Customer Reviews

Sir John Hargrave's Mischief Maker's Manual

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm 24, but I'm really excited to bust out this book next time I'm playing with my 9 year old cousin. The gamut of material in this book is great. I think my cousin is going to be particularly excited about making smoke bombs and cooking up some of the recipes in the book.

I couldn't possibly write a review of this book without first comparing it to The Dangerous Book for Boys. It's in a similar fashion, but in my opinion, better executed. This book has a lot of material I would have LOVED to have when I was younger (actually... I'm still pretty excited about it now). I feel like The Dangerous Book for Boys only has about 30% of worthwhile content. Boys like to cause trouble. Simple as that, and this book helps to do so in a non-destructive way, which is ultimately the most important lesson.

From a publishing standpoint, this book is fantastic. The quality of the book overall is above and beyond just about any other book in its class. From the recipe inserts, to the illustrations on every page, to the size of the book overall, this book begs to be on any child's shelf or in their backpack for... "extra-curricular activities."

I don't have kids of my own, but I can immediately see the bonding that can be had from a book like this. I'm excited to get outside (now that the weather is nice again in New England) with my little cousin and start having fun. I play a fair share of video games, but he beats me hands down on hours logged, which I feel is just a shame when you're a young'un since there's so much trouble to cause in the world. Hopefully, he'll find that going out and causing some mischief is just way more fun than doing something similar in a video game. Plus, when it's time to go in at night, he can fill in all of his accomplishments on the accompanying website to the book.

If there's a young person in your life you're looking to bond with, or you're just immature (I'm both), then this is a must-buy.

SIR JOHN HARGRAVE'S MISCHIEF MAKING MANUAL is a fine example of clever writing for kids as well as great book design. Here's an example of the writing, from the introduction:

"Welcome, Young Prankster.
You have taken the first step in your training. Congratulations.
This is a big day in your life. You're about to learn everything from proper etiquette for Prank Phone Calls to usage of the classic Smoke Bomb. By studying the pages of M3, and memorizing its concepts, you'll be transformed from a novice prankster into a mighty overlord of mayhem. By the end of your training, you will be able to conjure forth a mighty mountain of suds, make frogs rain from the sky, and make people fart on command.

SIR JOHN HARGRAVE'S MISCHIEF MAKING MANUAL, or M3, is the ultimate handbook for pranks, practical jokes, stunts, tricks, and large-scale hoaxes."

This book is composed of 6 sections that will make kids beg their parents to buy it for them and adults want to buy it but not give it to their kids.

--The Basics--The Prankster's Code, How to Stay Out of Trouble, Looking Official

--Prank Moves--Classic Capers like The Apple-Pie Bed, Food Fun with a "Salt and Pepper Switcheroo, Bathroom Basics like Ketch-Up the Butt, and Sign Shenanigans

--Do-It-Yourself Gags--Startling Contraptions, Water Devices, Bodily Noises, Projectiles, Surprise Food,or Exploding Devices

--Experts Only--Pranks With Partners, Technology Tomfoolery, Publicizing Your Pranks, How To Hoax, Massive Mischief

--Trouble--Confession, Worst Likely Scenario, Crime and Punishment, The Five Levels of Trouble

--About M3--The Institute and Staff

I'm intrigued by the Erie Foaming Toilet Gag, in which the mischief maker converts a toilet into a giant volcano, using baking soda, vinegar, and an unsuspecting toilet flusher person. I wouldn't find it all that cool if my powder room toilet foamed volcanic, because my floor is carpeted, but I'd be okay if it were anyone else's toilet. I also liked the recipe for chocolate chip and tuna cookies. Yummy!

I said I like the writing. I also like the book design. It's sized perfectly for boys and girls to conceal and carry, weighty enough to feel important, and illustrated like crazy. There are even four color fold out illustrations. The cover's gold and brown colors are eye-catching and mature, and its embossed designs insist your inspect them closer.

I'd like to see parents and children reading SIR JOHN HARGRAVE'S MISCHIEF MAKING MANUAL together. Imagine the fun they'd have sneaking and snarking and making safe messes and--get this--learning about science.

This book is, hands-down, one of the best-designed guides for mischievous males to romp rambunctiously through their childhood (at least until the pain of punishment exceeds the fun of stunt). The easy-to-digest, bowel-time-friendly research that Sir John has practiced and perfected, possibly at great expense to his own adulthood, will give fathers new pause to stick up for their kids at the principal's office or in court. After all, Attorneys General in 13 states have declared it illegal, even unread. Get some!

The prank in its purest form is custom made for children's literature. Pranks are kids' ways of grifting and over the years pranksters have popped up in books for youth, though never as consistently as you might think. There was Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's "Boy/Girl Battle" series. There are the Weaseley brothers in the "Harry Potter" books. And, most impressive, there is "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks" by E. Lockhart. But none of these dissect the very nature of prankstership. For that, you need a book of non-fiction. For that, you need something like a "Mischief Maker's Manual." Systematic. Instructive. Utilizing the newest technology in its quest for silliness, this little number is bound to be a kid's best friend and, in spite of what it may say otherwise, many an authority figure's worst nightmare.

