Ok. Ok, I know I said I was going to take a break and I still am, kind of… But when I made that statement the other day I forgot. In my NaPoBloMo hangover I forgot that I had committed to MotherTalk to post about Andrea J Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz’s The Daring Book for Girls.

My first impression, after I stopped ooh and ahhing over the sparkly cover is “I remember that… and Oh, yea, I forgot all about that!” Not only was the book a sweet walk down childhood memory lane, but was a poignant reminder on how much fun our girls have lost out on in replacement for virtual pets and ipods.

My second thought after reading through the book was, “Where was this book when I was a girl scout leader?” The book is filled with wonderful classic games (Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board) and things to make (make your own scooter- how cool!) and would be an indispensable guide for any leader or person wanting to help a girl become more interested in the world around her.

It has been widely publicized that girls are lagging behind in science and math. This book may just be a solution! I find it next to impossible to imagine any girl not getting excited about those two subjects after reading and trying a few ideas in this book. Buchanan and Peskowitz stealthily teach these two subjects while properly disguising them as fun.

My favorite part of this entire book, being the history buff that I am, is the short blurbs about famous and inspirational women. What an idea! Why not have your little girl look to some smart well deserved heroes, as opposed to a Brittany Spears? Engage their minds with excitement and mystery reading about women spies instead of being excited about who will be the next top model!

I was planning on having A go through this book on her own and tell me her feelings on the book, but honestly, there was so much to read, as I love all the history in it, that I decided to keep it until Christmas and pass it along. I know her though, and she will love this book. Actually, I can’t imagine any girl that hasn’t already been consumed by the dark side of waif thin empty minded pop culture, to not like this book.

So, let me help you with your holiday shopping. Head on over to your local bookstore or be lazy like me, and click on over to Amazon. Go ahead and order a few of these books for the girls in you life and maybe one for a special girl scout leader, Awana, or other influential person in your girl’s life. It’s eco-friendly, safe and one of those books you can imagine holding on to and passing down to the next generation.

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