Danger! A Book for Boys.

UPDATED: That's right, there's yet another giveaway. Check it out below.

I've almost positive I've never been described as dangerous. Even when I spent my formative years on a ranch in Texas...outside with boy cousins and my very outdoorsy brother, covered in mud, collecting cool bugs, fishing things, shooting things, barefoot with skinned knees and lightening bugs. We ran as a pack, and the fact that I was a girl never occurred to any of us to make a bit of difference. But still. I've always thought being wild, free, and outdoors was my nurture, but maybe not my nature.

So as things go and because that was approximatly 17 lives ago, I'm not really that adventurous, outdoorsy type anymore. Kind of like when Peter Pan grows up to be Robin Williams as a lawyer. Only with less law and more martinis.

And then I had a little boy.

And the adventure began again.

Because my little boy would rather be outside than look at you. In fact, the first thing he does each morning is moan, very sleepily get out of bed, aimlessly and shoelessly patter around, slowly realize he's awake and (gasp!) inside, and bang on the back door with the intensity of an inmate to please for the love of God be let out. This entire process, from bed to backyard, takes approximatly 45 seconds to complete.

Because he's athletic, he's adventurous, he's mechanical, he's outdoorsy, and he's stereotypically all boy.

And I'm the opposite. Plus, I'm downright bookish.

So thank the goodness there's a book to help me.

The Dangerous Book for Boys
by Gonn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden

The Parent Bloggers Network sent it for me to review, and I honestly can not give this book enough praise. It's so chock full of goodness, I don't know where to start. Except at the begining with a quote from Sir Frederick Treves.

"Be loyal. Be kind. Remember that the hardest thing to acquire is the faculty of being unselfish. As a quality, it is one of the finest attirbutes of manliness."

Then the authors start.

"In this age of video games and cell phones, there must still be a place for knots, treehouses, and stories of incredible courage."

And they keep going.

With extraordinary stories of courage and determination. And tips on Morse code. How to make crystals. The rules of rugby. History lessons on famous battles. First aid. Navigation. Coin tricks. Commom trees. Timers and tripwires. Juggling. Cloud formations. Girls. Even understanding grammar, sampling Shakespeare, and poems every boy should know (and they aren't limericks). Awesome!

So, right. That makes sense. Being a boy isn't just about being outside, it's about being excellent.

And being adventurous has nothing to do with extreme sports or coordination. It's about the learning, the growing, and the discovering. I'd forgotten. In my air conditioned, wifi world, where adventure happens on a TV island, I'd forgotten.

Now if the book just had something on how to go on slides without tearing your suit pants.

Because obviously I need this book too. I have a lot to learn. And I have a lot to remember. There are so many reasons that I'm thankful I've been blessed with a little boy in my life. And learning how to discover outside again is one of them.

So Here's What I Really Thought: I love this book. I'm not kidding. The content is amazing. The binding is beautiful. It's smart. It's brilliant. In fact, I honestly think it's a must have for anyone who is a boy, who is dating a boy, is married to a boy, or knows a boy. It's also the most fantastic birthday present for boys of all ages. I just took a copy to a 37-year-old birthday party, and it was a huge hit. You absolutely should look into this book. You will not be disappointed.

In fact, I think this book is so great that I firmly believe someone needs to win one. So leave a comment here, and the Hurricane will draw. Comments will be open until 10 p.m. PST on Monday, May 21. You seriously better hope you win. Or, if you want to be sure you get your hands on a copy of this book, you can buy one here.

OR. Here's an update. Visit Parent Bloggers Network and share your own childhood memories in the comments and you’ll be entered to win a Vector 22 Two-Man Tent from The North Face! Winner to be announced in our Round-Up Review on May 22.

Update: Marenmadsen, you won! Email me.