The Gutsy Girl

February 1, 2016
Paul (Lost Cat) encourages readers—girls, specifically—to pursue lives of excitement in a book that blends elements of memoir, guidebook, and journal. With confident humor, Paul describes how she overcame childhood shyness by taking small risks, beginning with building a milk-carton boat to compete in a race. Paul’s later feats included walking the Golden Gate Bridge’s suspension cable (something she strongly discourages readers from trying), scuba diving for a dead body, and thermal flying. Interspersed among the adventures are brief profiles of trailblazing women and girls, playful b&w illustrations, and activity ideas. While some of these “Derring Do” activities (learn different cloud types, practice a confident stance) can feel like tepid footnotes to Paul’s adventures, she gives readers the green light to break the rules and test their limits. Ages 7–up.