To prank, to really be a superb above average prankster, is not an on-again off-again proposition. It requires a level of dedication and commitment. A true love of a good joke and a practiced eye. Fortunately, no child has to go it alone anymore. Using the "Mischief Maker's Manual" kids will progress through various stages of prankatude. From mild antics like salt and pepper switcheroos to full-blown large-scale productions like faking an alien landing. Every possible component is listed from getting in trouble to utilizing a buddy system. An online component at also allows kids the chance to track their prank ranks and download the requisite badges.

I showed this to a colleague as I was reading it and he responded with, "Well. I mean, is there anything in there you couldn't find on the internet anyway?" I could have gotten stroppy, but it wasn't a bad point. Is there? Well, I'm sure that if you wanted to scout about and find every last little thing regarding pranking out there you could. But the whole lure of the book is that this information has been nicely compiled and there's even a kind of game or challenge element to it. It could have just been a list of various pranks. Instead, Hargrave has taken the time to challenge readers to participate. The interactive component sets it apart from the pack.

In the face of an inevitable parental outcry, however, Hargrave covers his tracks a bit. It's rather amusing to watch him try to reinforce good behavior through pranking. Some moments are more obvious than others. For example, at one point we are given a list of the "Greatest Schools for Pranking". Says he, "Make it your ambition to attend one of these exclusive, expensive colleges." So there you go, fellow librarians. Should you get a parent objecting to this title, merely point out to them that it presents a strong case for children to strive to go to Ivy League schools. Who could possibly object to that? Add in his calls for regular aerobic exercises ("If you stay in shape you can easily outrun them") and you've got yourself a title chock full of positive values.

And time and again, Hargrave drills home the essential rules of pranking that must be understood. The Prankster's Code is defined here as "Always be careful, don't be a bully, be creative, no lasting damage, excellence in pranking, and be funny." Things get a little sketchier when a kind of punishment comes into play. Advice that when doing prank phone calls you should only give out fake numbers "for places where you've received bad service," is strangely subjective. Ditto saying that you should leave fake vomit "anywhere it can be cleaned up quickly by people who are paid to do so." Sketchy morality at best. Alongside the Ivy League school bit, it's clear that this is a title for kids from a certain income bracket.

Okay. So, to be honest this book buoyed my spirits and then let me down hard. I forgive it mostly, but I'm still a little hurt. You see one of the things that attracted me to this title in the first place was the title. "M3: Sir John Hargrave's Mischief Maker's Manual." Not "The Boy's Guide to Mischief". Not "Mischief Making for Young Men". It was a great, straightforward, no-nonsense genderless title. I thought this was amazing. I mean, I loved practical jokes as a kid. And it would have completely disappointed me to learn that mischief is just for boy-type folks. I was all ready to award this book gold stars, kisses, and unqualified love... and then I opened it up. Ladies and gents, what you will find inside is a book that is directed solely and entirely at boys. Costumes include "the power suit" and "the paperboy". The images of pranking kids are always boys, girls usually being relegated to the roles of victim (deserving and otherwise). The dedicated female prankster will find little to serve her here and that hurt. Seemed a silly way to go too, since you could sell this book to much larger share of the marketplace if you simple conceded that gals like a good saran wrapped toilet too.

The real life examples are the real fun here, though. Things like the story of Charlie Todd who filled a Best Buy store with eighty people dressed like Best Buy employees. And for more recent pranks (like the fart application for the iPhone) the book may not mention them but its website most certainly does. I also appreciated how up-to-date everything here was. Granted, that means that much of this book will age within 2-3 years, but for now we can enjoy when the book shows us how to "Clear Private Data" from a Firefox web browser. Or how to purchase a dead frog off of the internet for that matter.

Subversive? You bet. I dunno how the illustrator got away with the image of a church marquee being changed from "BAKE SALE MONDAY" to "NAKED MALE BOYS" but it got in there. I'm sure that it would be easy to pass this little book by as yet another "The Dangerous Book for Boys" spin-off, but I think it has more merit and practical applications than that. There is some really good advice here! And sure, the creators messed up big-time when they made it an all-boys affair, but get around that fact (and I hope a bunch of girls do) and you've got something fun and one-of-a-kind on your hands. I guarantee that it's like nothing else out on your shelves today. Not perfect, but a strange kind of necessary. I like.

This is an ok book which gives solid theories and guidelines to pranking. However the only ideas in the book worth someone my age are in the back of the book and only a few.

My 9-year-old son and I had an awesome time reading through this book together (and pulling a few on his mom). From classic pranks (short-sheeting a bed) to modern mischief (Diet Coke and Mentos), this is a great reference manual for funny pranks. If only I had had this book as a kid, I would have been the envy of my friends.

I was impressed by the first section of the book, "The Prankster's Code," which lays out the rules to keep pranks safe and fun:

- Always Be Careful
- Don't Be a Bully
- Be Creative
- Don't Damage
- Excellence in Pranking
- Be Funny

The book is beautifully designed, and quite funny to read together. Recommended for both kids, and adults who wish they still were.

