A daring book for girls

This morning I read about The Daring Book for Girls (2007). About fifteen years ago I bought The Dangerous Book for Boys. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I just noticed that there is a more recent The Double Dangerous Book for Boys (2019).  I thought the book for girls  sounded pretty good, too:

.... While it certainly doesn’t contain everything, this book is packed with enough wisdom and fun to keep a reader busy for hours. Want to build a scooter? They’ve got a template for you. Curious about the rules of softball? That’s covered. Need to know the Latin or Greek root of a word? Look no further. Building a fire, pressing flowers, poetry, camping — there’s something for every type of girl, in every mood, and on every occasion.

While the craft projects were more in line with my early interests, it’s my memory of the biographies scattered throughout the pages that stands out. More than for any activity, I pulled out this book to learn about Boadicea, Florence Baker, Ginnie and Lottie Moon, and many others whose lives are detailed here. Powerful women from ancient civilizations aren’t forgotten, and neither are female Olympians, inventors, and explorers. ....

Among the many topics that are handled wonderfully in this book, however, is the page (and there’s only one, mind you) on boys. Short and clear, this section is a practical guide for dealing with the other sex. The authors finish it with the perfect summary:

Overall, the truth is that there’s no great big mystery about boys. Boys are people. And like all people they are complicated. And that’s what makes being friends with other people interesting: you get to learn about how other people think and act, and, in the process, learn a little bit more about yourself.

Besides the fun, there’s also the practical. CPR basics, the Periodic Table, basic French phrases, reading tide charts, and negotiating a salary are all detailed here. The book avoids dry lists or flowery excitement, giving history, advice, and maybe a story to make the information come alive. .... (more)

There is also The Double Daring Book for Girls (2019). I haven't read reviews of either of the more recent books.

Sarah Schutte, "Marvelous Deeds of Derring-do," NRO, Oct. 9, 2022.