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171st out of 432 books
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458 voters
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Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters from Marketers' Schemes
Winner of the Books for a Better Life Award Every parent who cares about empowering her daughter should own a copy."
- Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls "...a must-read for parents and teachers who want to steer girls away from marketing schemes that distort female power and authority and toward true self-acce...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
May 15th 2007
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published 2006)
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While I agree to some extent with the authors’ diagnosis (marketers are sending wrong and/or limited messages to girls; there’s too much rubbish in popular culture; available clothes are too skanky; media puts girls into limited and stereotypical categories), I can’t say I got much out of their prescription. A condensed version of my concerns appears in my article Are Pink Things and Princesses Oppressing Our Girls? And Are Marketers Maliciously Molding Their Minds?, but I go into more (and mor...more
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I have started reading this and I am not really sure why, but it is frustrating me. I think there is a feeling of being powerless over the media and businesses. And that if my daughter wears pink she is going to be weaker because of it. I am not sure if I am reacting defensively or what. Because naturally, I am not a big fan of Marketers and their schemes...The tone of the book really grates on me though.
Couldn't finish this...it is our bathroom. Steve and I will read snippets o...more
Couldn't finish this...it is our bathroom. Steve and I will read snippets o...more
I am wildly critical and keenly aware of the tactics employed by marketers, especially as it relates to women and girls. Though I sometimes found the book to be a little "all-or-nothing" at times, I appreciate the overall message as a whole.
I have felt the same frustrations, and made the same observations for years: the messages in the packaging of what it means to be a girl too often centers around boys and fashion, "mean girl" drama is normalized, "girl"...more
I have felt the same frustrations, and made the same observations for years: the messages in the packaging of what it means to be a girl too often centers around boys and fashion, "mean girl" drama is normalized, "girl"...more
Christina Mortellaro
added it
I think that it provides some critical insight on how marketers have influenced my generation since this book was written when my age group was in that targeted "tween" era. I remember most of the bits and pieces of this pop culture and how my mom never really let me partake in them. Looking back now, I see that it was for the best.
There are aspects of this that I did not agree with or I thought were too extreme. A girl's favorite color can be pink and she can love ballet without sacr...more
There are aspects of this that I did not agree with or I thought were too extreme. A girl's favorite color can be pink and she can love ballet without sacr...more
This book is written by two counselors who work with teenage girls and their psychological problems. They do a lot with marketing and the images it forces girls into. I liked the simple, direct characterizations and the psychological approach to marketing and how my daughter is already being socially indoctrinated, but got scared stupid when they started talking about all the scary things that could start happening in a few years. I did NOT like the no-win situation that feminists often put w...more
When I read Pink Think (will be reviewed here also) I kept thinking I'd like to see something written along those lines for our own time, to show how much "pink think" has not gone away. This is that book. I spent much of my time rolling my eyes and groaning while reading it.
My own daughter is only 19 months old, but I know quite well that "pink think" will remain alive and well as she grows up. It was interesting to read this -- written in 2004 or thereabouts -- and think ab...more
My own daughter is only 19 months old, but I know quite well that "pink think" will remain alive and well as she grows up. It was interesting to read this -- written in 2004 or thereabouts -- and think ab...more
Nothing too surprising here, and after reading the first chapter anyone can pretty much tell what the others will say. What is really useful though was the lists of movies and books that have strong female figures. These can be hard to come by, and their list is really quite good (although sadly not sorted by age range). Disappointing was that there was no list of music, just a three artists mentioned at the end - what message is that sending girl musicians? That they're alone on that frontier?
...more
Overall, this is a wonderful book for all the reasons that everyone else has said. It exposes the corporate sleaze that aims to keep women and girls doe-eyed and superficial so we will continue to buy shit. My critique is that is is very focused on white women, on the images marketed to them. While she does mention a few issues such as multi-ethic Bratz and "That's So Raven", overall, the book could have used a stronger look at how the marketing in this country not only harms white ...more
Unless you're a parent who is really out of touch with popular culture, nothing in this book is going to come as much of a surprise.
