Book Review: God Made Boys and Girls: Helping Children Understand the Gift of Gender

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God Made Boys and Girls: Helping Children Understand the Gift of Gender

by Marty Machowski

2019/32 pages

 

Parents of young children are often faced with many questions from their little ones as they seek to understand the world around them.  Some questions are simple to answer, some a bit more difficult.  Sometimes reading and discussing picture books aimed at young children can be a helpful tool when interacting with a child on more complex topics.

 

Marty Machowski’s God Made Boys and Girls: Helping Children Understand the Gift of Gender is one such book.  Written to address the contemporary issue of gender confusion, the book takes a look at what God’s Word tells us about gender.  Targeted at children aged approximately four years and older, the book has a very intentional purpose – helping children understand that their gender is a gift from God.  The book is visually appealing to children, with illustrations that are bright, bold and colourful.

 

The story is set at a primary school and begins with some boys and girls playing during recess.  One of the girls prefers to play football and climb trees rather than jump rope, and one of the boys teases her saying, “If you keep playing with the boys, you will turn into a boy!”  The teacher uses the opportunity to give the students a biblical lesson on gender.  Back in the classroom, he explains to his students that, “… gender is the word we use to describe God's good gift of creating each of us either male or female."

 

Using simplified terminology, the teacher explains how chromosomes determine whether we are a boy or a girl.  He refers to a XX gender code and XY gender code stored deep in every cell of our body and makes it clear that God is the one who chooses our code.  The gospel is woven into the story as the teacher speaks about the creation of the very first male and female, Adam and Eve, and how they fell into sin because they wanted to do things their own way instead of God’s way.  He explains how God in His love sent His only Son to save us from our sins and also sends the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts.

 

The teacher also speaks to the students about the fact that boys and girls may have different interests and gifts that are not traditionally associated with what boys do or girls do, but that doesn’t change their gender.  The students are encouraged not to make fun of others and are told how important it is to love people so they can learn about God’s love.     

 

I like how the author emphasises that our gender is a good gift from God.  He makes it clear that “it is not what we do or think that makes us a boy or a girl.  God gave us our gender as a special gift, and God never makes mistakes.  His ways are perfect.”  I also appreciate that throughout the story Machowski addresses the need to show kindness and love to those around us, also to those “people who might be confused about their gender and about how God made them”.

 

Included in the back of the book is a section intended for parents that offer biblically-based guidance for having further discussions about gender.  Genetic disorders are addressed in this section.  

 

While it is sad that a book on this topic is needed for children, we can be grateful that Marty Machowski has provided this valuable resource to counteract the confusion surrounding gender and identity in the world around us.  I recommend God Made Boys and Girls as a useful resource for any parent, teacher, or caregiver who is seeking to explain God’s gift of gender to young children, either proactively or in answer to questions raised.  The book provides a scientific and biblical perspective of gender in clear and simple language that will be helpful when having those important conversations.

 

Monica van der Laan, Mt Nasura