How to Break Gender Norms like in Julian is a Mermaid

A big trend right now is to break gender norms in children’s books. Either by showing that boys and girls can do the same things or that they like things that seem contradictive to gender stereotypes. And no one does it better than Jessica Love in Julian is a Mermaid.

If you’re interested in writing a children’s book that defies gender stereotypes, then watch the video below!

This post contains affiliate links. Clicking on one may result in a commission for me at no cost to you!

Boys and Girls can like the same things.

Kids don’t try to fit into boxes. They know what they like and do what they want. It’s the adults that try to categorize and pick things based off gender norms.

And that’s what books, like Julian is a Mermaid, are trying to work against.

Think about how your story can relay that without creating new boxes.

I have read other books that break gender norms, however, they sometimes end up creating their own boxes. Like in Jack, Not Jackie, the author makes it seem that because the girl is different than her sister, she is a boy.

Jessica Love is different.

Instead of telling us how to think or feel about Julian, she simply relays a story about a boy that wants to be a mermaid. There are no boxes or gender orientation. It simply is a story about that.

This should be your goal when telling a story, too.

Pick up your own copy of Julian is a Mermaid today and read it for yourself. You will learn more about how to break gender norms without sticking to traditional stereotypes. And experience a beautiful picture book!

And for more book reviews, check out these other articles: