By rea J Buchanan, Miriam Peskowitz
288 pages; Collins

Not that we're feeling competitive, but The Dangerous Book for Boys (a megahit with males of all ages) does seem a wee bit...exclusionary. Happily, The Daring Book for Girls (Collins), by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz, shows the women of the future—and their adventurous elders (us!)—everything from how to tie a sari to how to negotiate a salary and clues them in on the first rule of softball (never apologize unless you actually bop someone). Among the joys: nearly extinct games (like "Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board") that may have eluded you while you were busy with Barbies and boy toys.

— Cathleen Medwick