Snow Land

If only I'd been raised like a genderless Swede

It's a bit too late for me. (And from the look of things, it's far too late for you.) But over in Sweden -- that snow-capped land of tolerance, sexy blondes and ABBA -- a bunch of lucky children are growing up in a gender-free world of equality, opportunity and wacky pronouns.

I'm talking, of course, about the Egalia preschool in Stockholm, which made headlines earlier this week with a gender-neutral curriculum that rejected the words "him" and "her" and replaced them with the neutral term "hen."

But that's not all.

In an attempt to shield boys and girls (or "friends," as the teachers prefer to call them) from the confining stereotypes of rigid gender roles, the nursery school carefully selects and scrutinizes everything -- including books, toys and colours -- in an attempt to raise its young pupils in an environment where little Sven can learn to sew and bake, and tiny Greta can master the art of cussing, belching and fixing carburetors.

Sadly, my destiny was decided on that fateful day when, at the tender age of four, I picked up a stick, pretended it was a gun and shot Timmy Gruber right between the eyes (although frankly, little Timmy deserved it because he called me a "snot-ball.") If only my parents -- who I'm ashamed to admit often called me "big guy" and "Butch" and presented me with a plastic six-shooter on my sixth birthday -- had had the sense to raise me like a genderless Swede, my life might've gone in a completely different direction.

If only I'd grown up in a world where boys dressed in pink, girls were given G.I. Joe action figures and stereotypical fairly tales like Cinderella and Snow White were forbidden, I could've developed into a sous-chef with an eye for interior design and a passion for opera.

Instead, I became a cussing, belching, TV-watching couch potato whose cooking repertoire is limited to toast and cereal (and I only prepare cereal when somebody else has opened the milk).

Clearly, the folks at Egalia have figured it out. The nursery school stores its building blocks next to its kitchen toys to discourage differences between playthings geared to different genders.

"Society expects girls to be girlie, nice and pretty, and boys to be manly, rough and outgoing," said teacher Jenny Johnsson in an Associated Press story. "Egalia gives them a fantastic opportunity to be whoever they want to be."

Tragically, as a boy I wanted to be an astronaut, a race-car driver or a cowboy. Clearly, this was warped and wrong-headed. And I'd like to formally apologize.

Immi's Gift - Snowland

Alone in a frozen white land, Immi breaks a hole in the ice to fish for her supper.

Having already caught a few fish, she thought she try to get one more--in case anyone comes around (which they hardly did).

Much to her surprise, Immi finds a painted little wooden bird at the end of her fishing line. This delightful discovery leads Immi to find more colorful items at the end of her line--a red flower, a purple feather, a green leaf and an orange starfish.

Soon, Immi's igloo was the brightest thing in the land!

Immi's Gift , written and illustrated by British watercolorist Karin Littlewood, conveys an unusual tale of a solitary girl finding a host of colorful objects through her frozen fishing hole. Inspired by these unexpected items, Immi then drops her own beloved pendant--a white bear from her necklace--into the icy water.

What results is a cross-cultural exchange--albeit a bit fantastical one--that inspires wonderment in both children and adults alike.

This book would make a delightful gift for children; rather than a straightforward tale (like most children's books), Immi's Gift (Peachtree Publishers) invites speculation and conversation, which would make it a great book for parents or caregivers and children to share together.

For example, why is Immi alone? Where are her parents? How does she survive the arctic conditions? Where might she, and the little boy, live in the world?

Beautifully painted by veteran artist (but first-time author) Littlewood, the gentle story of Immi's Gift would make a wonderful addition to any child's library.

Snowland folk, the Eskimos, the bears, the dogs, the musk oxen, and other dwellers in the frozen North

Snow land

The children's album of pretty pictures with short stories, by uncle John

Dreams of snow land

Snowland