Boys Only: How to Survive Almost Anything

by Martin Oliver

New graphic novels from the team that brought you the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling Best at Everything series!

Unlike those other books for boys that are a little too dangerous, BOYS ONLY: HOW TO SURVIVE ANYTHING is the perfect guide. In addition to the mix of humor and helpfulness, the fresh graphic style of art makes this book stand out from all the others. With practical, funny, and sometimes ridiculous how-tos (like how to escape quicksand, navigate using only the stars, and avoid being eaten by a polar bear) boys are going to love getting prepared for just about anything!

Genres: Graphic Novels Comics, Graphic Novels

64 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

Martin Oliver lives in the United Kingdom.

Reviews

[Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight]

I was randomly thinking about this book. I read it (and the girl's version, more on that later) back in middle school. A lot of this stuff has actually stayed with me - I still remember that you need water or you will only survive 2.5 days. (Is that accurate? I don't know; that's what the book said.)

But these books are so freaking sexist. The girls version is "how to make friends at a party, how to paint your nails, how to do your hair." The boys version is "how to survive in the desert, how to outsmart a mountain lion, how to survive on a rowboat in the ocean."

I distinctly remember telling my mom that I was glad I read both of these books because I wouldn't have known how to do the actually useful stuff in a real situation. And hey, couldn't both of these concepts apply to boys and girls? Girls need to know what to do when they get lost. Boys need to know how to talk to people when they don't know anyone at a party.

This book has useful tips. So does the girl version. But really, if you want to make a "beauty tips" book, make a beauty tips book. If you want to make a survival book, make a survival book. How to tie a tourniquet should not be gendered.

[W]

I came across this and its corresponding book for girls in the non-fiction section. According to the covers, they should be mirror images of each other, right? Both girls and boys doing awesome things. Maybe some school survival stuff. Mostly non-school-related survival stuff. But the contents of the book were quite a different story.

According to these books, here are things boys can survive:
-a shark attack
-a plane crash
-an earthquake
-whitewater rapids
-a swarm of bees

And here are things girls can survive:
-a bff fight
-tests
-shyness
-a fashion disaster
-truth or dare

To be fair, both books have a chapter on surviving zombie attacks (although upon closer inspection, the boys' book suggests hitting them with baseball bats, while the girls' book encourages running away). But what is the point of these matching books? That girls shouldn't (or couldn't) know how to survive disaster situations? That boys don't have to learn social skills or know how to pass a test? This baffles me.

[Only One]

Funny and informative!

[Lord Pyron]

I read this comic back in 2015
It was perfect

[Jennifer Miera]

My son, Cedar, liked this. He's into survival.