Lyn Mikel Brown

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 show more awful things are happening to girls oh no oh no!", it describes ways parents can actively engage their daughters, even really little ones, in conversations about this stuff and teach them to be critical consumers. It made me excited to have smart, self-confident, savvy girls one day. show less

From the preface: "we've been told our world empowers girls by offering them anyting they want, including infinite sights and endless ports of call. In reality, it's a world designed by media and marketing executives that targets children as consumers, channels girls' desires, and entices them into predictable types: 'pretty pink dolls,' 'cute little shoppers,' and 'hott teens'."

Packaging Girlhood covers the influences on girls from roughly ages 3 through 17. The chapters cover shopping (the show more products available and how they are marketed), TV and film, music, books and extra-curricular activities. The final chapter gives sample conversations for parents when discussing culture with their daughters.

Although I was familiar with a lot of the authors' concerns, and they did repeat themselves quite a bit, I found this to be an extremely interesting and inspiring read. I think what made this book different from others that I've read on this topic is that there was always a psychological POV involved (including what it is about these products that appeals to the girls, but also the psychology of the marketers and of parents). I especially enjoyed the chapter on books, and the literary critique from a psychological approach.

I borrowed this book from the library, but I am ordering my own copy to keep as a reference.

Recommended for: obviously the parents of girls, but also anyone who works with girls, and anyone interested in cultural studies or consumerism. The authors have also written Packaging Boyhood: Saving Our Sons from Superheroes, Slackers, and Other Media Stereotypes. show less

I loved reading Powered by Girl! It's a great book for educators and mentors who work with teen girls. Brown challenges readers to think critically about societies reactions to social movements that claim to empower girls. She takes on both gender and generational myths that threaten to impede girls from their place in activism as a coming-of-age right. Having worked with teenage girls in formal classrooms, summer camps, and in different countries, I wish I had read this book long ago. This show more book gets to the heart of what it means to empower girls and question our actions and assumptions. Powered by Girl does not always make intergenerational work sound easy, but it successfully expresses the importance with guidance and real-life examples for anyone dedicated to working authentically with girls. show less

Lamb and Brown, both psychologists, came to harsh conclusions after they surveyed girls; sat through hours of Rugrats and Kim Possible television programming; scoured stores such as Hot Topic and Claire's; watched Hilary Duff movies; listened to Eminem and Beyoncé; visited MySpace.com; and read Caldecott books. The idea of "girl power was snapped up by the media," and "what it sells is an image of being empowered," argue the authors. Girls are offered two choices by the marketers: they are show more "either for the boys or one of the boys." Even rebellion is being packaged, "the resistance, that edginess and irreverence that once gave girls a pathway out of the magic kingdom." The book is incredibly readable and rises above others in the genre by giving parents concrete tools to help battle stereotypes. Lamb and Brown include lists of books and movies with positive role models and talking points to help your daughter recognize how she is being manipulated. The authors aren't trying to deny anyone princesses or pink; they just want girls to be knowledgeable enough to choose what will truly interest them. show less