The Dangerous Book for Boys

Great set of skills, games, and info for kids of all ages.
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Conn Iggulden's The Dangerous Book for Boys is a fun, informative collection of skills and knowledge for people (not just boys) of all ages. Written with a humorous touch, there's a ton of useful material here to help readers be safer (first aid), smarter (historical battles, science and engineering), and have fun outdoors (making a go-cart, fishing, and playing stickball). While the title states that this book is for boys and has lots of gender stereotyping, it's for anyone who wants to step away from their electronic world for a while and get outside, start building, take time to learn about the stars, and be adventurous.
Community Reviews
Great book.
Report this review
What's the Story?
THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS is a collection of activities, information, skills, and trivia that brings readers into a world that often existed for kids before electronic devices and overscheduled weekends. For rainy indoor days, readers can learn about naval flag codes, Shakespeare, rules of cards, famous battles in world history, how to make crystals, and much more. When it's time to head outside, there's a guide to skipping stones, making a go-cart, studying the stars, fishing, and games of all kinds. Not just for boys or for kids, these topics are for anyone with curiosity or a sense of adventure.
Is It Any Good?
Try to get past the gender stereotyping right away, because this book is highly engaging, and can fill readers' weekends or unscheduled afternoons with all kinds of non-digital fun. The wide range of topics will interest readers who want to sit quietly and learn why ships sail against the wind or important moments in history, and those who want to get outside and be active can build a treehouse or a go-cart, perfect the paper airplane, and many more activities for curious minds. The brief section on girls offers good advice on how to treat people in general.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why some of the topics are less common today than decades ago. Did you know any pen-and-paper games before reading The Dangerous Book for Boys?
Which projects would you like to do first, and why?
Is there anything about this book that makes it just for boys?
Book Details
- Authors: Conn Iggulden, Hal Iggulden
- Genre: Activity
- Topics: STEM, Sports and Martial Arts, Adventures, History, Science and Nature
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Collins
- Publication date: May 1, 2007
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
- Number of pages: 270
- Available on: Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: January 10, 2020
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love creating things
Themes & Topics
Browse titles with similar subject matter.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate