Daniel Carter Beard was a pioneer of the scouting movement in America and his great passion was making boys and girls feel at home in nature, to allow them to experience its wonders while fostering their sense of self-sufficiency and independence. Among his books are The American Boy's Handy Book (1882), The Field and Forest Handy Book (1906), and The Book of Camp-Lore & Woodcraft (1920). His two sisters, Lina and Adelia Beard, were also active in scouting (as well as the women's rights movement) and helped create the Campfire Girls. The two wrote The American Girl's Handy Book (1893).