Bear Grylls' Gift of Wisdom for Life's Adventure

With the mud spattered, chiselled features of the blue-eyed adventurer/explorer on the book’s hardback cover, ‘To My Sons’ is obviously a gift book for boys – from a mum or a dad, rather than a book you’d buy for yourself.

'Learn a Few Clean Jokes and a Good Card Trick'

Having said that, I think you’d find this a useful addition to school or church library frequented by preteen and early teenage boys. After all there aren’t a lot of Christian books with the kind of cover that grabs their attention like this one.

'Choose Your Job Carefully; Do Work that Excites You'

What’s more, as a book to borrow (and return) it’s less likely to be seen as an attempt to influence – or worse, give them instruction. And instructive, it certainly is. Not is a teaching sort of way, but in its bite-sized pieces of memorable wisdom supported with simple sketchy cartoon drawings.

'Don’t be Held Back by Fear or Lack of Confidence'

It’s a small book – a little bigger than pocket sized, and its 127 pages are easy to read right through or just dip into. The short and solid sentences are like an explorer's footholds in the ‘Wild Adventure called Life’. Most are less than two dozen words, mainly practical, meaningful and some are even humorous.

'Marry Only for Love'

With his wife, Shara, the ‘Man Vs Wild’ presenter, author and motivational speaker is still engaged in raising three boys of his own. Also a man unashamed of his faith, you’d expect this book include wisdom from the Bible as well as hard earned wisdom from life. And it does. But author hasn’t forgotten that this is a book for boys whose first priority probably isn’t Bible study, and he deserves credit for being that real.

'Smile and Laugh More than is Considered Normal'

Out of the 60-plus snippets and life lessons, about a third are tagged with a Bible reference; though many others have recognisable roots in scripture or have been learned from its verses.

I read this book through in about the time it took me to write my review – and that’s important if you’re a ten year old boy who wants to feel he’s always moving on and growing up. So don’t knock its size. It’s a hardback too so, given as a prize, it has a feel of quality that will sit on a boy’s bookshelf for years to come.

'Be Kind the Those Whom Others Neglect'

Put this in a boy's library, and who knows what influence those little cartoons and quotes will have on guiding a young man's faith through the jungles and deserts of twenty-first century life. – Les Ellison