William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow

Just by looking at the front cover, you can tell that this book is going to be controversial. The title of the book is William's Doll, but there is a picture of the little boy throwing a basketball. This shows right off the bat, that boys are supposed to play with balls, not dolls. The picture is this book, tell a thousand words. William is looking really silly because he is doing activities with an imaginary doll in his hands. The boys in the background are laughing and pointing at him throughout the book. All of the activities that his father has him do are typical of what most fathers would like their sons to be doing. These activities show that even though he wanted a doll, that did not mean that he couldn't be perfectly fine partaking in other masculine activities. I can see why this would be so controversial in our current society. Many people are just like this little boy's father and would not agree with the grandma for giving him a doll to play with. The fact that she justifies the doll by saying that it will teach him to become a good father is also controversial. I completely agree with the grandma. However, many might believe that this desire means that the little boy is going to grow up to be a homosexual. I think that this is an important book to read because it teaches people that males and females should not be expected to do only masculine or only feminine things. Another thing I noticed was that the little boy refers to the doll in that he wants to undress it, put it to bed, pull down the shades and kiss it goodnight. The brother also calls him a "creep" for wanting a doll. I could see why some may believe this to be characteristic of a child molester. I think the main point of the book is great, but I think that it could be given in a little bit more of a settle way.