I put the book down after the first 100 pages because I became really bored with it.
I put the book down after the first 100 pages because I became really bored with it.
The stars for this book don’t really have to do with the fact that I liked the book. I really disliked reading it, but found the information within compelling enough to recommend reading it.
The authors of this book do a masterful job of showing the twisted path of marketing that molds, manipulates and addicts girls to a limited set of stereotypical images. They look at clothes and fashion, movies and TV programs, books and magazines, sports and hobbies. And in all of these areas,...more
The authors of this book do a masterful job of showing the twisted path of marketing that molds, manipulates and addicts girls to a limited set of stereotypical images. They look at clothes and fashion, movies and TV programs, books and magazines, sports and hobbies. And in all of these areas,...more
I think one of the more challenging aspects of the book is it assumes parents are already up to their necks in ignorance. I had a really hard time with most of the tone because of, what I perceived as, the assumption my daughters had succumbed or were, without fail, going to succumb to marketing schemes and stereotypes. One of the more valuable points in the book are the conversation starters and the short list of references to look into in regards to books/movies/etc. I would not just assume ...more
I liked and didn't like this book. I appreciate what the authors are saying, primarily that marketers/businesses don't care about girls/women and really just want to make sure they develop them as consumers. This often leads to encouraging stereotypes and limiting women. I think there is a lot of truth to what the authors are saying, though I don't necessarily think that advertising, book covers, etc. are deliberately planned to reinforce stereotypes and degrade women and girls. There is also so...more
The authors, both female, annoyed me on the very first page when they announced "we write this book not as academics, but as mothers and counselors..." Blargh. No self-respecting male academic would make such a disclaimer. Much of the book's main argument could have been made in a single chapter, but I actually found the repetitiveness of their conclusions about each aspect of girl culture - clothes, books, movies, sports, etc to be illuminating. I also appreciated their concrete s...more
As a media literacy advocate, I love the practicality of this book. Though it retains a whiff of academia, it's still accessible enough for the average reader. Though there will, of course, be specific examples given where readers may or may not agree with the authors' assessment, the real value of a book like this is in its thought-provoking nature. Whether you buy into a specific example, you will hopefully walk away with your critical thinking skills a little more finely tuned, and your power...more
I am a completely different parent to my daughter because of this book. I had always thought of myself as a feminist, and thought I was raising my child as such, but this book opened my eyes to aspects of my daughter's upbringing, personality, likes and dislikes, that I would have otherwise taken at face value.
I feel much more equipped to give my daughter the tools to be a whole person, and steer her away from constant brainwashing, than I was before. This is a must read for parents ...more
I feel much more equipped to give my daughter the tools to be a whole person, and steer her away from constant brainwashing, than I was before. This is a must read for parents ...more
I live near a street that has a store boasting the name "The Princess Store". It's filled with pink tutus, pink purses, pink glitter wands and the occassional purple dress. The target age, according to the size of all the big-skirted dresses and bejeweled leotards prominently displayed, is three to four-year-old. But really I would say the target age is 28 to 32 year-old mothers with SUV strollers.
I'm guilty of forgetting the world's relationship with gender schemas. I forget tha...more
I'm guilty of forgetting the world's relationship with gender schemas. I forget tha...more
Caitlin
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
parents, business students, media professionals
While the book made some good points, and was an interesting read that brought questions to my mind; its research and examples were not the best.
