Hot on HuffPost Parents:
8 California School Workers On Leave During Student Abuse Probe
David Code: A Dog Smells Doubt and Fear, So Do Your Kids
Creative Type Dad talks with the author of Dangerous Book for Boys
Filed under: That's Entertainment
Last night, we were getting the kids ready for bed when Charlie, my four-year-old, went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and use the potty. Next thing I know, he's standing on the step stool, which perches him a good two feet above the toilet bowl, yelling, "LOOK HOW FAR MY PEE IS GOING! AND I'M NOT EVEN PEEING ON THE FLOOR!"
Boys. Sheesh.
A while back I wrote about Conn and Hal Igguldon's Dangerous Book for Boys, a guide to all the things that boys once knew but have now lost, like how to make invisible ink and build tree houses and identify different species of birds. I am still completely in love with this book, and after last night, I'm thinking it will really come in handy.
This week, Creative-Type Dad interviewed Conn Igguldon (which makes me green with envy, but anyway). They chat about how the book came to be, what got left out, and how Igguldon and brother (and co-author) Hal's childhood influenced the project. Turns out that they really did EVERYTHING in the book, just to be sure it could be done, which I find impressive. Those build-your-own-go-cart instructions? They build a real go-cart! Cool.
And yes, Igguldon also addresses the issue of sexism, although he doesn't apologize for writing a book specifically for boys: "I'd say 'what's wrong with celebrating boys?' I know there was a time when we all tried to believe that boys were basically girls who didn't wash much, but the reality is they are very different. They learn differently, think differently, and care about different things."
The Dangerous Book for Boys will be released in the US on May 1.
Boys. Sheesh.
A while back I wrote about Conn and Hal Igguldon's Dangerous Book for Boys, a guide to all the things that boys once knew but have now lost, like how to make invisible ink and build tree houses and identify different species of birds. I am still completely in love with this book, and after last night, I'm thinking it will really come in handy.
This week, Creative-Type Dad interviewed Conn Igguldon (which makes me green with envy, but anyway). They chat about how the book came to be, what got left out, and how Igguldon and brother (and co-author) Hal's childhood influenced the project. Turns out that they really did EVERYTHING in the book, just to be sure it could be done, which I find impressive. Those build-your-own-go-cart instructions? They build a real go-cart! Cool.
And yes, Igguldon also addresses the issue of sexism, although he doesn't apologize for writing a book specifically for boys: "I'd say 'what's wrong with celebrating boys?' I know there was a time when we all tried to believe that boys were basically girls who didn't wash much, but the reality is they are very different. They learn differently, think differently, and care about different things."
The Dangerous Book for Boys will be released in the US on May 1.
YourVoice
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
TheTalkies:RelatedVideos
-
Perez Penned a Picture Book
Celebrity Blogger Perez Hilton wrote a new children's book. It's called The Boy with Pink Hair, and will be released September first.
-
Novelist Robert Dugoni Talks About His Book Bodily Harm
Attorney David Sloane is back seeking vengeance for the death of a young boy, from New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.
-
Interview With Comedian Jim Breuer About his Upcoming Book
Jim Breuer has done it all from television to the big screen. Now, he is releasing his new book, I'm Not High, and he is bringing the laughs with him.
-
David Lehman Talks About Yeshiva Boys
The most ambitious and serious work to date from one of the most prominent figures in the poetry world and editor of The Best American Poetry series.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
4-28-2007 @ 1:17PM
Uly said...As I said in my own blog, this is a book I would have *killed for* as a kid - and I'm a girl.
Other female posters replied with the same comment - and one of them pointed me towards books which contain the same information (or more) but *without* the gendered, sexist language.
The difference in comments between the books over at Amazon.com is instructive, to say the least.
Reply
4-28-2007 @ 2:02PM
Uly said...The two amazon links are
http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Caneys-Kids-America-Caney/dp/0911104801
and
http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Book-Boys-Conn-Iggulden/dp/0061243582/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-7403476-7551219?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177780663&sr=1-1
Reply
4-28-2007 @ 2:34PM
Karen said...I still don't understand why it couldn't be the titled The Dangerous Book for Kids. I would never have this book in my house, simply because I have both a boy and a girl, and I wouldn't want my daughter to think that these things were off-limits to her because of her gender. Of course my kids like different kinds of things--maybe because of their gender, maybe because of their personalities--but I never encourage or discourage things based on whether they are apropriate for gender. My daughter loves pink. My son loves balls. But they both love to climb, they both play with cars, they both play with stuffed animals. And the whole exclusionary tone of this book really rubs me the wrong way. Is there a "Princess book for Girls" out there? If so, that would rub me the wrong way, too.
Reply
4-28-2007 @ 7:37PM
Diana Keller said...Yes, Karen, unfortunately there is a princess book for girls. How To Be a Princess. My daughter was given this book, and hated it, I don't think she got past the first few pages.
Reply