Girl on the Rocks

Since the 1990s, pro climber Katie Brown has blazed the trail for hard sport climbing and aspiring women climbers. Now she relays that inspiration to the written page with her Girl on the Rocks ($19.95, globepequot.com). Big on color and with an easy-to-read, conversational voice, this ‘climbing 101’ for women fills an important niche for those dipping their toes into the sport. The primer runs through techniques, training tips, and fear management, but with chick power gusto. Stellar photos from Ben Moon and insightful interviews with top female climbers round out the mix. Throughout, Brown charges readers to “embrace your fears,” “trust your instincts,” and “climb because you love it.”