Kids Shenanigans: Great Things to Do That Mom and Dad Will Just Barely Approve Of

by Klutz, H.B. Lewis

BOOK

Genres: Childrens, Humor, Nonfiction, Middle Grade

70 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Klutz is a publishing company started in Palo Alto, California in 1977 and acquired by Scholastic Inc. in 2002. The first Klutz book was a how-to guide titled Juggling for the Complete Klutz, which came provided with juggling beanbags attached in a mesh bag. The book was created by three friends who graduated from Stanford University: Darrell Lorentzen, John Cassidy, and B.C. Rimbeaux. Since then the company has continued to specialize in activity-driven books sold along with other items needed for the activity. Not all the books are about developing a skill; there has also been a geography book containing, among other physical attachments, packets of rice corresponding to the average daily caloric intake among the poorest people of the world. Many of their books are spiral bound and teach various crafts. The items needed are usually included with the book, e.g. the juggling guide. The Klutz credo is: Create wonderful things, be good, have fun.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book as a kid and got a lot of mileage out of the not-too-naughty pranks and tips. One of my favorites was learning to balance a quarter on the tip of a coathanger and swing it in circles over your head without the quarter falling off. I also liked the tip on how to hide over adults' heads in doorways, and of course the upside-down glass of water trick was also a classic.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alongside Earthsearch and the Explorabook, this book completes the triad of the golden age of Klutz. "How to Sneak Around"... the coolest book ever as a kid. two thumbs up.

[Peter Derk · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are lots of folks on Goodreads who will talk about how a book from childhood is in their DNA.

For me, it's Kids Shenanigans.

I wanted nothing more than to write secret messages. Alas, I had no secrets because I was a child, and I wasn't exposed to government nuclear codes or something like Haley Joel Osment in Mercury Rising.

No, wait, that was Mike Hughes. Geez, dodged a bullet there. I KNOW I was about to get reamed about the movie Mercury Rising, all you Merc-heads out there.

As a kid, OF COURSE I wanted to engage in a bunch of nonsense like you find in the pages of this book, the kind of stuff that Nickelodeon also trafficked in, all that "Adults are dumb and kids are great," stuff that in some ways has aged poorly, but so have I, so who am I to complain?

Plus, they have a point. I BARELY did ANYTHING productive as a kid. Like, next to nothing. Keeping ONE ROOM out of an entire house moderately clean was asking way too much of me, now I clean a whole house. I SWEEP a GARAGE! WHY!? Who gives a fuck if there's dirt on the garage floor? That's where cars are parked. I do not need to maintain a high level of hygiene in a room that's barely in my house and has no insulation and one naked lightbulb overhead.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book for the younger kids in your life. It's fun, non-electronic nonsense they can get up to, and it's not really destructive. It'll be annoying, sure, but that's the fun of it. Besides, kids want to do things that are just a little bit outside of what they're supposed to, right? Kids haven't changed THAT much, have they?

I guess it's possible I'll meet a kid someday who does not think farts are funny. Stupid little twerp...

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a kid, someone gave me those book as a birthday present. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but sometimes when I would get bored I would pick it up and actually be amazed at all the options of shenanigans I could get up to! I’m a 33 year old woman now and just the other day I was showing a few of my coworkers a trick I could do. (The one where you stack quarters on your elbow and swoop your hand down and catch them) They were so amazed and non of them could replicate it. It made me realize that many of my favorite, goofy things to do when I’m bored came from this book. I like to think they made me an interesting person and I’ve learned to keep my inner child alive by frequently delving back into the world of kid activities. Life is actually fun if you let it be! Maybe give this book a read even if you’re old!

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't get to try all the tricks in this book, but I did a fair amount. I would have loved this book as a kid. I'm going to save it for my boys as they get older.

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved this as a kid -- still pretty fun to read as an adult. One thing though: according to Ken Jennings, tapping the top or side of a can of soda doesn't actually do anything, and the soda settles within a second or two. I haven't tested it myself, though

[Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the most fun books ever. it gives tips on how to sneak around without being noticed and all kinds of important kid things of that nature. it is still on my shelf.

[Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My childhood.

[Kevin Zhang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book years ago from a Value Village. Great stuff. The paper airplane is still my go to design to this day.