Blame iPods, Mobile phones, Facebook, highly selective high schools and universities, and society in general, for starters. Whatever the culprits, girlhood today has become high-pressured and competitive. Twenty-first century girls are inducted into grownup-hood sooner, routinely missing out on childhood pleasures in the rush to become tweens, teens and women before their time. Why can't girls just be girls? Why shouldn't girls be allowed to play hard and get their hands dirty? Why shouldn't girls be encouraged to believe that they can do everything boys can do and much more, with skill, confidence and style?
Girls absolutely can and should! That's the empowering message of a sweeping how-to- can-do manual, 'The Daring Book for Girls'. Authors Andrea J Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz were inspired by the national best-selling sensation,' the Dangerous Book for Boys', and created a collection of interesting stuff to know and do especially for girls. Then, they got busy drawing from the worldwide wealth of girl knowledge, plus the vastness of history, the breadth of sport, and far-flung fields from literature to the great outdoors. The result is a riveting reference, reliable manual, and unbeatable boredom-antidote with lots of appeal to every girl, whether she's a tomboy, a girly-girl, a little bit of both, or uniquely herself.
Whether a girls wants to learn how to make a friendship bracelet, tie a sari, or build a campfire; bush up on the rules for gin, bowling, softball or darts; get the story on famous women inventors, scientists, or spies; or gain clues into the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking, 'The Daring Book for Girls' has it all. Here are a few additional highlights of what girls will find waiting inside:
A checklist of essentials for braving any adventure, including patience
Five powerhouse karate moves and the ultimate yoga routine: the sun salutation
Cool tricks - with a basketball and with math's calculations
Three classic silly pranks and a primer for telling scary ghost stories
Tips for mastering two twists on jumping rope: Chinese and double dutch
Inspiration and guidelines for cultivating a secret garden
Profiles of queens of the ancient world and today's real-life princesses
How to paddle a canoe, perfect a cartwheel, and negotiate a salary
Staples for every girl's toolbox and blueprints for making a handlebar scooter
Twenty books every girl should read, for pleasure and life-changing potential
'Consider 'The Daring Book for Girls' a book of possibilities and ideas for filling a day with adventure, imagination - and fun,' the co-authors shout out to all their readers. 'The world is bigger than you can imagine, and it's yours for the exploring - if you dare'.
Andrea J Buchanan is a mother of a daughter and a son, both of whom are equally daring. Before she was a writer, she was a pianist who once performed a solo concert at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. This is her fifth book.Miriam Peskowitz is a mother of two girls, including an eight-year-old who climbs trees and leads spy missions in the backyard. She has been a camp counselor, an historian, a blogger, a musician, a professor, and is the author of several books including 'The Truth Behind the Mommy Wars'.
Review: Thank you for bringing this subject to light. Often our children are pressured to grow up all to fast, childhood is precious and should be cherished for what it is. This book celebrates being a girl and enjoying your youth.
Harper and Collins
Authors Andrea J Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz
ISBN: 9780061472572
RRP: $45.00