Not only is it one of my favourite books, but John Austin’s Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction also makes a great gift for kids or adults who refuse to grow up. And since I fall into that latter category, I’m pretty excited to see he’s now got a sequel that lets you re-appropriate your office supplies into 30 new spy weapons and surveillance tools.
Like the original, Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction 2 includes fully illustrated step-by-step instructions for turning everyday items like pens, rubber bands and even toothpaste into far more useful items like pen blowguns, rubber band Derringers and toothpaste periscopes.
The book also provides plenty of ideas on how to hide your makeshift arsenal, as well as a set of targets for your cubicle firing range like fake security cameras and sharks with freakin’ laser beams. And if you’re gifting it to a younger cousin, from my experience you’re probably going to want to make sure they know it’s not the best book to bring with them to school, even if it does teach useful engineering skills.