about boys and for boys, or about men and for men. Think of the classics, like Oliver Twist or The Count of Monte Cristo, then think of more recent popular stories like Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Tangerine. The books I remember reading in high school were all about boys--A Separate Peace, Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, and on and on and on.
I have two sons and two daughters, and my wife and I would like all our kids to be able to relate directly to the books they read and the movies they see. Of course, girls can enjoy books about boys, but it doesn't seem fair that 98% of the stories are about boys. If you have any doubts that we live in a heavily male-centered society, go to the bookstore and try to find great stories about girls.
With that in mind, here is a shakedown of some recent and not-so-recent stories with female characters:
Harry Potter
__Wired: __Hermione Granger is brilliant, hardworking, a fierce friend, and a good person.
Tired: Ultimately, the Harry Potter series is about Harry. Hermione can kick more butt than Harry, and definitely more than Ron, but she never really gets to shine because she's trapped in a boy's story. The major characters are Harry, Dumbledore, and Snape.
Mysterious Benedict Society
__Wired: __Kate Weatherall is resourceful, brave, immensely talented, with an outstanding attitude. Bravo.
Tired: Like Hermione, Kate is stuck inside a boy's story. Ultimately, these books are about Reynie, Mr. Benedict, and Mr. Curtain.
Twilight Saga
Tired: Bella Swan? Puh-leeze. She doesn't do anything, and I cannot understand why she has both a hunky vampire and a hunky werewolf pursuing her, except for her delectable body odor. She's passive, wishy-washy, and downright drippy, not a role model I want for my girls.
