The Daring Book for Girls is out. It’s the girlie version of The Dangerous Book for Boys, which has been a huge best-seller. The blurb says:
The Daring Book for Girls is the manual for everything that girls need to know –– and that doesn’t mean sewing buttonholes! Whether it’s female heroes in history, secret note–passing skills, science projects, friendship bracelets, double dutch, cats cradle, the perfect cartwheel or the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking, this book has it all. But it’s not just a guide to giggling at sleepovers –– although that’s included, of course! Whether readers consider themselves tomboys, girly–girls, or a little bit of both, this book is every girl’s invitation to adventure.
Frankly, it doesn’t sound the least bit daring. While the boys’ book taught skills, such as how to make a bow and arrows or skin a rabbit, that have gone out of fashion, today’s girls don’t lack opportunities to make friendship bracelets or turn cartwheels. Do girls want to be daring? I’m not sure. Self-reliance might be more attractive. They might prefer instruction on how to sew that buttonhole, so they can design and make their own clothes.
I once designed and made an apron out of a dish towel and a set of shoelaces after I forgot to get my mother to buy me an apron for home ec class. Of course, I also made a bow and arrows so we could play the poke-your-eye-out version of Indians vs. Stagecoach.
I’ve used my buttonhole-making skills far more often than I’ve used my cartwheel skills. In fact, at 38, I’m not sure I could do a cartwheel any more without snapping a wrist.
And do girls NEED to be taught “secret note-passing skills”? I mean, really.
And I’m almost afraid to think what’s in that chapter on “what boys are thinking.” If it’s boys aged anywhere from 12 to 34, I can pretty easily guess…