The Girls’ Guide to Conquering Life by Erica & Jonathan Catherman Book Review

There's a lot a girl needs to know as she grows up and makes her way in the world. Having a reference guide of practical how-to life skills and character traits can empower her to become a confident and capable woman. Coauthors Erica and Jonathan Catherman offer this collection of step-by-step instructions on 100 things girls need to succeed, including how to

- introduce yourself
- change a flat tire
- respectfully break up with a guy
- leave a tip
- apply for a job
- ask for a promotion
- behave during a police stop
- create a personal budget
- calculate square footage
- wash your face
- clear a clogged drain
- iron a shirt
- wear a scarf
- shoot a basketball
- sharpen kitchen knives
- and much more

In fact, if it's in here, it's an important skill or character trait practiced by capable and confident women. With great illustrations and sidebars of advice from world-class experts, this all-in-one reference tool for young women in the making is the perfect gift for birthdays, graduations, or any occasion.

My Thoughts:

The title of this book intrigued me. I have a special needs daughter who is 15 and I work aside her a lot on many different skills. My first thought was that this would be a great book for her since she tends to forget skills that she has learned often.

The purpose of this book according to the authors (paraphrased) is to create strong, confident, and capable woman who with the tools of real life applications to help them succeed in life.

There are ten main topics which are then broken down in different subtopics.

Guys & Dating
Social Skills & Manners
Work & Ethics
Wealth & Money Management
Health & Beauty
Clothes & Fashion
Sports & Recreation
Cars & Driving
Food & Cooking
Tools & Fix-It

With over a hundred skills in this book it covers a variety of topics. Some skills I thought were great others, not so great.  

It has the same lay out on each topics covered. Some pages have black and white pictures of the “How To.”

Each main topic starts out with a page or two of advice, tips, and encouragement. The title of the “How To” is clearly listed in bold at the top of the page. Underneath it list exactly what you need to accomplish the task. It also tells you the time needed to accomplish the task. It’s broken down clearly by steps with a squiggly line between each step. Some have gray boxes at the end for tips, “Caution”, “Wise Woman”, “Fact or Fiction”, “Did you Know?”, “Helpful Hints”, “More Info”, and other added advice.

For the age intended for this book, I’m not sure as some of the topics would be great for younger teenagers, some for older teens, and young girls who are on their own for the first time. Maybe it’s a book to grow with you.

Some skills I really appreciated in this book. Like the section on Work & Ethics and Money Management have some basic information to review over. The Clothes and Fashion covers things like: how to wear a scarf, how to sew on a button, how to treat a stain, and even how to shop for a bra. That’s not a simple task to shop for a bra.

There is also a section for Cars and Driving with some basics for changing a tire, how to behave in an auto accident, or if you get pulled over by a police officer, and how to jump start a dead battery are some of the topics.

Foods and Cooking I felt was excellent along with some of the information in Sports & Recreation. The Tools & Fix-it section I could have used with my father dying when I was young.

Some parts seemed like topics that should have been taught already. Health and Beauty covers things like how to wash your hair, how to freshen bad breath, how to apply perfume, and how to wash your hands. Really, we need to be taught those skills. Is this generation that ignorant that they need those skills taught to them? Maybe the authors found out with some kind of research that kids don’t know how to care for the basics like that. Sigh.

I thought the dating part was a bit cheesy. They made chivalry sound ancient. I don’t want my daughter asking a boy out for date. I would prefer that the dating section not even be put in there. I think it’s up to the parents to talk about this. Granted I realize that may not always be the case.  Where was God in this book? That should be the foundation in dating?  Money management should include tithing? A few other topics in some of the areas just made it feel like we are really a society that is dumbed down. Like one step said, “take the lid off the perfume bottle.” Sigh, are we really that ignorant.

I would have loved to see some topics covered like internet safety; meeting people on line and what to do if you want to meet them in person, buying things online, not giving out to much personal information, social media etiquette, bullying, and some other topics. Most of all I expected this to have a Christian foundation. I mean the book wasn’t promoting sin and such.

Would I recommend this book? It had some good basic information but, it just didn’t hit me as something I would want to give to my daughter because of the negatives I mentioned. If it wasn’t for some sections I would have loved it and could have handled the small things like taking a lid off of something.

I received a free copy of this product from Revell in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this information accordance with the FTC Regulations.