Countercultural Children's Books
Traditional views have been turned upside down. Sexual promiscuity and confusion are now the norms in society. How can a parent protect their children from this indoctrination? Try these books.
At one time, hippies were viewed as countercultural with their "Make Love Not War" slogans and push against traditional values.
Throughout history, people have recognized that marriage was defined as one man and one woman for a lifetime. They recognized that men and women have different characteristics. They recognized that a boy cannot be a girl or a girl cannot be a boy.
In recent years, however, traditional cultural views have been turned upside down. Sexual promiscuity and confusion are now the norms in society. Upholding traditional Judeo-Christian values is now considered countercultural or even backward. Supporting them puts you at risk of getting canceled from the marketplace of ideas.
Yet, the Bible remains the source of truth regardless of what the culture says.
In her recent book, Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular World, Christian apologist Natasha Crain enforced this countercultural position of the biblical worldview by titling her first chapter: “Welcome to Your Place in a Worldview Minority!”
For decades, the biblical worldview has been pushed further and further away from the center of culture. I saw this progress even as a teen in the 1980s living in the shadow of Seattle. But now, all corners of the United States have felt the touch of the cancer of neo-Marxist progressivism.
The 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized “same-sex” marriage, has accelerated the shift in cultural values. I used quotation marks because you cannot redefine what God has already defined. Marriage was his invention in Genesis 2.
Not only has the acceptance of homosexuality grown, but it has been surpassed by the massive sexual confusion pushed by the transgender cult and all its various alphabet expressions. This movement has missionaries in every cultural institution, particularly in schools. Kindergartners have been introduced to the Genderbread Person. Older kids are encouraged to explore their sexual identities and choose pronouns.
Train Children in the Truth
How can parents protect their children against this cultural indoctrination?
You can pull your kids out of public school (which I highly recommend). But even if you home-educate, your children will eventually see and hear this sexual confusion in the culture.
You need to train them in the truth as early as possible.
Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
You must intentionally and regularly teach them the truth from God’s word.
These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Here are three books you can use to teach your kids or grandkids what God says about gender.
I Don’t Have to Choose
Title: I Don’t Have to Choose
Author: Ellie Klipp; illustrated by Mike Motz
Publisher: A Mrs. Paperclip Book (2017)
In singsong rhyme, this simple picture book tells the story of two children named Alex. One is a boy named Alexander, and the other is a girl named Alexis.
The story shows them enjoying various activities such as playing in the mud, swinging from trees, and playing dress up. They both do typical boy things such as playing with trucks and picking up dead bugs. They both do girlish activities such as bandaging a dog’s sore foot, baking pies, and sewing curtains. The boy plays Dad with a doll, and the girl plays Mom with a doll. They both read storybooks to their baby dolls and rock them to sleep.
The book ends by explaining that God made Alexander a boy by placing an X and Y chromosome pair in each of his 30 million cells, and God made Alexis a girl by placing two X chromosomes in each of her cells. They both celebrate that God made them.
God Made Boys and Girls
Title: God Made Boys and Girls: Helping Children Understand the Gift of Gender
Author: Marty Machowski
Publisher: New Growth Press (2019)
This picture book for ages 4–7 takes place in a Christian school when a boy, Lucas, tells a girl, Maya, who likes to play sports with the boys, that if she continues to play with the boys, she will turn into one.
Their teacher, Mr. Ramirez, says that isn’t true. Then he gives them a lesson on how gender is God’s good gift to each of us. He cited Genesis 1:27.
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Mr. Ramirez explains that everyone has a gender code in every part of their bodies. Girls have an XX code, and boys have an XY code. He adds that the X or Y code comes from the dad, but God picks which code the baby gets.
Next, he tells the story of Adam and Eve and how they were to take care of God’s world. Then Mr. Ramirez points out that boys and girls have different talents. This includes some girls who have skills boys typically have and vis versa.
The author does a poor job of shifting topics here.
Then Mr. Ramirez explains the Fall when Adam and Eve sinned.
Ever since that day, everyone disobeys God. People get mixed up because they don't know or believe God's plan and his truth.
We want to go our own way and not God's way.
But God still loved us and sent Jesus to die for our sins. If we turn away from our sin, we can live God’s way and love others.
The author closes the book by saying we need to love all people, even those confused about their gender.
Regarding this last part, the author fails to state what it means to love someone who disagrees with what God declared a sin. You, as a parent, will need to explain to your child that you can love someone without affirming their sexual confusion.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that love “does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6). Christ's followers cannot celebrate a person's gender confusion. God created humans with only two genders: male and female. All other genders are a lie.
At the beginning of the book, the author includes a letter to the parent or caregiver about how to use the book. In the back, the author includes a "Truth About Gender to Share with Children" section that provides parents and caregivers with more information on gender issues they can discuss with their children.
Although this book isn’t perfect, it can be used to open a discussion on this hot cultural topic with young children.
She Is She
Title: She Is She: a Book about Your Identity
Author: Bethany and Ryan Bomberger
Publisher: Bara Publishing (2022)
Published in January 2022, the She is She picture book celebrates girlhood for ages 2–12 and reinforces that a girl is nothing but a girl. I heard Eric Metaxas interview the author couple Bethany and Ryan Bomberger. They are working on the companion book, He Is He, to be released in summer 2023.
Train your children in God’s truth: man was created male and female.
In the Comments, share how you help your children navigate our godless culture.