What do you think?
Rate this book
The Secret Art of Being a Grown-Up: Tips, Tricks, and Perks No One Thought to Tell You
Hello, grown-ups of all ages! Eclectic, bite-sized bursts of advice meet quirky illustrations in this playful guide to feeling like the grown-up we all wanted to be as a kid. From thoughts on the best way to open a champagne bottle to a short list of the kitchen tools you actually need, these tips and tricks reveal secrets that are attainable, not intimidating. Anyone can make a life upgrade using these insights alongside the traits they already have—their wits, creativity, and enthusiasm. This engaging guide is the perfect gift for recent grads, first-apartment dwellers, and anyone who's ready to grow up, one step at a time.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2017
17 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
July 18, 2024
Het was best een grappig boekje om door te bladeren, maar als dit echt alles is wat ik moet weten voor het volwassen leven, dan ben ik nu al extreem volwassen 😂
1,5 ⭐️
1,5 ⭐️
August 11, 2017
Super cute quick read full of little things adults should remind themselves of often.
March 3, 2018
Guess who was bored in a store! The Secret Art of Bring a Grown-Up might be a cute book to give a teenager who is moving out. It gives a lot of general advice about being an adult that most people figure out quite quickly, but it's got a nice design?
January 21, 2022
Such a quick book to read but a thoughtful and wise book filled with great advice and tips for living. I knew quite a bit of it but I loved reading it and I learnt something about tin foil.
Recommended to me by my mate Ben Reay. Thanks man!
Recommended to me by my mate Ben Reay. Thanks man!
June 20, 2019
Read this whole book in a book shop. It was delightful. A nice graduation gift.
January 20, 2022
This covers like 90% of self help books and life hack guide all in one easily digestible portion
July 16, 2018
Bought this book for a young friend who just graduated high school. Read it before giving to make sure it isn't horrible or part of the right-wing agenda. It isn't! Rather it is a quick read with fun and practical advise like there are tabs on the end of the tin foil box and when you push them in the roll won't fall out. (I never knew this!)
The first four pages are a little condescending and unnecessary. Skip those.
The first four pages are a little condescending and unnecessary. Skip those.
June 16, 2017
I feel like this would be a cute book to gift anyone who is newly on their own. It's more encouraging than informative though. I read it pretty quickly, it's full of fun art, graphs, charts, and sayings.
May 31, 2017
This book is a comfort and an easy read - like literally, less than an hour. It seems to have a lot of good advice that would work for people with anxiety about grown-up type things. It's also reassuring in a pleasant way, but I doubt that the one-pager graphics will stick with me, simply because there were so many random tidbits of advice in them. I did learn that you should turn a champagne bottle, rather than the cork, when opening it. I might remember that.
June 1, 2017
Maybe I'm the only one who just finds this book to be mostly common sense? If it works and truly helps others who read it, that's great. I'm all for that, but for me, this was a hard miss.
The large font, lack of text, repetition, and overall not much meaningful advice was what made this an easy 1 star, unfortunately.
The large font, lack of text, repetition, and overall not much meaningful advice was what made this an easy 1 star, unfortunately.
March 2, 2021
I wish someone gave me this book when I graduate from high school or college. Tho at my age, there are a few tips & trick I could still pull out of this book!
June 11, 2021
Review by Dani for Olympics readathon (prompt Demeter):
I got this book as a present from my aunt when I graduated and read it only now, two years after getting it (whoops).
Overall fast, fun and cute book to give someone as a present, especially when the person is graduating. The books holds a lot encouragement, colorful graphs and little sayings which make reading this book really fast. There are also pages with little sayings that some people ought to be reminded of (like the passage about loving yourself and doing things you enjoy).
After two years of living on my own however this book doesn’t contain that much information I hadn’t already figured out. I’d recommend this book as a present for someone graduating because it really makes a cute present and I was happy upon receiving it. Of course it might be great for other people too but not necessarily everyone.
I got this book as a present from my aunt when I graduated and read it only now, two years after getting it (whoops).
Overall fast, fun and cute book to give someone as a present, especially when the person is graduating. The books holds a lot encouragement, colorful graphs and little sayings which make reading this book really fast. There are also pages with little sayings that some people ought to be reminded of (like the passage about loving yourself and doing things you enjoy).
After two years of living on my own however this book doesn’t contain that much information I hadn’t already figured out. I’d recommend this book as a present for someone graduating because it really makes a cute present and I was happy upon receiving it. Of course it might be great for other people too but not necessarily everyone.
December 31, 2017
REALLY not as condescending as it sounds although i'm still a little offended that someone gave this to me. but like a lot of these are things I've learned in the last year or so and i was like YEAH THAT'S SO TRU
example 1. dryer sheets. my friend was like "oh i can't do laundry i don't have any dryer sheets" i was like ??? you don't... need them. i don't use them. and she was like how???? but now i might try them bc i'm always down for softer and less static-y clothing
example 2. going into a fancy hotel just to use the bathroom. i have not done this. i HAVE gone into a fancy theatre just to use the bathroom, and it was great and i'm always doing it from now on
example 1. dryer sheets. my friend was like "oh i can't do laundry i don't have any dryer sheets" i was like ??? you don't... need them. i don't use them. and she was like how???? but now i might try them bc i'm always down for softer and less static-y clothing
example 2. going into a fancy hotel just to use the bathroom. i have not done this. i HAVE gone into a fancy theatre just to use the bathroom, and it was great and i'm always doing it from now on
April 19, 2018
I read this book and was delighted to discover it contained really useful and intelligent advice. it was my intention to use it as a graduation present, but it is so thoughtful and wise, I am going to be giving it to much older people. Being older, being adults, does not necessarily qualify us as grownup.
