The amazing Martha Greene has done it again! Her books and cooking kits for girls have been among our best sellers, and now she has written a terrific primer for boys. This book gives clear, practical instruction and directions for a multitude of "guy things" that modern dads may not know how to teach.
Topics include:
1. Learning to cook. Even young men should know their way around the kitchen, and Martha has provided an excellent overview of basic kitchen skills along with a variety of boy-friendly recipes.
2. Gentlemanly manners. Well mannered young men seem to be a dying breed in our culture, but this will help you and your husband teach your male savages how to behave appropriately at home and away from home.
3. First aid. You never know when you might need to be a hero, and this book will equip your boys with essential first aid and safety skills, including handling dangerous weather situations.
4. Handyman skills. From doing laundry to basic plumbing to home maintenance skills, this is a chapter every boy needs to master. My boys are always oh-so-proud when they can fix something for Mommy!
5. Wood working. This chapter includes basic how-to's and also includes detailed directions for projects as simple as a birdhouse or as complex as a full-size log cabin. My boys have played in the log cabin that Martha's boys built and they are QUITE eager to use this book to help them build their own! (Tip: If you are giving this book as a gift, consider including a Lowe's or Home Depot gift card so your fella can go right out and buy some wood or tools!)
6. Gardening. This covers basic gardening, growing produce for money, and even building a split-rail fence around the garden.
7. Outdoor adventures. This chapter covers some really exciting and appealing skills such as camping, fishing, knot tying, and even gun safety.
8. Basic money management. Book keeping, budgeting, wise stewardship, and more are covered here.
If you have a boy in your home, you will want this book! You could hand it to an older boy and let him pick and choose projects at will, or you or your husband could work through it in a more deliberate way. It is also valuable as a reference book and it would make a fantastic gift.