So my son loves this book, and I didn't think much of it, until he wanted to sign up for the website and I thought it was asking a little too much info, like for his name, date of birth, his email outside of my email... so I looked up this author. Found out he is the owner of [...], which come to find out, is actually mentioned ON THE BACK OF THE MISCHIEF MAKER'S MANUAL BOOK! This website is for ADULTS ONLY! There are lots of dirty, inappropiate jokes and videos, such as titled "the viagra prank", "the stripper counter-protest prank", "the top 6 topless pranks (probably not nsfw)" - PROBABLY NOT SAFE FOR WORK?!?! THEN WHY IS IT FEATURED ON A WEBSITE THAT IS MENTIONED ON THE BACK OF A "CHILDREN'S BOOK"?!?! If it's not "safe for work" than it's not safe for my 11-year-old son!!! Oh and the list goes on - it's unbelievable! I'm pretty amazed right now that this guy has pulled the wool over so many parent's eyes and they are none the wiser. It didn't take much research to find this stuff. I told my son he can still have the book but is not allowed on any of the related websites. The book itself seems harmless but the author is DEF not a "kid's" author, or if he is, he's in it for the wrong reasons.

As the title suggests, MISCHIEF MAKER'S MANUAL is a how-to guide for kids who like to cause a little mayhem. It includes set-up details (make a plan, find a partner, etc.) and step-by-step instructions for carrying out specific pranks. My favorite parts were the tales about actual pranks that people have pulled off. The book demonstrates how a successful prank can be a thing of beauty.

MISCHIEF MAKER'S MANUAL contains clever tidbits for not only the budding prankster, but anyone who is attracted to a life of crime. For instance, it explains that people whose appearance attracts attention will be suspects when any mischief occurs. Therefore, if you're about to pull a prank (or do anything else that you don't want to get busted for), it's a good idea to blend in. If you dress like a clean-cut member of the Young Republicans Club, no one will suspect you of wrongdoing. Who knows? If you're clean-cut enough, you might even accidentally get elected to Congress. And wouldn't that be an excellent prank?

The book offers information and ideas about a wide variety of pranks, gags, and hoaxes. You can learn where to buy fireworks, how to photocopy a giant picture of a butt, disgusting recipes like hot sauce-flavored tarts, and the art of making a catapult. There's also a web site for readers where they can find resources to help pull off pranks and register their progress toward becoming Master Mischief Makers.

I got a kick out of this book and took away a number of funny ideas from it. The part of my personality that includes a sense of humor thinks this is a terrific resource for kids. At the same time, I can't shake the concern that the MISCHIEF MAKER'S MANUAL provides plans for some questionable, if not downright illegal, activities. Yes, the book is careful to start with a code about what kinds of pranks one should avoid. There are similar warnings interspersed throughout the book, including the importance of not hurting animals or destroying property. At the end, it even lists possible consequences should a prankster get caught.

Still, I'm not wild about telling someone, "Don't do this. But here's how to do it, and it's hilarious!" For instance, ideas for prank phone calls are provided, including instructions for disabling caller I.D. so your victim doesn't know who you are. According to reports on the Internet (so the accuracy is questionable), some people claim they had been charged with harassment as a result of making annoying calls. Is it ridiculous for prank victims to get so worked up over a phone call? Maybe, but people get worked up over all sorts of odd things, and it's hard to predict what will set somebody off.

While I was reading this book, I went on a college visit to a school where I heard about a prank gone terribly wrong. Back in 2003, some students trampled crop circles into a plot of corn that was being grown by the university's agriculture department. The corn was growing in a little plot right in the middle of campus, and the prank made it look like aliens had left crop circles at a major university. The prank seemed to follow the rules set forth in the MISCHIEF MAKER'S MANUAL: No one got hurt, there was no permanent damage since the corn would grow back next year, it was funny and creative. But instead of giving everyone a good chuckle, the act was called "vandalism," police were called, and the culprits hunted down. It turned out that the plot of corn was a National Historic Landmark because it was the longest-term continuous corn plot in the world. Decades of research was jeopardized. No one chuckled.

The MISCHIEF MAKER'S MANUAL is an interesting, fun book that could be at the heart of many happy years of pranking mayhem. At the same time, the boring old lady part of me feels that readers must be careful about following its advice. Yes, the author warns against blatant acts of stupidity, but one person's harmless prank might be another person's felony. It seems there's a fine line between a hilarious, successful prank and an act of vandalism that could get you arrested or expelled or both. In other words, if you have any doubt whether a prank is safe or if it will go over well, then don't try it at home - or anywhere else, for that matter.

Reviewed by: K. Osborn Sullivan

This book was a fun read, and is sure to delight pranksters everywhere. With a stress on the need for pranksters to do no harm, this manual for mischief makers made this non-prankster laugh. Though I'm not sure I would give this book to my own teenager, it's the perfect gift for other people's kids, or for someone who still feeds the kid inside. Definitely a fun (and funny) reference book.

The description of this book was much funnier than the actual product. There were a couple of funny stories in it, but not tenough, and the tricks were all older than my grandmother's toes, and twice as corny (comment meant to indicate the level of humor in the book...)