The American Girls Handy Book: How to Amuse Yourself and Others

by Lina Beard

A publication for young ladies instructing them in such hobbies as fancy needlework, handmade dolls, china painting, painting in oils, heraldic painting, preservation of wild flowers, and many others.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Crafts, Classics, Childrens, History, Parenting

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1887

About the author

Sister of Daniel Carter Beard

Reviews

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable collection of crafts, games, and ideas from the 1880s. Divided into seasonal sections, the book covers a wide range of activities for girls. Some of the activities will require a skilled hand or adult supervision, but plenty of activities here are suitable for younger children as well. I would have fallen head over heels for this book as a kid. If you're looking to plan a party themed around Little House or Anne of Green Gables or any Victorian or Edwardian children's book, this is your one-stop idea shop!

The usual suspects are here: instructions for drawing, painting (including china), "old-fashioned needlework" (the book called it that!), and so forth. Some of the crafts are back in vogue, such as preserving flowers (and needlework). Others are activities that are always useful, like frame-making and seasonal decorating with found natural objects (also, how to make a boat into a bookshelf). A whole chapter on booth-making brought me straight back to the chapter "Consequences" from Little Women, where drama surrounds the booths at a charity fair.

Some of the games in the book are even more usable than I expected--as in, they would make fun games for grown-up parties, too. "Assumed Characters" sounds ridiculously fun: agree a famous author (like Dickens), and everyone picks a character. Without sharing names from the text, each player gives the life story of the character with proper "voice and gesture" until the identity is guessed. "Five Minutes' Conversation" would be a great mixer, and "Biographical Nonsense" (similar to mad libs) has the potential for riotous fun.

In addition to the all-important language of flowers, the language of heraldry is also taught here. I don't know how accurate it is (the authors mostly cover the shapes and colors to make a crest, rather than teaching how to interpret historical crests), but it's fun all the same, and would enliven any medieval-loving child's heart. I mean, the authors give instructions for drafting one's own heraldic crest and placing it on everything from plates to pillows to purses. Such is the stuff home school dreams are made of.

As you might expect, there are a few instances of racism here, mostly directed at indigenous and Asian people. Thus, I'd caution adult supervision for children using this book, especially for children of those ethnicities. However, since this is a book of ideas, it's not meant to be read from cover to cover or for every chapter to be completed, so it's easy to blow away the chaff and enjoy the wheat.

Recommended to anyone looking for a fun crafting book, a snapshot of children's lives in the 1880s, or a resource to plan that perfect historical party.

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this interesting book from the library. It provided a fun glimpse into the childhoods of girls long since grown. Some of the ideas were for things I expected to find - china painting or learning to walk with a cup of water balanced on your head. Others, like making a telephone out of cow bladders or weaving a 26 foot lawn tennis net, were more surprising. Reading about the different ways they celebrated the holidays was insightful as well. Some things have really changed, others, not so much!

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of books like this because I find them endlessly fascinating things. They document the efforts of adults to educate children in the ways of the world and how to be an appropriate member of society. The fun part comes in these books when you start to question what sort of a world and what sort of a society that actually is. Many times it's a very particular thing that works to exclude as much as it includes. Sometimes it's subtly done and sometimes it's really not and that's also interesting. (The knots that adults can tie themselves into in these books, the fractious fractious knots!).

I also, always, find it interesting to learn about the expectations of being a girl and the limitations about that experience (there are always limitations in books like these....). I did enjoy how the girls here were allowed to go on hiking providing that they do not have their skirts resting off their delicate, delicate hips, and perhaps even could make nice curtain decorations out of a fishnet if they were really lucky!

No, I am being flippant: elements like this always read differently from a modern day context and what is more interesting to me (everything is interesting to me in this book!) is that underneath it all, this is a very, very positive endeavour. Lina and Adelia Beard want their girls to be independent, community-minded, proactive, self-sufficient, and above all of it to be happy. They really believe in her and what she can do. It's all rather lovely and very, very genuine.

[Snakestar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not to be read as a novel. This book is to be picked up for ideas for fun things to do and make. Because of this book I now have a corn husk doll and I made some for my younger sisters too and I put it and my scrapbook in a basket that I made from the advice of this book. Definitely recommend this to anyone who likes the outdoors but I do think this is more focused on girls.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently bought this book to reread it, but I grew up reading it and doing activities from it. Not only is it a window into a different era, it's just full of brilliant things to do and the history of activities.

5/5 stars

[Linda Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun window to the past, and its ingenuity.

[Kristyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! This book was first written in 1892 and is great on ideas for what to do with kids indoors (we've had a cold winter) and is very amusing as far as cost of items go. (I think it said an easel will cost around a dollar). But the ideas are still true and there's something about making quality stuff yourself that never goes out of style. Not like the watered down craft books written today about making paper plate puppets that any 3 year old can do. Written for girls probably age 8-11 but I use some ideas on my boys age 8-11 without their knowing and they do it too. Who wouldn't like an April Fools Day party, or exercising indoors with a stick? And even I'd like to try my hand at painting with oils again!

[Aneesa]

Since this is more of a reference work, I haven't read the entire thing, but I can tell you that it includes: helpful information on such subjects as how to preserve and send flowers in the mail, how to weave a tennis net or hammock, exercises for in or outside, and candy recipes; games, practical jokes, and amusements that I plan to try out, including mad libs, "five minute conversations," and how to celebrate the leap year; historical information on the pagan origins of Christian holidays and how they are celebrated around the world; and much inspiration for young women. I would have seriously loved this book as a kid, and the foreword (written 100 years after the book's original publication in 1887) is extremely interesting.

[Godine Publisher & Black Sparrow Press · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In the Beard sisters' version, 'the American girl' ranges in age from eight to eighteen. Healthy and spirited, she thinks nothing of taking a ten-mile 'romp' through woods and fields with a group of friends, and collects flowers and leaves for preservation or presentation to friends and relations. Above all, however, the Beards' girl is handy. She can make a hat rack, a screen, or a bookshelf; fashion a macrame hammock or a cornhusk doll; and draw, paint, sculpt, or decorate a room.
The American Girls Handy Book, in short, by emphasizing what girls can do, presents a portrait of girlhood that is vigorous, active, and full of possibilities."
- From the foreword by Anne M. Boylan

[Vonze · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable book that I randomly bought while visiting the Juliette Gordon Low house (founder of the Girl Scouts) in Savannah, GA. It has a lot of old timey projects that could still be enjoyed by crafters, families, and kids today. I could see an elementary school teacher using this for ideas. It has projects for every holiday.

I'd really like to check out The American Boy's Handy Book as well. Apparently, Turn-Of-The-Century Girls were obsessed with pressing, arranging, and drying flowers. Which is great, but today's kids are a little more tough, outdoorsy, and less patient.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with all kinds of fun ideas & the writing is delightful

written in 1887 it is full of beautiful language and entries from the authors like

"In the girls handy book which it has been our endeavor to make peculiarly American, we have sought to introduce original and novel ideas, and by their aid to open new avenues of enterprise and enjoyment."
I love reading this book

[Effie]

How much fun was this to read? The authors don't follow the Victorian standard of thinking that girls should sit indoors and embroider. They believe that American girls are capable of anything, whether it's erecting a home gymnasium to exercise in, taking a ten-mile walk with friends, or building a simple hammock one afternoon.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written from a prairie girl style (like Little House) but it is full of craft ideas. They seem to be dated ideas as I enjoyed reading it but I didn't find any craft projects of interest to me (which is a shocker cuz I love crafting!).

Might be more of an interest to a younger reader as more of an adventure than a craft book.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

i just love this little book, well its a sort of big book, but it gives me warm fuzzies to think about corn husk dolls and hand knotted hammocks and well i must admit the american boys handy book is a bit more fun!

[Meltha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frankly, not as much fun as the Boys Handy Book (its the 1870s, I think, so girls doing much of anything was still a pretty radical concept), but this is a heck of a good peek into a childhood nobody really gets to have anymore.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Think of this as the Girl Scout book for those that aren't interested in joining.

There's all sorts of helpful things in here for decorating, hobbies and more.
Set up by season some of the included are how to press flowers, sewing (stitches) Painting, and more

[Erika Mulvenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT BOOK! A reprint of a girl's craft and party ideas published in the 1890's - some of the ideas are wonderful, and some are downright creepy. Good reading.

[Reader2007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this a while ago. It was great. :)

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reprint of an old-timey book abou 100 years old. Great fun.

[Rachel Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read snippets, but this is not a sit down and read book.

[Miya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of um... infinite possiblities? Anyway I love it!

[Rachel L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots and lots of good ideas.

[Cera · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cool glimpse into late 19th century life. I can't imagine that I'd ever have the patience to do some of these projects, though!

[Genevieve Allen]

I should've stuck with the boys version. The girl activities are boring!!

[Flower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

creatively unique :)

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arcane but wonderful back to basics crafts, nature, learning and fun for children - and us! :)

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a book for reading all the way through. Outdated and archaic. But charming as a glimpse into the time period. Not a book I'll keep around.

[Bree · Rating 2 out of 5]

Notes:
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