The book is super helpful. I love the way it's broken down into easy-to-read sections, which makes it much easier to digest and take action on. I thought I was pretty unbiased in how I'm raising my boys but this book has encouraged me to look deeper and limit my kids even less with gender bias!

I found the premise of "Childhood Unlimited" much needed, but executed in such way that is not truly accessible to all. It feels like the ideal reader is an educated parent (or both parents), already sensitive to social issues, including those of gender. I think this book will serve more as a confirmation that they're already doing something right, rather than a manual on how to parent beyond gender binaries.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sheldon Press for the advanced readers's copy of Virginia Mendez's book "Childhood Unlimited: Parenting Beyond the Gender Bias", which was published in August 2022.

The book presents research on the negative effects of gender stereotypes on children's development and offers advice for parents who would like to parent beyond the bias. In thematic chapters, for instance on toys, media, or clothes, Mendez presents findings from research, recalls her own struggles as feminist mother, and interviews experts and activists. Each chapter ends with a summary box of the most important points and a list of action items. In her chapters on "why it matters", Mendez thinks through how girls, boys, and trans kids grow up when parents do not challenge gender stereotypes.

As a parent and gender sociologist, I strive to raise my child with as much freedom from stereotypes as possible. Since I am already aware of the omnipresence of gender, I already know and implement most of the suggestions in the book. Still, I am sure that the book provides valuable advice to those at the beginning of their feminist parenting journey.

Much of this book still works within the language of the gender binary. This is partly due to fact that the studies themselves used binary gender categories. But some parenting advice also directly reinforces binary thinking. For instance, in explaining gender to her children, the author conflates genitals with gender identity. Ascribing gender like that is a barrier toward disrupting the binary.

Interviewing experts and activists was a great way to add new perspectives. The interviews demonstrate how feminist activism - in everyday life or more formally organized - can arise from observations in our lives with children. The added perspectives highlighted the entanglement of gender with racial stereotypes. I wish the book had been more intersectional throughout, as some advice is much more doable for cis, hetero, middle-class, and white parents.

Overall, I would give this book a 3/5 rating and recommend it as entry literature for parents and care givers.

As a non-binary person, this book has brought me so much joy. Not only is this informational and concisely written with many references, it is also evidently made with love and passion about the subject. This is a much needed book in our society, especially right now. I'm very glad and honored that I had the opportunity to read this.