Pocket Guide to Games - Softcover

"Learn the official rules to more than 90 classics"

"This pocket-sized compendium is a thoroughly 'user friendly' compendium of games for all occasions and circumstances and especially recommended as a school physical education curriculum supplement as well as personal and family gaming reference library collections."

"This small guidebook can slip into your pocket and be just the reference you need when it is time to play at all manner of gatherings. The games that author Bart King features are all introduced with a description of the number of players needed and amount of space required before going on to tell how the game is played."

"Pick up 'The Pocket Guide to Games, ' by Bart King. This new book coaxes readers away from TV and computer screens and outside to enjoy the summer. "Good Morning America" tried horseshoes, bocce balls and popcorn bowling. What's popcorn bowling? This game requires taking ten empty soda bottles, filling them with unpopped popcorn kernels, lining them up like bowling pins and knocking them down!"

Bart King is my new hero. On the surface, his books might look like they're getting by on being similar to the ubiquitous Dangerous Book for Boys. King's pocket guides--with illustrations of paper airplanes, Chuck Taylors, and a slingshot on their covers--do cash in on that kind of scrappy retro charm. But these books are something entirely different.

These books are hilarious. And informative--if you want to know how to get the best of your nemesis or play toilet tag. What makes these special is not only that they're well-written, well-designed, and funny, but also that they present information that is actually new and actually useful (again, useful to the sorts of people who like to play toilet tag).

A few tantalizing sample tastes: From The Pocket Guide to Mischief: "You'll need some cream cheese. First, roll the deodorant out maybe half an inch . . ." From The Pocket Guide to Games: "Fill several balloons with water, and hang one from a tree . . ." From The Pocket Guide to Boy Stuff: "Here are two hand-grenade designs that you can use that won't start a fire . . ."

If these don't seem gender-neutral enough, and you have a daughter who is into this kind of thing, rest assured that Bart King also has girl versions: The Big Book of Girl Stuff gracefully and barely touches on puberty, but includes plenty of pranks, code names, and hijinx for kids who like bright pink more than baseballs on the covers of their books.

Should someone you know be interested, visit the author's web site: www.bartking.net. It includes video clips illustrating some of the guides' proposed activities!--Katy Killilea"Kidoinfo" (04/22/2009)

The seventy-five games in this book revive the tradition of game playing without computers, joy sticks, boards, or game pieces. All you need for these games can be purchased at the local super center, big box, or hardware store. With tools such as balls, bean bags, broomsticks or canes, and ropes, parents and teachers can organize dozens of hours of fun and challenging activities for parties, summer camps, neighborhood gatherings, and school groups. For all ages, from elementary children to grandparents.