The Problem With Boy Books and Girl Books

“I’m looking for boy books.” When I worked as a librarian, I heard this statement often. A parent came into the children’s room, with or without their child in tow, and eagerly asked me for a “boy book.” They said it like I’d automatically know what they were talking about, like of course books about burping robots and trucks and alien invasions from outer space were for male readers alone.  

I got asked for girl books a lot, too, for picture books about princesses, chapter books about furry puppies and kittens and middle grade books about fantasy lands full of unicorns and high-stakes popularity contests. I was supposed to guide these readers to the right book, the one with the pink or navy blue cover, then send them on their way.

Remember that your readers are never split into different groups. Everyone likes different things.

Are Boy Books and Girl Books Real?

Instead, I tried to probe further. I asked the kids what kinds of things they were truly interested in reading about. I asked them if they liked adventure or drama or fantasy. I made displays featuring both boys and girls. I tried to guide kids to books with characters of all genders. I realized that boys and girls like a variety of subject matters, and that there are no such things as “boy books” or “girl books”.

Sometimes it was hard, though, just like it can be hard for writers, who often get stuck in this same trap. I’ve read accounts from numerous authors, including one famous post by Shannon Hale, who have been asked to speak to only one gender during school visits. I’ve seen kids turn down their noses at certain books because something about the covers don’t appeal to them and their ideas of what’s appropriate for their gender.

What Can Writers Do?

What’s a writer to do then? When you feel like you should write a “girl book” because it’s all you’ve written before? When girls are your audience, do you dare branch out and try to reach boy readers? What if that affects your sales? Your school visits? Your future?

One thing I’ve realized over the past few years is that there are about a million things that affect how your book is received—from your publishers and their marketing plans to the trends at the moment (which you can’t predict ahead of time, no matter how hard you try), to some random celebrity tweeting about your book to a snowstorm the day of a school visit.

Books are fickle, and so are the audiences that you aim to reach. However, the most important thing you can do as a writer is to write the book that you want to and need to write. Write the book of your heart, the idea
that’s calling to you, the sparkly character that’s making your fingers type away.  

Then go out and talk about the books you love. Talk about books about monsters in racecars who also play baseball—to boys and girls. Talk about books about ballet dancers who wear tiaras while grooming hamsters—to boys and girls.

And remember that your readers are never split into different groups. That everyone likes different things.

Then write that book about gymnasts who play in the dirt.

I promise you, it will find its readers, too.


Get exclusive on-demand content from Mary Kole and the Good Story Company team about writing, revision, submission, marketing, and more, for writers of all skill levels, at Good Story Learning.