When we watch the Sound of Music she sings Frederick’s part. When we watch The Magic School Bus she pretends she is Ralphie. She’s Miguel instead of Maya, Gil instead of Molly and Dash instead of Mags.
So when my 6-year-old daughter read the back of Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets, I wasn’t the least bit surprised that she was instantly intrigued.
“This boy wants to be a girl just like I like pretending I’m a boy,” my lizard king-loving female offspring exclaimed.
And so began my first grader’s newest adventure in chapter book reading and another chapter in my journey to dismiss gender stereotyping.
Thanks, HarperCollins.
Now, before you mistakenly place Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets in the same category as My Princess Boy and Diary of a Drag Queen, know that the children’s book couldn’t be any less controversial and any more fun, frivolous and fictitious.
So the main character dresses like a girl… you might consider doing so too if you were in Jeremy’s shoes.
The 11-year-old boy’s boy knows he’s in for the punishment of his life after damaging his father’s beloved boat. However, like most kid his age, Jeremy goes into overdrive trying to devise a way to avoid getting caught. The creative tyke figures he can escape being grounded for life if he can mend the boat before his own ship sails.
Unfortunately, neither Jeremy nor his BFF Slater have enough money to cover the boat’s repairs, so in a move that would make Tom Hanks proud, Jeremy and Slater make like “Bosom Buddies” and transform themselves into girly girls and join the Cupcake Cadets. By doing so they are able to enter a Cadet-only contest and try to capture the grand prize—-500 smackaroos-—more than enough money to pay for the boat’s repairs.
You don’t have to be a devoted “Bosom Buddies” fan to know that boys don’t typically succeed at being girls. Jeremy and Slater learn this fact the hard way, but gain some valuable lessons in the process… and their efforts are downright hilarious.
Author Eric Luper does an outstanding job of keeping the story moving at a decent clip, so young readers don’t get lost in the gender stereotyping overtures. My daughter was able to complete all 240 pages in less than a week, and she’s only in the first grade.
In addition to the whole cross dressing theme, Luper also addresses bullying, honesty, and respecting traditions and the opposite sex.
If you are looking for an easy, breezy summer read for your son or daughter, pick up Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets. It is available at HarperCollins.com and in book stores nationwide.
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