Yeah, I had the same thought while puttering -- why not "The Dangerous Book for Kids?"
Again, the title doesn't bother me that much, but I think that the underlying concepts that I like a lot apply to children in general.
And I do like the underlying concepts a lot, it's just the kind of thing we've had a lot of conversations about here. (Slacker parents unite...)
boomerang wrote:I've been thinking a lot about this as I putter around today and I'm thinking maybe the real issue is letting kids be kids.
Amen. I love my dirty children with uncombed hair and scabby knees.
I think the "boys" is more of a marketing ploy than anything else. Almost everything is marketed for girls -- especially books.
I guess I never noticed that books are marketed mostly to girls.
boomerang wrote:I've been thinking a lot about this as I putter around today and I'm thinking maybe the real issue is letting kids be kids.
Everything today is so overly sanitized, zero tolerence, politically correct, overly organized, that kids just seem like miniture adults. There doesn't seem to be much adventure left. We push them to be the smartest and reward them for being passive and we intervene every time they tattle - which is constantly.
The whole thing just drives me nuts.
Dittos here.
Some of the best parenting advice I ever got: learn when to say, "let's see how that works out for you...."
"Letting" is definitely part of parenting... but only part.
And I think we all know that, here.
I'm discussing more in a general population kind of way.
Here's Roger Kimball's
glowing review of the book. Some excerpts:
Quote:I wouldn't be at all surprised if The Dangerous Book for Boys were banned by zealous school groups, social workers, and other moral busybodies. I first encountered this admirable work when it was published in London last year. I liked its retro look--the lettering and typography of the cover recalls an earlier, more swashbuckling era--and I thought at first it must be a reprint. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that a book containing instructions on how to make catapults, how to hunt and cook a rabbit, how to play poker, how to make a waterbomb, was published today, the high noon of nannydom.
The first chapter, "Essential Gear" ("Essential Kit" in the English edition), lists a Swiss Army knife, for God's sake, not to mention matches and a magnifying glass, "For general interest. Can also be used to start fires." Probably, the book would have to be checked with the rest of your luggage at the airport: If you can't bring a bottle of water on the airplane, how do you suppose a book advocating knives and incendiary devices is going to go over? Why, even the title is a provocation. The tort lawyers must be salivating over the word "dangerous," and I can only assume that the horrible grinding noise you hear is from Title IX fanatics congregating to protest the appearance of a book designed for the exclusive enjoyment of boys.
Quote:The book includes instructions on making "The Greatest Paper Plane in the World." Did you know that many schools have outlawed paper airplanes? Might strike a child in the eye, don't you know. And of course, that's only the beginning of what many schools outlaw. The game of tag is verboten almost everywhere, a fact I learned this winter when our eight-year-old son fell and broke his elbow while playing the game. The final indignity came when, being down, he was tagged by the chap who was "it." Even that had its compensations, though, since James is looking forward to suspending his allegiance to the principles of the Sermon on the Mount and getting the fellow back when he fully recovers. Besides, although it hurts to break your arm, it is quite nifty to have your arm in a cast, especially if one of your heroes is Lord Nelson, to whom (or so one's parents assure one) you bear a strong resemblance when sporting a sling. Of course, I am sorry that James broke his arm, but I prefer his school's (unofficial) motto--"Better a broken bone than a broken spirit"--to the pusillanimous alternative.
Quote:Still, this is essentially an outdoor book. Not that it deals chiefly with outdoor subjects, though it has splendid advice about building treehouses, fishing, and growing sunflowers (and I suppose artillery is, usually, a subject best pursued outside). Rather, it understands that boys and the outdoors go together like a hammer and nails. It is sympathetic to dirt and looks kindly upon rocks, bugs, snakes, and woodpiles. It is a book, in other words, that approves of derring-do and the testosterone that fires it. This is clear in the informative chapter devoted to the mysterious subject of Girls who, many feminists will be surprised to discover, are "quite different" from boys. By this, the authors explain:
We do not mean the physical differences, more the fact that [girls] remain unimpressed by your mastery of a game involving wizards, or your understanding of Morse Code. Some will be impressed, of course, but as a general rule, girls do not get quite as excited by the use of urine as a secret ink as boys do.
In fact, the chapter on girls is full of good advice. Here are two bits: 1. "Play a sport of some kind," they advise. "It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it replaces the corpse-like pallor of the computer programmer with a ruddy glow." 2. "If you see a girl in need of help--unable to lift something, for example--do not taunt her. Approach the object and greet her with a cheerful smile, whilst surreptitiously testing the weight of the object. If you find you can lift it, go ahead. If you can't, try sitting on it and engaging her in conversation." Ovid couldn't have put it any better. (His advice about girls is to be found in a book for older boys called Ars Amatoria.)
Again, I really agree with a lot of the underlying concepts and ideas in the book -- making paper airplanes, etc., etc. I almost bought it the other day but I think I'll wait a year or so -- hoping it will come out in paperback by then, and my kid will be a little older (she's 6).
I don't even mind the "... for Boys" part per se, except for the accompanying questionable assertions the author makes (that only baby boys' eyes light up when they're pushed high on a swing, etc.).
So, I got this book for Duckie. I found it pretty interesting and even stayed up to read much of it. It's very dense. He isn't quite interested in it yet -- I think he knows I want him to check it out (out of my curiosity) and is resisting. But I've left it out and I know he'll come around to it.
