Book excerpt: Beginning Boy Scouts is an introduction to the youth program of the Boy Scouts of America. It is an unofficial guide to Boy Scouting to help parents, new leaders, and even scouting youth to better understand scouting goals and participate in Boy Scouting. It quickly answers numerous common questions and provides instruction and advice for parents and leaders -- to help know "what is first?" and how to get started, preparing for outdoor activities and summer camp, uniforms, leadership and the Patrol Method, earning awards and badges, Eagle planning and Eagle paperwork, and how to participate. It introduces the terminology and defines the common scouting lingo.