This charming read includes topics as wide ranging as giving dinner parties,paying bills, and how to do a perfect high five (I was happy to learn that one)
I believe this contains at least one or two pieces of advice any adult could use. I have now ordered several more, so I can still give it as a graduation present.
This charming read includes topics as wide ranging as giving dinner parties,paying bills, and how to do a perfect high five (I was happy to learn that one)
I believe this contains at least one or two pieces of advice any adult could use. I have now ordered several more, so I can still give it as a graduation present.
April 13, 2021
Oh, how I wish this information had been given to me when I graduated high school, or turned 18 or 21 or got engaged or married! I picked this up as a gift for my son who turned 21 today. He's on the Autism Spectrum and has Pervasive Developmental Delay. This book and the way it is put together should be really helpful for him as he strives to be more independent. I really think he'll get the messages from this book better and deeper than he'd have taken them in from me. Time will tell, I suppose!
August 18, 2022
I love how a book can remind me about small things that matters or not. This book reminds me about those things in a good way with great illustrations. I love the combination of colorful illustrations and magical words in a book.
Grown up probably can be so annoying, but at the same it is also an excitement we wait when we were kids. These days, as an adult we tend to get overthink on important things, this book give some tips to make grown up can be so fun by doing some simple things. I will re-read this book in the future.
Grown up probably can be so annoying, but at the same it is also an excitement we wait when we were kids. These days, as an adult we tend to get overthink on important things, this book give some tips to make grown up can be so fun by doing some simple things. I will re-read this book in the future.
August 3, 2017
This was okay. But the pitch that it is for folks of all ages is not true in my view.
I knew most of this. It may be a good gift for 17 or 18 year olds. But I'm 27 and I've been adulting for awhile. In fact, I knew most of this back before I was 18....But that just might be a parenting thing.
A cute idea. A quick read. A quirky gift. But not likely useful for folks who have been in the adult world for awhile.
I knew most of this. It may be a good gift for 17 or 18 year olds. But I'm 27 and I've been adulting for awhile. In fact, I knew most of this back before I was 18....But that just might be a parenting thing.
A cute idea. A quick read. A quirky gift. But not likely useful for folks who have been in the adult world for awhile.
March 22, 2020
It's cute. I like some of the specifics like kitchen tips. I REALLY appreciated things like "you are not your job" and "you deserve to be loved" - yes good, important and definitely true. Also that you are allowed to go to "grown up" places like art galleries. There is a weird power in having permission. [return]Some of the "truths" about travel and affordablity and wardrobes hit wrong with me - I feel like there are a lot of assumptions about income and dependents and body size there.
December 20, 2020
Great book to buy a teenager. It has some common sense advice, wrapped up in a short, nice to look at book. This is easy to read and understand and may save some mistakes learnt through experience.
I particularly liked the advice to pay your debts off and not use credit cards as well as there's nothing you can do to stop yourself from crying while cutting onions so don't waste your time trying.
This is light on text and geared to both men and women.
I particularly liked the advice to pay your debts off and not use credit cards as well as there's nothing you can do to stop yourself from crying while cutting onions so don't waste your time trying.
This is light on text and geared to both men and women.
October 13, 2018
I read it in one go and it made me excited about being an adult, which is not something I am used to. Seems pretty darn helpful, so I highly recommend it, and the good thing is that you do not have to memorize these tips, because you can re-read them whenever you feel like it or you actually have a need for them in your life.
Great, practical and straightforward.
Great, practical and straightforward.
Read
July 23, 2023I feel like the I wasn't the target audience because literally the only thing I didn't already know before reading the book was the thing about high-fives and elbows. However, it made me feel much better and generally excited about (adult) life when I read it during one of my low, miserable moments.
July 6, 2017
I liked this book! It was funny and true and very practical. Am going to have my teenagers read this, even though they probably won't understand how spot-on the observations are until they're much older...
July 8, 2017
This book is super cute! I read it in an hour, it's super fun to flip through and has helpful tips and adorable illustrations.
Even if you already know some of the tips, you'll still appreciate the charm that this little book has!
I loved it :)
Even if you already know some of the tips, you'll still appreciate the charm that this little book has!
I loved it :)
July 21, 2017
If you're someone who has a goal to finish X amount of books this year and you're behind, this could be your book. It's great strengths are being short with non-obtrusive advice.
Most advice is pretty obvious; a couple I disagreed on. I forgot most of them already.
Most advice is pretty obvious; a couple I disagreed on. I forgot most of them already.
November 1, 2017
Life lessons for grown-ups. Some you may know, some you may not know, and not all are present within this book. But those that are sure make for good reading and food for thought whether you've been a grown-up for 5 years, 20 years, or just became one yesterday.
June 24, 2018
A Good Refresher
It didn’t really tell me anything I don’t know but it would be a helpful reminder from time to time. It’s written in plain english unlike most self-help books I’ve read.
It didn’t really tell me anything I don’t know but it would be a helpful reminder from time to time. It’s written in plain english unlike most self-help books I’ve read.
October 8, 2022
The ONLY thing I didn't agree with was the advice to not get fitted for a bra. Ignore that advice and get fired for a bra, learn how to put one on. It is a game changer to know how to manage boobs well.
May 16, 2017
meh. fine for killing time, but nothing really great
July 26, 2017
Super quick read. Got me out of a slump
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews