Girls Garage: How to Use Any Tool, Tackle Any Project, and Build the World You Want to See

by Emily Pilloton, Kate Bingaman-Burt (Artist)

Girls Garage is the only book you’ll ever need for a lifetime of tools and building. Not sure which screws to buy? Need to fix a running toilet? With Girls Garage, you’ll have the expertise to tackle these problems with your own hands. Or maybe you want to get creative and build something totally new. A birdhouse? A bookshelf? Girls Garage has you covered. Packed with illustrations that will build confidence for your next hardware store run, practical advice on everything from quick fixes to safety tips, and inspiring stories from real-world builder girls and women, this eye-catching volume makes the technical accessible. Girls, get your gear on, and get building!

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Feminism, Childrens, Crafts, Education, Self Help

320 pages, Hardcover

Published June 2, 2020

Reviews

[Deana Metzke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an awesome resource for girls who are interested in anything related to designing or building. First there’s the “Safety and Gear” section, which is naturally where any girl will want to start reading. Then the bulk of the book, sections titled “Toolbox” and “Essential Skills” explore just about everything you need to know about the variety of materials one could use to build, including the different types of lumber (who knew there were three different types of manufactured wood?), and how to do many basic building skills, like painting a wall. The last section, called “Building Projects” is exactly that, a list of different projects, with all materials and step-by-step directions included. The best part? Sprinkled throughout the whole book are mini stories told about and by women who have been on this builder journey, that the reader can make connections to or be inspired by.

[emyrose8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an amazing resource for the aspiring builder. It goes through the most common tools, building supplies, hardware, etc. that you’d come across in a building project. AND! It explains the why behind the variety. This is a book best digested in small chunks. There’s a how-to section for power tools and a section of small building projects. The building projects didn’t super thrill me, but there were a few I’d like to try.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be an essential book on your shelf. Well written, detailed images and non intimidating.

[Ben Bederson · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I was biased in favor of this book because I loved Emily's movie (If You Build It) so much - that is a must watch. And this book built on the same theme - providing a super motivating "can do" attitude about how to build things and why tools work the way they do. It is primarily about what tools are, how they work, and how to use them. Now, I know pretty much all of the tools and issues described in the book, but I still found myself reading just about all of the descriptions. It was full of useful tidbits everywhere, and I definitely found myself jotting things down in my mental notebook for later. I plan on giving a copy of this to my daughter when she lives on her own for the first time...

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fantastic, accessible guide geared toward young women. It manages to be straightforward and empowering without being too twee. As a woman who is currently making up for my lack of basic education in in all things "garage," I found this informative and would definitely gift it to young women in my life.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reference text. It does not dumb things down for kids at all. I loved learning about welding techniques and stud-framing techniques— all outside my skill set but broken down in a really clear way. Way better than my usual technique of figuring out home repair skills by watching blurry YouTube videos uploaded in 2011 and reading the comments.

[Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book but the projects were too difficult for my girls to attempt.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really well organized and clear, and it had a nice upbeat and positive tone. I really liked the mix of interviews, explanations, and projects. I want this one for my home library!

[Dae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly informative and I'm very glad I took the chance and bought it. It goes over a ton of different things: like the tools and parts needed to bring everything together and some beginner projects that encourage working with others. Overall, a really cool book for a beginner's guide on manual projects!