Never before has so much popular culture been produced about what it means to be a girl in today’s society. From the first appearance of Nancy Drew in 1930, to Seventeen magazine in 1944 to the emergence of Bratz dolls in 2001, girl culture has been increasingly linked to popular culture and an escalating of commodities directed towards girls of all ages. Editors Claudia A. Mitchell and Jacqueline Reid-Walsh investigate the increasingly complex relationships, struggles, obsessions, and idols of American tween and teen girls who are growing up faster today than ever before.
From pre-school to high school and beyond, Girl Culture tackles numerous hot-button issues, including the recent barrage of advertising geared toward very young girls emphasizing sexuality and extreme thinness. Nothing is off-limits: body image, peer pressure, cliques, gangs, and plastic surgery are among the over 250 in-depth entries highlighted. Comprehensive in its coverage of the twenty and twenty-first century trendsetters, fashion, literature, film, in-group rituals and hot-button issues that shape—and are shaped by—girl culture, this two-volume resource offers a wealth of information to help students, educators, and interested readers better understand the ongoing interplay between girls and mainstream culture.
Features
- Contains over 250 entries written by interdisciplinary scholars, practitioners, and young women themselves.
- Emphasizes multiculturalism.
- Serves as a unique reference for students of American history and culture.
- An extensive bibliography of print and electronic sources.
- Enhanced by numerous illustrations.
Reviews
"Girl Culture is a unique addition to the scholarly and popular literature about girls and adolescents. Focused on the contemporary US while acknowledging the global reach of cultural phenomena, this encyclopedia attempts to both raise the profile of girlhood and explicate it for a broad audience from teens upward....Attractively and durably produced, this is an impressive compendium on an underexamined, undervalued field. Recommended"—Choice, September 1, 2008
"Editors Claudia A. Mitchell and Jacqueline Reid-Walsh investigate the increasingly complex relationships, struggles, obsessions, and idols of American tween and teen girls who are growing up faster today than ever before. From pre-school to high school and beyond, Girl Culture tackles numerous hot-button issues, including the recent barrage of advertising geared toward very young girls emphasizing sexuality and extreme thinness. Nothing is off-limits: body image, peer pressure, cliques, gangs, and plastic surgery are among the over 250 in-depth entries highlighted. Comprehensive in its coverage of the twenty and twenty-first century trendsetters, fashion, literature, film, in-group rituals and hot-button issues that shape--and are shaped by--girl culture, this two-volime resource will help students, educators, and others better understand the ongoing interplay between girls and mainstream culture."—Family Therapy, January 1, 2008
"[S]ome reference books are still a necessary and valuable contribution to certain fields of study, especially emerging ones. This is the case with Girl Culture: An Encyclopedia....The references make this a worthy purchase for academic libraries. Most of the essays cite numerous sources. A separate bibliography section (good for collection development) is also included....[A] serious and scholarly presentation of a rapidly growing field that has been as devalued as girls and their culture have been."—Feminist Collections, April 1, 2008
"This encyclopedia takes an intense look at a subject that tends to be marginalized: girls. The title of an introductory essay aptly sums up the focus: What Does it Mean to Be a Girl in the 21st Century? Exploring Some Contemporary Dilemmas of Femininity and Girlhood in the West....Although pop-culture references abound, the tone of this set is straightforward and scholarly. Intended for serious researchers, it will be of interest to large public and undergraduate collections, especially those that support women's studies, child and adolescent psychology, or social-work programs. This unique compilation provides a thoughtful and thought-provoking look at an area overdue for attention."—Booklist, September 15, 2008
"The editors strike gold in this fascinating exploration of the many facets of girl culture. Spanning the early 1920s through the second half of the first decade of the twenty-first century, these two volumes focus on contemporary girl culture and cover a wide variety of material and media forms ranging from fashion, film, and the Internet to dolls, toys and games, and social issues....Geared toward high school and college students, this comprehensive, well-organized set presents an intriguing exploration of a topic that has long been relegated to second-class status."—VOYA, October 1, 2008
"[T]his encyclopedia includes contributions from 144 authors with expertise in the field and offers a comprehensive examination of girl culture....[T]he editors of this encylopedia manage to interweave the trappings of girls' pop culture with the most enduring issues about youth and gender. This outstanding encyclopedia can be used as a resource in English, sociology, health and history classes and as a valuable information source for independent research. Highly recommended for high school, public and academic libraries."—Doug's Student Reference Room, August 1, 2008
"From pre-school to high school and beyond, Girl Culture tackles numerous hot-button issues, including the recent barrage of advertising geared toward very young girls emphasizing sexuality and extreme thinness. Nothing is off-limits: body image, peer pressure, cliques, gangs, and plastic surgery are among the over 250 in-depth entries highlighted. Comprehensive in its coverage of the twenty and twenty-first century trendsetters, fashion, literature, film, in-group rituals and hot-button issues that shape--and are shaped by--girl culture, this two-volume resource will help students, educators, and others better understand the ongoing interplay between girls and mainstream culture."—Adolescence, July 1, 2008
"Some 254 A-Z entries explore difference aspects of girlhood, both past and present. From Anne of Green Gables to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the representations of girls in books, film and television provide excellent documentation of changing attitudes and expectations. Likewise, comic books, magazines and music reflect popular culture ideas. All serve as points of departure for research and figure prominently in the coverage of topics. Stereotypes and celebrity role models are also examined. Issues of play, identity, and body image are investigated. Cultural expectations and rites of passage are explained. However, the articles are not so much an attempt to provide answers, but a guide to formulating questions regarding a siginificant formative period in life. This eye-opening approach will serve researchers in high school, public and academic libraries."—Lawrence Looks at Books, June 1, 2008
"This well-researched and extensive guide is an informative and accessible addition to any school library. As a reference tool, the critical essays are supported by entries covering a wide range of media, as well as further reading suggestions and cross-referenced topics."—Reference Reviews, August 1, 2008
"An in-depth look at popular-culture phenomena relevant to girls. Fourteen topical essays discuss subjects from doll culture to girl gamers and include cross-references and further-reading lists. These are followed by shorter, alphabetical arranged entries."—School Library Journal, June 1, 2008
"It is very current; how many other subject dictionaries published in 2008 have entries on Web 2.0 or social networking. Other specialized examples include: strawberry shortcake (a line of dolls), suicide girls, the Supremes, surfer girl, and sweet sixteen. . . .This work is recommended where the budget permits."—ARBA, March 1, 2009
