It sometimes happens that boys find themselves bogged down in a reading world filled to the brim with “girl stuff.” Fairy princesses, fluffy baby animals, and other mild-mannered characters leave a healthy boy with a hankering for something a little meatier. Where are the dragons, the blood and guts– you know, the BOY stuff? Well, rest assured it is on every bookshelf in every library in the country just waiting to be discovered. Don’t let your boys get the idea that reading is sissy stuff. There are hundreds of books with themes and characters that any red-blooded boy would be glad to sink his teeth into.
I remember reading a great little book to second graders called Enemies of the Secret Hideout by John Peterson. It’s a beginning chapter book with great boy themes. It’s all about clubs with tough physical entrance requirements, secret oaths and secret hideouts, meetings, plans and spying and enough adventure for any seven or eight year old guy.
Most boys love superheroes don’t they? Why? Because every one of them wants to be brave and save the world, that’s why! Boys like stories about real things like animals and space and real people like Native Americans. They like to read about sports figures and explorers and kings and knights. They want to read about strong male characters who can live in their imaginations. It isn’t that they don’t have tender hearts, or that they lack sensitivity, but they like to get to the satisfying end of a story via a little action.
There’s no need to worry. There are tons of great boy books. There are mysteries, science fiction stories with all sorts of imaginary creatures and characters, there are biographies and historical fiction stories—there is no shortage of wonderful reading available for boys. Take a look at the resources below to find great reading material at the appropriate reading level for your budding superhero.
Get boys hooked on books!
1) Jon Scieszka, children’s author, has recognized the need to encourage guys to step up
to be role models in reading: www.guysread.com
2) Kathleen Odean has written a book called Great Books for Boys that has over 600
titles inside.
3) Tips for encouraging boys to read:
http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/promos/greatbooks/boys/encouraging.html
Here are some other websites with lists of great reading for the boys in your family
http://www.slcpl.lib.ut.us/kids
http://school.familyeducation.com/reading/fiction/37734.html
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.cfm
http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/promos/greatbooks/boys/booklist.html
