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5 Minutes for Books — The Daring Book for Girls

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We interrupt this lavish Christmas Giveaway to tell you about a great book, but keeping with the theme, we do have three copies to give away, and this book would make a great gift for any girl in your life between the ages of eight and fifteen.

I like to give books for gifts (and I like to receive books too), but unless a person is a real book lover, I think that a book given as a gift should be special in some way. One thing that makes a book special is its size–big (288 pages, 9 inches by 7 inches) and a cover that sparkles wouldn’t hurt either. The Daring Book for Girls fits the bill on both counts. Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz have written a book full of interesting stories, profiles, activities and essential skills and even a list of “books that will change your life” (since I like to buy and receive books, I’m a sucker for book lists).

daring-book-for-girls.jpgThis book will bring back fond memories for moms as well, which is sure to spark connecting conversations** between mom and daughter. I know that when I saw the instructions for making a sit-upon, it brought me back to my days in Girl Scouts when I was the same age my daughter is now. The authors explain the generation gap in the introduction: “We were girls before the Web, cell phones, or even voice mail. More often than not, we did daring things like walk to school by ourselves. Babysit when we were still young enough to be babysat ourselves. Spent hours on our own, playing hopscotch or tetherball, or turning our suburban neighborhood into the perfect setting for covert ops and impromptu ball games.” They also express concern that in addition to being cooler “girlhood today has become high-pressured and competitive, and girls are inducted into grownup-hood before their time.” The Daring Book for Girls is a “book of possibilities and ideas for filling a day with adventure, imagination — and fun, if you dare.”

If you’d like to win one of three copies (that can ship to the U.S. or Canada), please leave a comment here.

**Speaking of sparking conversations, Mary DeMuth, author of Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God— which I’ve given many many times as a gift (full review here)–has a pdf download available of 150 conversation starters for families. You can see a sample and buy it for $5 at her site. These questions range from spiritual to thoughtful to silly and are appropriate for early grade school through the teen years.

Congratulations to the winners of last week’s books on surviving the teen years:

The Teen Whisperer
#63, Kris

My Life Unscripted
#50, Shaun Wellner
#5, Beth at Sportsmomma

What Your Daughter Isn’t Telling You
#27 DeafMom

Reader Interactions


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169 Comments

  6. Just the other day my two daughters and I were discussing the things they did while growing up. It is so different for my grandchildren. This would be nice for my daughter expecting her second daughter.

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  11. I’ve seen this book but was unable to get one for my daughter. I would LOVE to win this and give it to her for Christmas!

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  26. This sounds like a wonderful book and we could really use one in our house (my daughter has been looking through her brother’s Dangerous Book for Boys).

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  28. I love, love, LOVE this book! I peek in it every time I go to Costco, but have yet to buy it!!!

    Thanks so much!
    Jenn

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  29. I have 2 girls & have been trying so hard to win this book! I have it on my wish list, but wining would be even better 🙂

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  31. I’ve already purchased this amazing book for myself and my three daughters, but would love to win one to give my sister and my nieces for Christmas. Instructions on how to make a Cootie Catcher were worth the price of the book to me.

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  35. I am dying to read this book! (oops I meant share it with my daughter) Thanks for the chance and good luck to everyone participating!

    Lib
    notmuchmorethanthis [at] gmail [dot] com

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  63. My daughter would appreciate this. I don’t know that my wife would bond over much in this based on the descriptions as she had a different sort of childhood, but I can definitely see them having some fun with this together.

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  80. I have been drooling over this book, and can’t wait to give it to my daughter! It would be awesome to win one! 🙂

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  81. I have heard of this book! If my sweet daughter is going to keep up with her daredevil older brother, she might need this. 😉

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  92. I heard about this book recently. We have the Dangerous Book for Boys. We definitely need this one to complete our collection!

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  94. Hi, Please enter me in the contest for this book. I have a niece I would love to give the book to. Thanks, Cindi

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  101. I’ve seen this book and think it’s great! I’d love to own a copy for my own girls (or give it to my niece for Christmas, I’m not sure which, but I’ll decide if win!) 🙂

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  103. Thank you for the book review!

    On another note, I just received my first Meme “tag” I don’t know if you ladies ever participate in Meme’s, but if you do and you’re up to it, I’m tagging you. 🙂 Head over to my site to see what it’s about, if you feel like playing. 🙂

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  111. We purchased The Dangerous Book for Boys earlier this year for our 2 sons and we have thoroughly enjoyed reading it with them. We have also watched them each pick it up to study topics of interest to them. I heard that The Daring Book for Girls was written with the same concept in mind. I would love to have a copy for my niece!

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  128. I would love this book. It will be a great book to pass around my family too. We are a large family of girls. Only 3 boys born in 2 generations!

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  134. I would truly enjoy giving this book to one of my daughters for Christmas. My daughter Christine is now a teenager. When she was two, she had kidney cancer. She is a true inspiration to me.

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  141. I know this would be a perfect gift for my four nieces (and maybe me when I have my girl someday!)

    Steph

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  153. I’ve been eyeing this book since its release. With six daughters this book would be well loved and well used at our house!

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  155. Oh, this book would be a wonderful addition to my oldest daughter’s book collection! Please count me in…I would be reading it too!!
    ~Lana B.~

    Reply