When one is using pop culture as reference, people will know the subjects of your research. It truly hurts one's points when it is clear that some of the examples you are citing are flat-out incorrect. People watch horror movies, they read popular books, and there are times in this book that even when they are accurately using a reference, i...more
When one is using pop culture as reference, people will know the subjects of your research. It truly hurts one's points when it is clear that some of the examples you are citing are flat-out incorrect. People watch horror movies, they read popular books, and there are times in this book that even when they are accurately using a reference, i...more
Kristen
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
sheltered parents
Recommended to Kristen by:
Chinaberry catalog
Shelves:
non-fiction
Had to stop reading this book. It had some interesting points and gave me things to think about with regards to marketing for girls, but I think it could have accomplished it's purpose in 100 pages instead of 300. This book seems to assume that most parents have their heads in the sand regarding marketing and childrearing. Personally, I'm very aware that marketers don't care about my kids - only the money they are willing to spend. This book has definitely made me more aware and discerning, but ...more
This book was alright....I skimmed through a lot of it because a lot was simply detailing plot lines in TV shows, lyrics in songs, and the like. It made some valid points and has some good lists of suggestions for more girl-friendly options in TV, movies, music, etc. I anticipated this book being about how marketers target girls, and it was moreso about how girls are steriotyped, which is very important too, but on the whole, I was not impressed.
A call to action for anyone who has a child in their lives. This book is already a little dated in the shows/music/movies it highlights but the message remains the same. Parents need to be proactive with their kids and encourage them to question and react to things instead of passively taking it all in. I liked how the authors encouraged parents to be engaged in the culture - not just to dismiss it outright - but to use it as a springboard to conversations with their kids.
This book was informative, frightening and interesting. Not every mom will agree with everything, and sometimes the authors go a little overboard maybe but all in all, I thought the authors were very astute and practical about how to protect and talk to girls about the subjects covered. There are sample conversations, suggested media and activities to support their views and a list of great Internet resources.
This book opened my eyes and has helped me make good choices for my daughter. I feel fortunate to have read this while she is still young so I can start the conversations suggested now and be ahead of the curve. The writing is a bit over the top at times but very informative none the less.
Quinn
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
*anyone* who cares about girls' well-being
This book should be required reading for anyone who has a daughter, plans to someday have a daughter, or is at all concerned with the well-being of girls. It gives a detailed and insightful breakdown of all the things that can mess with girls' heads, both the obvious (Barbie, teen magazines) and the things you might not pay attention to (boxes for board games, the lack of girl central characters in picture books). What I really love about the book, though, is it doesn't just say "All these ...more
Fantastic read for everyone. Its not just parents of girls who can benefit from reading this book. Everyone would benefit from learning how children's self-images are collateral damage in the push to turn a buck.
Lamb was very thorough in the dissecting of the media. I found the first chapter or so the most interesting. The most prominent message I gained was learning how to identify stereotypes and marketer's schemes. It's so easy to become accustomed to the "norm" and passover great teaching moments. The author does not encourage or advocate a media-free home but rather the importance of knowing what your daughters (and sons) are viewing and the messages they receive in turn.
I'm giving this 5 stars because it's important, not because it's particularly well-written (using that standard, it would be more of a 3+). If you are the parent of a girl or an educator (or a woman!) or know any of the above, the issues that this book tackles are vital and worth exploring. As I was reading it, my 9-year-old daughter asked me questions about some of its themes. Having discussions around this book has made us both more savvy viewers of the images around us. She's often commen...more
It was definitely really interesting, and really informative. But it definitely does not present a non-biased view, the authors definitely have a very strong slant that is very obvious. It gets to the point that it is kind of redundant. I feel like they could have accomplished the book better in about half the pages. I read the first part, then kind of skimmed the rest because it basically says the same things in different situations. But it was interesting nontheless.
Some very good things in here, despite a little feminist pedantry (and I'm feminist), the most valuable being a spelling out of what's actually out there and being marketed to girls of various ages. I've been keeping things simple and thrift-shoppy for awhile, so I'm a little out of touch with the mall and dept. stores, though last Christmas's returns were rather eye-opening. I really like the lists of recommended books and movies for girls, though I'd like more, with reviews, as well as a break...more
All in all I enjoyed it. My daughter picked it up and read parts as well, and fully agreed that her peers buy into too much hype. I'm not sure it changed our personal perspective much, but it did make me think a little more about what books the kids read, what images they receive and how society presents women/girls.
A lot of common sense and obviousness to anyone who is commonly adversarial towards Disney, and mall based pop culture and is paying attention to the goings-on of girls, but I'm still reading as it's a pretty easy diversion.
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