Review:
I admit it - I’m a sucker for gold letters, on a rich red cloth-covered book! That “old book” look will catch my eye every time. Couple that with the irresistible title of “The Dangerous Book for Boys” and you’ll see me go for my check book. This is a truly handsome book that will not only look great on the shelf, but its contents are well-written and designed to bring years of enjoyment to happy readers.
What I expected when I opened the pages of this beautifully bound book was directions for building a tree fort, tying knots, and how to make a battery, you know, the usual boy stuff. What I found is all that and more. The Dangerous Book for Boys features information that every boy should know, not just things to keep their hands busy, but there’s a lot here for their minds as well. In addition to information on the phases of the moon, cloud formations, and Morse code, I was surprised to find things like, grammar, seven poems every boy should know, amazing stories of incredible courage in the form of brief biographies of explorers, soldiers, the Declaration of Independence, the Ten Commandments and much more.
The Dangerous Book for Boys was written by two brothers who hope to inspire a whole new generation of boys to take up pursuits and interests that, though they might seem old-fashioned, strengthen body and mind while fueling the imagination. The book has many pictures and illustrations, and the inside keeps the “old book” feel. There are so many great topics covered in this book! One word of caution would be the information on the solar system, fossils and dinosaurs (after all, a book for boys wouldn’t be complete without them), which is approached from an evolutionary worldview.
The topics covered in The Dangerous Book for Boys can serve as a jumping off point or reference for various academic subjects. In addition to the biographies, there are science topics, history (including text and maps outlining famous battles), language arts (grammar, poems, and book lists), along with all types of cool things to make. More than just a book for boys, I’ve seen many a grown man’s eyes light up as he flipped through the pages of this book while his wife was shopping in our booth at a homeschool convention!
With 270 pages of information, instruction, and inspiration, The Dangerous Book for Boys, will provide many fun-filled, productive days for all of the men in your life. This book allows boys to be boys – boys who will someday be men. It inspires them to not only work with their hands, but to grow in knowledge and character.
