The Dangerous Book for Boys
Encyclopedia
The Dangerous Book for Boys, by Conn
and Hal Iggulden, is a guidebook
published by HarperCollins
, aimed at boys "from eight to eighty." It covers around eighty topics, including how to build a treehouse
, grow a crystal, or tell direction with a watch. Also included are famous quotes, stories, battles, and phrases that "every boy should know." It was published in the UK on 5 June 2006, and reached number one in the UK non-fiction charts several times, selling over half a million copies.
Conn Iggulden also published a book, Wolf of the Plains, about Genghis Khan
, which, along with The Dangerous Book for Boys, allowed Iggulden to be the first author to reach the number one spot in both the fiction and non-fiction charts.
Within the first week of its US publication on May 1, 2007, it reached number two on the Amazon.com bestselling book lists, being outsold only by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Other people who contributed to the success of the book include the editorial team at the time, which consisted of Katie Espiner and Clare Hey, and Helen Johnstone, who won the 2007 British Book Industry Award for best publicity campaign. Linde Hardaker did the typesetting, Richard Horne most of the illustrations (although only as black and white; the color was added later), and Lee Motley was involved with the cover. Matthew Benjamin was the editor of the subsequent U.S. edition, of which about a third of the content was altered from the original UK edition.
The Sharpe Company, Inc. of Manhattan Beach, CA is the licensing/promotions agent for The Dangerous Book for Boys in North America and Rocket Licensing handles licensing in the UK and Europe. Products soon available include a Dangerous Book for Boys board game from Hasbro as well as calendars, science and chemistry kits
, magic and illusion games and much more. The Times produced a series of free fold-up posters displaying extracts of the book which it ran for a week. There are some publicity materials floating around, which include badges used for the UK version of the website and samplers which were produced to give a taste of the book before publication. The Dangerous Pocket Book had its own publicity material which included three different postcards which featured individual face cards from the poker card section of the Pocket Book.
It also won various industry awards including the Stora Enso Design and Production Award at the British Book Industry Awards for the design and production team of Andrew Ashton
and Nicole Abel.
.
In June 2007, the Pocket Dangerous Book for Boys: Things to Do was published in the UK by HarperCollins. A small green book with gold lettering, it takes activities from the much larger Dangerous Book for Boys and makes them available in a much more portable format. There are a few new activities as well, such as the Bottle Rocket, and all the illustrations have been redone by two new illustrators (Andrew Ashton and Joy Gosney). Dangerous Book for Boys Yearbook came out in September 2007 in the UK, and has historical facts, seasonal activities and space to note your own adventures and with a blue cover with gold lettering. In June 2008, the Pocket Dangerous Book for Boys: Things to Know, was released and it has a yellow cover. US editions of these three will come out in summer/fall of 2008. Canadian edition of the book was released on October 20, 2008.
Also in 2007, an Australian edition of the book was published. It features Australian content such as Prime Ministers of Australia with pictures for each in color and the rules of Australian Rules Football
. Brazil
also published its own version also including national content, including a chapter on Monteiro Lobato
instead of Shakespeare. There is also a Portuguese edition.
A sequel targeted at girls, The Daring Book for Girls, was published in late October, 2007. It was written by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz.
The Dangerous Book for Boys has partnered with science kit publisher Thames & Kosmos
, which will release two kits licensed under The Dangerous Book for Boys in autumn 2009.
Conn Iggulden
Conn Iggulden is a British author who mainly writes historical fiction. He also co-authored The Dangerous Book for Boys.-Background:...
and Hal Iggulden, is a guidebook
GUIdebook
GUIdebook is a website that contains screenshots of computer software.It shows a visual history of the software's user interface. It includes operating systems like Mac OS and Windows, desktop environments like GNOME and KDE, portable operating systems like Newton OS and Windows CE, and...
published by HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
, aimed at boys "from eight to eighty." It covers around eighty topics, including how to build a treehouse
Treehouse
A treehouse, tree house, or treefort is a habitable structure built in trees. "Treehouse" may also refer to:*Tree House, Crawley, a listed 14th-century building in Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom; originally the manor house....
, grow a crystal, or tell direction with a watch. Also included are famous quotes, stories, battles, and phrases that "every boy should know." It was published in the UK on 5 June 2006, and reached number one in the UK non-fiction charts several times, selling over half a million copies.
Conn Iggulden also published a book, Wolf of the Plains, about Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
, which, along with The Dangerous Book for Boys, allowed Iggulden to be the first author to reach the number one spot in both the fiction and non-fiction charts.
