Bored kids will find plenty of reasons to pry themselves off the couch with a handful of new titles. A compendium of non-P.C. games and facts, The Big Book of Boy Stuff by Bart King wants boys to be boys. Genuinely funny, King covers gliders (how to make them), a q&a about girls, tips for dealing with bullies, ideas for outdoor activities and much more, interspersed with jokes and asides. On finding wild animals while camping: "You cannot expect them to behave like a dog or a cat, even if the bear seems friendly or if the chipmunk is really cute." (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Gr 4-8-This is a very uneven book, with some sections highly creative, informative, and fun and others almost insulting to youngsters (in one paragraph on how to make noises the author states, "being able to make a farting or bombing sound is very important to your career as a boy"). King begins by chastising those readers who might be looking for political correctness and warns that this title will be gross at times but suggests that he is offering what boys really want. Alphabetically arranged chapters range from "Dumb Directions on Products" to "Girls, Bullies and Parties," to "Man Food for Manhood!" (Spamburgers, crapola cookies, etc.), and include activities, jokes, and a few facts. The author points out that boys should really know how to use the kitchen and provides first-date advice. Unfortunately, his tone is so casual that the good suggestions he presents are likely to be lost in the silliness and the "boys will be boys" approach. The long list of reading recommendations gives no indication of age appropriateness.-Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.