In her international bestseller Strong Is the New Pretty (with 329,000 copies in print), the photographer Kate T. Parker changed the way we see girls by showing us their truest selves – fearless, messy, wild, stubborn, proud. Now it’s time to talk about our boys. Prompted by the #metoo movement, bullying, and other toxic behaviour, there’s an inational conversation going on about what defines masculinity and how to raise sons to become good people. And Kate Parker is joining in by turning her lens to boys. The result is possibly even more moving, more eloquent, more surprising than Strong.
The Heart of a Boy is a deeply felt celebration of boyhood as it’s etched in the faces and bodies of dozens of boys, ages 5 to 18. There’s the pensive look of a skateboarder caught in a moment between rides. The years of dedication in a ballet dancer’s poise. The love of a younger brother hugging his older brother. The unself-conscious joy of a goofy grin with a missing tooth. The casual intimacy of two friends at a lemonade stand. The shyness of a lone boy and his model boat. The intensity in a football huddle. The proud, challenging gaze of a boy bald from alopecia – and the same kind of gaze, but wreathed in tenderness, of a boy a few years younger with flowing, almost waist-length hair. There are guitarists, fencers, wrestlers, star-gazers, a pilot – it’s the world of our sons, in all their amazing variety and difference.
The photographs feel spontaneous, direct, and with so much eye contact between the viewed and the viewer that it’s impossible to turn away. And throughout, words from the boys themselves enrich every photo. What a gift for boys and anyone who is raising them.
About the Author
Kate T. Parker is a mother, wife, former collegiate soccer player, Ironman, and professional photographer who shoots both fine art projects and commercial work for clients across North America. Her Strong Is the New Pretty photo series has led to collaborations with brands like Athleta, Kellogg's, Oxygen, and Girls on the Run. The project has also inspired Kate to launch a philanthropic arm of Strong Is the New Pretty, partnering with organisations that invest in girls' health and education. When she's not photographing, she can be found coaching her daughters' soccer teams. She lives with her family in Atlanta, Georgia.
Industry Reviews
“[A] vibrant catalog of portraits devoted to boys. The Heart of a Boy is full of smile-inducing photographs that give readers a deep appreciation of boys in all their variety, bursting the tired stereotype that they need to be “tough,” not vulnerable.” —New York Times Book Review
"…the photos speak for themselves, as do the boys, whose self-aware thoughts accompany their beautifully realized portraits (“I want to be President because I am helpful, kind and nice”). Finally, this beautifully designed book is a feast for browsers. And that’s no small matter."—Booklist
“A beautiful, joy-filled celebration of boyhood and its many facets.”—The New York Post
“Silly, serious, nerdy, athletic, creative, bold—the adjectives describing boys could go on for pages. But if boys are to grow up to be admirable men, the one thing they must be is kind. Kate Parker’s book helps clear the way for a time when everyone understands that.”—R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder
“Every parent who picks up this book will be grateful for the impact it will have on their family.”—Gary Vaynerchuk
“Kate T. Parker's incredible photographic series Strong Is the New Pretty helped us reimagine girlhood. Now she turns her perceptive lens on the other sex to expand our definition of what it means to be a boy. In The Heart of a Boy, Kate shows us that, just like girls, boys are silly, messy, spirited, and fun. But they are also tender and vulnerable and sometimes sad. Kate’s photos present something desperately needed in our well-meaning cultural conversation about boys—she shows us their enormous, wonderful hearts.”—Michael Ian Black
