The first reference work to focus on the history of American boyhood from the early 17th century to the present, with careful attention to sports, ethnicity, education, and region.

Boyhood in America: An Encyclopedia provides insight into the origins of the American man. More than a well-researched collection of facts about American boys and boyhood, this illuminating investigation addresses such issues as the influence of children on American culture and the attitudes of adults toward boys as they relate to school, religion, TV programs, and competitive sports.



The book includes analyses of the influence of boys on the creation of toys like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the role of comic books as vehicles for expressing rebellion. It covers topics from the boyhood of Theodore Roosevelt to the exploitation of young boys in show business. This title offers an examination of boys from different racial backgrounds and reveals how they have developed their own cultures.









150+ A-Z signed entries including such wide-ranging topics as cowboys, abuse, drag racing, gangs, and superheroes



124 expert contributors from a myriad of disciplines, including history, cultural studies, media studies, education, literature, sociology, and anthropology