Rosen—writer, poet, cook, dog-lover, illustrator, and speaker—found time to do his homework on a subject fascinating to teens. Consulting neurological, sociological, and psychological research, the author comes up with answers that try to separate fact from fiction about the sexes. He stresses that nature and nurture both affect behavior, and that scientists are always uncovering surprising new data. Asking twenty-eight provocative questions, presented on a variety of colorful photographic backgrounds, Rosen brings teens the latest on stereotypes such as girls talking more than boys, boys being smarter than girls, and guys outnumbering girls on sexual thoughts per day. Are they true? Actually, no, no, and yes! Many variables influence behavior and Rosen is good at describing the details; for example, on the question of who’s more vain, research shows that girls spend more time in front of mirrors, while boys spend more minutes per day doctoring photos of themselves. With increasing use of personal-care products, men are busy narrowing the gap on fussing in front of mirrors. More seriously, Rosen asks whether it’s true that boys are clueless when it comes to reading facial expressions, a key factor in developing emotional intelligence. Amazingly, scientists say yes, attributing this deficiency to time infants suck on pacifiers rather than mimicking faces; boys mature more slowly, thus giving girls more practice in interpreting feelings. Some questions seem just for fun, like ones that ask who is more often bitten by mosquitos or which sex excels at changing diapers. Rosen concludes that gender differences are not inflexible attributes, but exist on graded scales in both men and women, who are, however…different. Both girls and guys can consult Rosen’s bibliography, a list of books and websites, and diagrams of the human brain. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft; Ages 13 up.
09/01/2014
Gr 6–10—This title provides interesting fodder in the ongoing "battle of the sexes" while citing results from recent experimental research measuring phenomenon such as the amount of sweat each gender produces, the effect each gender's voice has on plants, and which sex will most likely be the first to recover from a romantic breakup. Deft writing laden with amusing plays on words ("Hold your horsepower! Not so fast, folks") helps relay cutting edge information about the brain's function and differences between the sexes. However, it is the very premise of the book that will endear it to some while alienating others seeking a less stereotypical view. While some of the research offered appears to be substantiated, other fun facts, such as the statement that guys are vainer than their counterparts or that girls smile more, seem less definite. Colorful photos captioned with key information give it the feel of a university prospectus, while a graphic diagram of the brain near the back of the book will enable readers to visualize the parts of the brain referenced in earlier pages. This choice may pave the way to further discussion and serve to inspire students to conduct their own social experiments.—Kathryn Diman, Bass Harbor Memorial Library, Bernard, ME
2014-09-03
Bite-sized pieces of scientific research seek to illuminate the gender gap. Taking a mostly humorous approach, Rosen examines the stereotypes that paint men as the ones who never ask for directions and women as the ones who talk all the time. Some of these stereotypes turn out to be rooted in biology and can be demonstrated scientifically, such as how room temperature affects how men and women learn. Others are more a product of society and culture, such as women smiling more than men due to sex roles in the media. Each stereotype is covered in a short, two-page spread, featuring full-color photos and well-written text that doesn't try too hard to be cool. In a few instances, Rosen doesn't make enough of a connection between nature and nurture, though—like not pointing out the societal impact of boys' demonstrated tendency to equate girls with power tools when looking them at the beach. Without going deeper into these stereotypes, this title remains on the surface. Readers will learn some basic facts about sex differences, but it'll take some extra leaps on their parts to connect all the dots to understand just what it all means. (source notes, selected bibliography, further resources, index) (Nonfiction. 12-14)
