| Right about now I can already hear the groaning | | | | cook a rabbit, or tan leather. |
| beginning from moms across the country: "Summer's | | | | All in all, it was quite good. It would have been nice if |
| almost here! What am I going to do with these kids?" | | | | the information was ordered in some way, rather |
| Don't abandon them to the TV, for starters, and | | | | than randomly throughout, but this is definitely a cool |
| don't over schedule them. Instead, give them a | | | | and interesting book. |
| summer with nothing to do, and the tools to do it | | | | And 11-year-old Jonah says: |
| with. | | | | "The Dangerous Book for Boys" is a very cool book. |
| Around our house, we often joke that we're raising | | | | it has all the things that an energetic boy would want. |
| 19th century kids. A lot of the source materials we | | | | it shows all kinds of things like how to make a tree |
| use in homeschool are from that era--for instance, | | | | house, the rules of soccer, and how to make a bow |
| the McGuffey readers and speller. | | | | and arrow [see what I mean?]. It also has some very |
| Among our very favorite books are the "Handy | | | | interesting diagrams that show things like the |
| Books" of Dan Beard and his sisters, proto-scouting | | | | different pirate flags and the fifty states. This book |
| manuals for the late 19th century kid looking for cool | | | | is a fantastic work of art. |
| things to do that still work splendidly for 21st century | | | | Thank you, boys. Now don't get your mother mad at |
| kids looking for something to do. Even so, many of | | | | me and put an eye out or anything. |
| the activities in those books don't work for today, | | | | (Actually, what makes the book "dangerous" isn't |
| not least of which because we're not as rural as we | | | | that it's filled with risky activities; it's filled with |
| used to be. | | | | information and ideas. These days, thinking for |
| Enter The Dangerous Book for Boys, a bestseller in | | | | yourself automatically makes you dangerous, |
| the UK that's just being published here in the States. | | | | especially if you're under age 18.) |
| Brothers Conn and Hal Iggulden have put together a | | | | Among the instructions for playing marbles, making |
| handsome volume of which Dan Beard would | | | | secret ink, "extraordinary stories," cloud formations |
| approve. | | | | and bits of Shakespeare is a chapter entitled "Girls." It |
| To put it to the test, I gave a copy to two actual | | | | is not aimed at girls, rather it is aimed at helping boys |
| boys, Simon and Jonah, the closest things I have to | | | | understand girls: "[A]s a general rule, girls do not get |
| nearby nephews. (I have to say their mother was | | | | quite as excited by the use of urine as a secret ink |
| not thrilled with the book's title, especially considering | | | | as boys do." Indeed. The eight bits of advice will |
| these two often mistake themselves for elven | | | | endear just about any boy to just about any girl. I |
| archers.) | | | | would add only: Learn to dance. |
| 13-year-old Simon says: | | | | The only thing wrong with this book is that there is |
| The "Dangerous Book" is a very clever bit of writing. | | | | no companion book for girls (though my oldest girl |
| It encompasses all of the things that kids don't think | | | | thinks it's pretty nifty and there's no reason a girl |
| about much these days, like semaphore flags, building | | | | wouldn't enjoy it, really). At least that was my first |
| a go-cart, famous battles, and things like that. It's full | | | | thought; upon reflection, the bookshelves for girls |
| of experiments, projects, and random facts. If you | | | | these days are bent under the weight of thousands |
| open it up to any page, you'll probably have learned | | | | of tomes; let the boys have their moment. Even so, |
| something when you close it. | | | | this house would welcome a "Dangerous Book for |
| For example, there are instructions on how to build a | | | | Girls," as long as it's not pink. If it were pink I'd have |
| trip wire. It requires fishing line, batteries, tinfoil, and a | | | | to chuck it at the publisher's head. |
| clothespin. Then there's a paragraph detailing how real | | | | Get your bored boys The Dangerous Book for Boys, |
| trip wires are used and where it works best. On | | | | equip them with the (minimal) supplies on the first |
| another page, you can find information on how to | | | | page, and stand back. They'll have a full summer! |