When Boys Become Boys

July 1, 2014

Chu (human biology, Stanford Univ.) obtained her PhD from Harvard University under the supervision of feminist and psychologist Carol Gilligan, who provided the foreword for this book. Inspired by Gilligan's work on girls' development in adolescence and their resistance to gender stereotypes, Chu turned her attention to preschool boys. She studied a class of four-year-old boys for two years, wondering: Do young boys have the relational capabilities (e.g., to be attentive, articulate, authentic, and direct in expressing their emotions) essential to develop meaningful relationships? Can they resist conventions of masculinity--individualism, self-sufficiency, emotional stoicism, and toughness--that too often jeopardize relationships? The author's answer to both questions is yes, and she explains it in a most beautiful way, by describing sensibly her interactions with the boys in her study. Four of the boys are each the center of a case study in which Chu demonstrates further how the child succeeds or fails to develop relationships and how it affects his general psychological health. VERDICT Although Chu is short on recommendations for parents, her book offers an insightful portrait of group interactions and hierarchy in boys. She convincingly makes the case that, being human, boys share with girls the capacity to relate. For all readers interested in child development.--Maryse Breton, Bibliotheque et Archives nationales du Quebec

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