The Sneaky Book for Boys & Girls by Cy Tymony
Reviewed by: Chris Singer
About the author:
Cy Tymony has created his homemade inventions since he was a kid. His imagination and innovative way at looking at the world continues today as a technical writer and computer network specialist in the Los Angeles area. He has appeared on CNN and NPR, and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times and U.S. News & World Report.
About the books:
Cy Tymony's Sneaky Book for Boys: This clever book provides complete how-to instructions and diagrams for sneaky gadgets, survival skills, magic tricks, communication codes, and science projects. It also explores sneaky animals and insects and recycling and conservation techniques.
Specifically, sneaksters will learn about crows that crack their nuts using car tires; how to perform magic tricks with algebra; how to construct a compass and sneaky intercom; how to escape a grasp, safely start a fire (six different ways!), gather water in an emergency, and much more.
Cy Tymony's The Sneaky Book for Girls: In addition to profiles of more than a dozen famous women, this clever book also provides complete how-to instructions, along with diagrams for sneaky gadgets, survival skills, magic tricks, communication codes, science and crafting projects, as well as recycling and conservation techniques.
My take on the books:
While growing up, MacGyver was one of my favorite shows. I loved how he would come up with some amazing gadget with just a few materials on-hand to get himself out of a jam. My brother and I would play MacGyver as kids too using our Legos to make some sort of contraption to get us out of our "pretend" trouble.
I can only imagine how cool things could have been if I had Cy Tymony's Sneaky Books as a kid. These are simply incredible! There are all sorts of really fun activities for kids, and the best part may just be that as dads we can join in on the fun as well!
Each book is broken up into sections based on the type of activities. In the Sneaky Book For Boys, sections include:
* Sneaky Tricks - Examples include: Sneaky Break String without Scissors, Levitating Art Figures and How To Escape A Grasp
* Sneaky Science Projects - Examples include: Sneaky Origami, Sneaky Frisbee from Paper and Make Wire and Batteries in a Pinch
* Sneaky Resourcefulness - Examples include: Emergency Signaling, Sneaky Walkie-Talkies and Craft a Compass
* Sneaky Animals and Humans
In the Sneaky Book for Girls, sections include:
* Spy Girl - Examples include: Detect Counterfeit Currency, Sneaky Copier and Hide and Sneak
* Fly Girl - Examples include: Eye to the Sky, Sneaky Mini-Boomerang, How Planes Fly
* Danger Girl - Examples include: Simple Door or Drawer Alarm, Direction-Finding Methods and Sneaky Memory Tricks
* Crafty Girl - Examples include: Sneaky Cell Phone Tricks, Sneaky Greeting Cards and Sneaky Bubble Maker
* Magic Girl - Examples include: Step Through a Postcard, Soap-Powered Fish and Hand-Powered Fan
I'm especially excited about this book because of the impact I can see it having on girls. For one thing, the activities make science accessible and fun for girls (boys as well, of course). My daughter is too young right now, but I really look forward to the opportunity to doing some of these activities in the book. Tymony also has a chapter of a nice list of science and technology resources including grants, scholarships, inventions, science fairs and more.
If you're looking for a book to spark some creativity and also for a book in which dads can participate together with their kids, this would make an excellent addition to your home library and an awesome gift for the holiday season as well.
Great books to stimulate young minds. Future inventors...