The Adventurous Boy's Handbook

August 1, 2008
Gr 4 Up-Here's another book for boys (and for nostalgic males of all ages), following in the wake of Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden's "The Dangerous Book for Boys" (Collins, 2007). The Brennans have collected passages and segments of "boys' guides" from the early 20th century on topics that include camping in the wilderness, building a fire without matches, firing a rifle or using a longbow, fishing, and how to treat a snakebite or a bee sting. Unfortunately, this handbook is a bit too much of a mishmash to work well. Quotes from various sources aren't clearly identified or given publication dates or other bibliographic information, only a few of the authors quoted are identified by name, the tone of the prose changes from one paragraph to the next, and the quality of the black-and-white illustrations ranges from mediocre to poor. Stick with "The Dangerous Book" or any of the Boy Scout manuals for a better integrated "boy-friendly" experience."Walter Minkel, Austin Public Library, TX"

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