Within the first week of its US publication on May 1, 2007, it reached number two on the Amazon.com bestselling book lists, being outsold only by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Other people who contributed to the success of the book include the editorial team at the time, which consisted of Katie Espiner and Clare Hey, and Helen Johnstone, who won the 2007 British Book Industry Award for best publicity campaign. Linde Hardaker did the typesetting, Richard Horne most of the illustrations (although only as black and white; the color was added later), and Lee Motley was involved with the cover. Matthew Benjamin was the editor of the subsequent U.S. edition, of which about a third of the content was altered from the original UK edition.
The Sharpe Company, Inc. of Manhattan Beach, CA is the licensing/promotions agent for The Dangerous Book for Boys in North America and Rocket Licensing handles licensing in the UK and Europe. Products soon available include a Dangerous Book for Boys board game from Hasbro as well as calendars, science and chemistry kits
Chemistry set
A chemistry set is an educational toy allowing the user to perform simple chemistry experiments. The best known such sets were produced by the A. C. Gilbert Company, an early and middle 20th century American manufacturer of educational toys...
, magic and illusion games and much more. The Times produced a series of free fold-up posters displaying extracts of the book which it ran for a week. There are some publicity materials floating around, which include badges used for the UK version of the website and samplers which were produced to give a taste of the book before publication. The Dangerous Pocket Book had its own publicity material which included three different postcards which featured individual face cards from the poker card section of the Pocket Book.
Reception
Some reviewers have criticized it for encouraging its young readers to injure themselves, although there is a liability warning below the copyright information, but others have praised it for helping to counter the "PlayStation Culture".Awards and nominations
- 2007: Book of the Year award at the 2007 Galaxy British Book AwardsBritish Book AwardsThe Galaxy National Book Awards are a series of British literary awards focused on the best UK writers and their works, as selected by an academy of members from the British book publishing industry...
, the Nibbies,
It also won various industry awards including the Stora Enso Design and Production Award at the British Book Industry Awards for the design and production team of Andrew Ashton
Andrew Ashton
Andrew Ashton is a book designer and illustrator. He is a Philosophy graduate and joined Mensa International in 1992. He began his career in publishing at Kogan Page, the leading UK independent business publisher, in the early nineties. At the turn of the 21st century he moved to HarperCollins...
and Nicole Abel.
Editions
The original edition of this book has a cover based on the cover of the Boy's Own PaperBoy's Own Paper
The Boy's Own Paper was a British story paper aimed at young and teenage boys, published from 1879 to 1967.-Publishing history:The idea for the publication was first raised in 1878 by the Religious Tract Society as a means to encourage younger children to read and also instil Christian morals...
.
In June 2007, the Pocket Dangerous Book for Boys: Things to Do was published in the UK by HarperCollins. A small green book with gold lettering, it takes activities from the much larger Dangerous Book for Boys and makes them available in a much more portable format. There are a few new activities as well, such as the Bottle Rocket, and all the illustrations have been redone by two new illustrators (Andrew Ashton and Joy Gosney). Dangerous Book for Boys Yearbook came out in September 2007 in the UK, and has historical facts, seasonal activities and space to note your own adventures and with a blue cover with gold lettering. In June 2008, the Pocket Dangerous Book for Boys: Things to Know, was released and it has a yellow cover. US editions of these three will come out in summer/fall of 2008. Canadian edition of the book was released on October 20, 2008.
Also in 2007, an Australian edition of the book was published. It features Australian content such as Prime Ministers of Australia with pictures for each in color and the rules of Australian Rules Football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
. Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
also published its own version also including national content, including a chapter on Monteiro Lobato
Monteiro Lobato
José Bento Renato Monteiro Lobato was one of Brazil's most influential writers, mostly for his children's books set in the fictional Sítio do Picapau Amarelo but he had been previously a prolific writer of fiction, a translator and an art critic...
instead of Shakespeare. There is also a Portuguese edition.
A sequel targeted at girls, The Daring Book for Girls, was published in late October, 2007. It was written by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz.
The Dangerous Book for Boys has partnered with science kit publisher Thames & Kosmos
Thames & Kosmos
Thames & Kosmos is a publisher of over 60 science kits for kids of all ages, which cover topics such as biology, physics, astronomy, and alternative energy. It places an emphasis on teaching real-world issues and practical skills through hands-on experimentation and comprehensive reading materials...
, which will release two kits licensed under The Dangerous Book for Boys in autumn 2009.
Similar books
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