Books The Daring Book for Girls
Books and Publications Average Rating:

Rating: - A Daring Book for College Girls Who Miss Good Fun
Having spent most of my childhood up trees or in a craft cupboard creating whatever I could think of, this book came as a wonderful surprise. Even after church, I and my friends would run outside and create elaborate games that probably do not make sense but seemed so fun at the time. My best friend gave me this book for Christmas so that we could enjoy the fun. I read the introduction and fell in love. Done with endless streams of DVD's, cell phones, and instant messenger, I am ready to play as God intended.

This book embraces all that play should be. It has everything from tying knots and building campfires to making your own paper and an alarm clock powered by a lemon. A tomboy by nature, this book appeals to my mind and my creativity at the same time. It gets back to old values like imagination, doing something for a purpose and spending time with people. It embraces so many areas of life. One minute you're in the kitchen the next you're backpacking in the woods and then you find yourself building a tree fort in your back yard.

I absolutely love this book and have already used it at the age of 20. Someday, I hope to pull it out and use it with my kids. This book has no age limit to its fun. I am so grateful to see today's overly technological culture combated with the opening up of the good value in the world around us.

The introduction states it well.
"Consider the Daring Book for Girls a book of possibilities and ideas for filling a day with adventure, imagination -- and fun. The world is bigger than you can imagine, and its yours for the exploring -- if you dare."

Even as the internet, cell phones, and Skype has shrunk the world, the world holds an enormous amount of adventure just wanting to be experienced. This book presents a wonderful guide to enjoying life and its beauties, even as an adult.

Danielle
Daughter of Claudia
Lover of Adventure and Imagination

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

---

Rating: - This is not a book for Catholic girls
The Daring Book for Girls is intended as a companion to "The Dangerous Book for Boys" with it's title and similar cover design, but it has a very important difference. Since I have no sons, I relied on the opinon of some of my Catholic friends who loved that book for their sons. I was thrilled for my adventurous 10 year old to have a similar book. Isabella loves outdoor activities, sports, and tradtional music, and this book contains all this and more.
I got a preview copy to review for a possible TV appearance on the "Good Morning America" with my girls to endorse the book before it came out in October. Within five minutes of reading this attractively packaged book, I noticed the occult elements and had to decline the invitation. I couldn't speak positively about a book which may lead young women into sinful practices (fortune telling, necromancy) which are forbidden by the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
2116 "All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan, demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to 'unveil' the future. (Deuteronomy 18:10) Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens or lots, the phenomenon of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone."

This book with all it's interesting chapters like flower pressing, making your own rip line, campfire songs, etc. mixes in harmful elements like Palm Reading p 8, evoking "Bloody Mary" p102, and Yoga on p 191. That these elements are included within a largely wholesome book is even more insidious as it implies they are harmless. I asked author Miriam Peskowitz to consider removing these elements, and haven't heard from her. She would have my most hearty endorsement if she did.

---

Rating: - The Daring Book for Girls
This book has taken a lot of heat for including "girly" things such as hair. It has a lot of craft projects but also a lot of information on everything from grammar to simple machines. Book that will change your life. How to be a friend (anti- mean girl syndrome makes all parents happy). My boys also enjoy this, and were gifted with Dangerous Book for Boys so neither group sees so much difference in attitude.

---

Rating: - Daring a misnomer
Having given the Dangerous Boy's book to my adult nephews for Christmas, I was in hopes that the Girl's version would be equally compelling. While there are entries that do meet the challenge (women explorers, women royals and their personal missions), many of the entries are far from the good ol' bolstering for women adventurers. The five parts of a personal letter? --yawn--. How to sew a 'sit-upon' pillow? --Brownie project from the '50s. Where's the inspiration? Challenge? Excited imaginative approaches for self-realization? Support for original, challenging thinking and creativity? Save your $25 bucks. Read Ann Morrow Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.