The Dangerous Book for Boys
by Conn Iggulden, Hal Iggulden
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Book Reviews of The Dangerous Book for Boys
Book Review: We built the treehouse - must read!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful book if for no other reason it brings the family together to talk about the wonderful ideas inside. We did actually build the treehouse. Although we consulted a couple of other sources, we ended up following the plans in the book. I've had lots of kids and even several adults up there at the same time. To quote my neighbor, "I've been on decks that weren't that sturdy." The key is the corner supports. I used 4x4 lumber to create these. The illustration isn't very clear, but you need to create a flat shoulder that the platform sits on in order to give enough support. The only modification I made was to put a doorway along one of the sides and a set of stairs going up (this makes Mom much more comfortable). Also a must is to include a pulley; the kids love playing with it. And be sure to point out the section in the book about building water bombs (the boys enjoy dropping these on each other out of the treehouse). It took us a day to clear the brush around the base of the tree; another day to put up the frame and the supports. Then ½ day for the decking, 1 day to build and attach the walls, about ½ day for the siding, then ½ day for the stairs. I'm still working on the roof but those will be build in 4 sections and raised into place w/ the pulley system. The book estimates the cost at $200; our actual cost was closer to $300, using treated lumber, and using scrap we already had for the siding. This will easily stand for the next 20 years, plus the family time spent together building, painting and finishing this, priceless!Book Review: Almost perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
I loved the way that the boys in my library clawed their way to the table to look at it when I was done presenting a booktalk on this volume. From taking notes on how to do dog tricks to asking if they could copy the pages on making a go-cart and tree-house they were thrilled with it.
But then the librarian in me came to the last few pages where the authors list favorite books that every boy should read. By boy they obviously mean someone over the age of 15 and that was my first minor problem with this book. I am dealing with elementary/Jr. High boys and while some of these books were appropriate for them, many were just way over their heads and it says right there--more mature readers.
After seeing that, I relooked the book over some more and did come to the conclusion that while it is wonderful, it is probably something that is best enjoyed as a father with his son. Yes there are some great ideas for boys there and yes, I love the idea of getting boys out and just letting them be boys--but I just think it would have been so much better if there had maybe been a couple of books published instead of just one. One that had all the fun things for the boys to do and another that had things like the battles and other more scientific type things that boys can sit and discuss with their Dads. I realize that discussing war is important for all boys, but I just didn't see the mix.
SO in conclusion--great book just wish that they had decided on which age group they were really truly aiming for.
Book Review: My 6 year old went nuts for it.
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this book after seeing the author on the Colbert show (or was it the Daily Show?). I loved the idea of the book and ordered it from Amazon immediately.
On arrival if found it exceeds my expectation. It reminds me a lot of the Popular Mechanics books from the 30's & 40's that I found in my grandmothers attic when I was a kid.
The style is archaic, which is part of the charm. My 6 year old son, who really isn't into "chapter books", went nuts for this book. I think this mostly had to do with the title, but as we scanned each chapter together he seemed to get more and more excited.
Before his bed time we read "coin tricks", "Girls" and he started planning how to get the badges found in the back of the book. He managed to learn the "French Drop" and proceeded to show everyone his new trick. Tomorrow he wants to hear about hunting and cooking rabbits.
My wife was a bit nervous about the book, especially after seeing the section on hunting and cooking a rabbit. But I think she liked the section on "Girls" and she realizes that this book is targeted to boys, not Moms.
It's definitely a hit. I will be reading chapters out of it to my son for some time to come. But I don't mind and will probably learn a thing or two myself.
Update:
It's more than a year later. The book is dog-eared, dirty and worn but my (now) 7 year old still reads and loves this book. I doubt there is a better review you can get from a 7 year old.
Book Review: Why do we exclude girls?
Summary: 4 Stars
This looks like a fabulous book -- with one very sad thing. That is that once again, someone is widening the gulf between girls and boys. As a mother of two smart, chivalrous, generous, brave, spirited girls that I am trying to raise with every possible opportunity to thrive, I would love to get this book for my daughters. (You notice that I don't mention how beautiful they are -- the attribute that people so often use for girls and women? As a marriage and family therapist, I can share that by far the most common response of a man to the question, "What do you love about your wife/girlfried?" is "She's beautiful,...")
This looks like an amazing book for girls -- I would have loved it, my daughters would love it, I've no doubt. But what we couldn't love is once again being slapped in the face with the announcement that this material is for BOYS.
Girls are inundated with messages that they should care more about their looks than anything else, and that they should concentrate on being nice to others. They need to be exposed as much as possible to a little balancing from all the messages they receive constantly, that they are also valued for being capable, brave, strong, adventurous. In fact, this kind of book could do more for girls than for boys, in my opinion, because girls get so little of it from other sources. It's just too bad that the title would make my daughters feel like they're "weird" if they liked a "boy's" book.
Book Review: Letting Boys Be Boys--Again
Summary: 5 Stars
What memories this book brings! Forty years ago, the Boy Scout handbook had so many of the same themes as this book: first aid, the Morse code, use of a compass, the Constellations, knot tying, tree identification, etc. But this book has much more than that. There are also educational features, such as the Seven Wonders of the World, the Ten Commandments, the Declaration of Independence, the Fifty States, Famous Battles, Shakespeare, basic grammatical skills, Latin phrases, extraordinary stories, etc. As a science teacher, I appreciate its scientific content (e. g., puzzling questions, insects and spiders, fossils, making crystals, building a battery, astronomy, types of clouds, the solar system, secret inks, codes and ciphers).
Like arts and crafts? You can learn how to build a go-cart, a treehouse, a workbench, various paper airplanes, a bow and arrow, timer and tripwire, etc.
How about sports? There's soccer, rugby, baseball's most valuable players, juggling, etc. Like something gentler? Then try table football, marbles, pen-and-paper games, chess, poker and other card games.
The Inguldens comment: "Is it old fashioned? Well, it depends. Men and boys today are the same as they always were, and interested in the same things." (p. xi)
The authors probably chose the title of this book facetiously, or as an attention-getter. In fact, little if anything in this book, done correctly, is dangerous!