What seems to be missing from the reviews is the amount of seemingly unrelated information in the book. A section on grammar, for instance, and lots of history of famous battles and wars. It becomes pretty clear that the authors grew up with a fascination of war and battle and that they see this as a fundamental boy thing. The interesting bits all seem to stem from this -- the five knots a boy should know how to tie, how to build a catapult, navy flag signals, codes and ciphers, etc... These are all things that I found fascinating when I was a kid -- especially the codes and ciphers and the navy flags. I can remember pouring over those sections in the encyclopedia. And that's how I think my son will read this book, as a reference book.
Cool. Thanks for the review...
Plantress mentioned "How to Make a Flibberdigibit" on another thread, that's not the exact title but I don't know where sozlet squirreled away her copy -- I'll find it and give the exact title, because it's an AWESOME book. It has all kinds of projects for kids to do, nothing gender-specific but lots of science-type stuff, and knots, and paper airplanes, and other cool things. It's an old book -- it was E.G.'s when he was a kid, and his parents just sent it to us.
Sozlet's already done about a dozen projects from it (there are maybe 50 total), but the one that's still in process is making a "jungle" from a yam. I've heard of forcing avocados and such but this yam is progressing at an alarming rate. We put it in water maybe a week ago and it's got little tiny leaves all over the dang place already, probably 5 inches' worth of growth. We're both enjoying it.
That sounds like one to look into. I also got "Ben Franklin's book of easy science experiments" or something like that. He's done a couple from there that were fun. One was about buoyancy (using playdoh and a bowl -- very simple). That just reminded me of another favorite in the Boys book, how to make a battery using coins and foil. I've got to try that.
OK, found it:
"How to Make Flibbers, etc.; A Book of Things to Make and Do," by Robert Lopshire.
Really good book, highly recommended. I saw some very cheap used copies out there, but doesn't seem to have been printed since 1970 or so.
Oh good, that is it. I found it through creative searching on Amazon but wasn't sure it was the right one. I saw they had some used ones for sale there too.
What age?
I am thrilled. I need to know what age would be right to introduce my son to this book? He is 7.5. Sorry did not read allposts maybe it was already answered.
My son is the same age. I guess it depends on the kid, but I think he's probably still a little young for it. I've left it out so that he can peruse it at will, but he hasn't shown great interest in it as of yet. I would put the reading level at about 3rd or 4th grade, so if you're son is a good reader he might be okay with it.
I have three boys. After having all nieces then having three boys there is such a distinct difference in having all of one or the other...IMO. I was a tom-boy. I was the only girl in 7 cousins and we grew up together...it was either keep up or be alone and I kept up. I love boys...I am a firm believer in putting their little behinds outside after school and letting them run and jump and play.
We live on a massive hill - the drive way is unbelievably steep. I have warned and warned about not walking the bikes across the street to Mrs Bishops level drive way...But of course one has to try it...of course he veered off the drive way and plowed through the yard hitting a root and flipping over the top, landing flat on his back then scrambling up...meanwhile I am freaking out but thankful when he hits the root (mainlyl because there is a street at the bottom and flying across it without looking could be a BAD THING) but holding my breath as he stands then laughing my butt off when I see two thumbs up immediately. They are tough as nails. It is always noisy, they are always yelling, and my house is always a mess...and it is not from the television being on. It is from the fort of pillows and blankets that are always set up in my dining room and the reenactment of whatever war with Indians they decide to do. It is from jumping from one twin bed to the other that is across the room to see if they can make it. It is from throwing the playdough at each other instead of sculpting from it as I had asked them to do. I had one screaming bloody murder and his brother came to tell me he was stuck in a tree - when I went outside apparently he had tried to jump from a branch and another branch that had been cut off had snagged his shirt and he was hanging from it...thank God it was low enough his armpits were what was taking the weight and not his neck...
I want my boys to play and rough house...I will put up with all of the bodily function noises and the dirty words as long as they obey my rules of discernment...know when and where to do it and WHO to do them in front of...otherwise could mean trouble for them. From me or the offended adult that is around...part of growing up is learning that discernment...and I don't want girly boys...I am growing men! And I make sure they know how to treat women...I want them to be manly - but I want them to know how to treat a lady...when my boys are married I want their wives to THANK ME for the great job I did raising these boys.
AND I love those books...looking them up today...I have some that are like that but I love the old stuff...seems to be more of what I want for my boys....now I may very well draw the line at anything using urine...I am sure they will find ways to do that on their own. They already have wars in the bathroom I am pretty sure - once they realized they didn't HAVE to aim IN the toilet...that is not as bad as it once was ....but there was a time I was totally grossed out by their bathroom. Boys...
Quote:I guess it depends on the kid, but I think he's probably still a little young for it. I've left it out so that he can peruse it at will, but he hasn't shown great interest in it as of yet. I would put the reading level at about 3rd or 4th grade, so if you're son is a good reader he might be okay with it.
I am so proud of his reading, We did most of tyhe MAgic tree house series and started Harry potter at the end of summer and did two. I have not read Harry Potter so I do not know if he actually reads every word or skips thru some.
I talked to him about this book and we are thrilled . Will get it once he settles into the new year .
Duckie picked it up the other day and now he loves it. Particularly, there is a section about longitude and latitude and how the earth's rotation creates the seasons, etc... that he really enjoyed. He even was compelled to read some sections out loud to his sister.
