There are several of these books in various formats by the author and I am not sure whether it is the publisher or the author who is cashing in on a good thing. Having said that they are the sort of book that appeals to boy from seven to seventy with a wealth of vital information it would be impossible for a young boy to live without and must be kept away from sisters and other females on pain of death. It is the type of book that William Brown (Just William) and his gang would have had hidden under the bed, or under a pile of dry leaves in the den. It is full of vital information, stories of incredible courage, acts of bravery, the best places to capture your very own pirate. How to make a camera, even information about girls. There is information about dinosaurs, fishing (an essential pastime), even how to make crystals. All the things a young man needs to know about. If you once owned a penknife with a special tool to take stones out of horses hooves, then this book is essential for you. And if you didn't well read it anyway, you will have lots of fun doing so.