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The Dangerous Book for Boys (by Conn Iggulden, Hal Iggulden)

common sense media says

Brilliant marketing masks some weak content.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that there is much here that you may find objectionable, beginning with the premise of the book. Boys are encouraged to hunt and gamble, and some of the stories are very violent, though not graphically so. Most of the activities require lots of adult supervision.

Positive messages: Some would consider the whole premise of the book to be sexist. Boys are encouraged to gamble for money, and to run away if they accidentally break a window.
Violence: A chapter on how to kill and skin a rabbit, another on how to make a bow and arrow. In the stories, there are fights and wars, beatings, amputation, deaths by a variety of methods, including being impaled on a red-hot poker which, the author states, was a statement on the victim's homosexuality.
Sex: A reference to homosexuality, a statement that boys spend a lot of time dreaming about girls.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Candy and sports brands mentioned.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: References to alcohol and hashish.

More on The Dangerous Book for Boys

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about which of the activities they would like to do, and what parental supervision is necessary. Also, why were the particular activities, stories, and poems chosen? What are the authors saying about boyhood? Are they right?

What's the story?

What's the story?
This compendium of things the authors believe will appeal to boys includes activities, such as building a tree house and go-cart; stories of famous battles and heroes; information on such things as grammar, first aid, and astronomy; advice; games; codes; and more.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Tearing boys away from the screen to get out and do things and learn things in the real world is a laudable goal. But this has been done, and oh so much better, before, going back a hundred years or more to books such as The American Boy's Handy Book and The Official Handbook for Boys by the Boy Scouts of America (both still available). THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS shows all the signs of being slapped together quickly -- lots of typos and mistakes; inaccurate information; half-baked opinions presented as fact; plodding, muddy prose; and impenetrable, inadequate instructions from authors who clearly are not experts.

So how to explain its jaw-dropping success? Brilliant marketing, with a great title and a cool, retro cover. It's more appealing to dads than kids -- dads who are nostalgic for the childhood they never actually had, and want to believe they can provide for their own kids. Bad news: They can't -- at least not by using this book.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Conn Iggulden, Hal Iggulden
Publisher: Collins
Publication date: May 1, 2007
Number of pages: 270
Hardcover price: $24.95
Read Aloud: 10
Read Alone: 10

This review was written by Matt Berman
 
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age