I’m glad you enjoyed it, Ernest!

Your comment just made my day, Rae. I’m so glad you’re going to take up reading to them (even if it’s just the youngest) again. I hope they enjoy their new books! We used to camp every summer when my guys were younger. We always took a stack of books along too! Have a great time!

Did we get to the nub of what boys like to read? Did we get to the heart of what draws them into a book in the first place? There is a vast array of genres awaiting boys out there – but which one to choose?

I have been with the Australian Scouts for more than 40 years and found pre-teens, teenagers, and young adults all want books they can relate to. Books that seem real through good writing yet, they know they are fiction.

I wrote three adventure fiction books directly aimed at boys in an effort to encourage them to enjoy the great outdoors. The books concentrated on an ordinary teenager who became the hero he didn’t want to be, but the hero a nation needed when put to the test.

In Only The Brave Dare, my character Scott Morrow must escape from a convict jail with a lighthouse built on top here he and his friends have been interred after a group of drug-smuggling Russians locked them up. He then turns the lighthouse into a weapon against the Russians.

In Canyon, Scott and his friends prepare extensively to go canyoning in the Australian wilds. The weather closes in on their trip and a major accident occurs in which a teenage boy’s life hangs in the balance. When rescuers are sent in to rescue Scott and his friends, fate deals a double hand as to who must be rescued.

In book three, A Rite Of Passage, two motorcycle gangs vie to take over a Sydney nightclub strip and take protection money from shop owners. It’s also a time when Scott and his friends start taking out a group of Girl Guides. The bikers, Venturer (Explorer) Scouts, and Girl Guides come face to face with the bikers when the two groups of motorcycle gangs have shoot-out at a remote beach. The girls become trapped in a burning building and its up to Scott and his Venturers to try and save them. A hero rises, once again.

My books are grandma-proof ie, no bad language or descriptions – just pure fun and adventure, with a hidden set of safety measures.

Christopher

http://www.amazon.com/Bazooka-Jewel-Heist-Caleb-McGever/dp/1515314731/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461353655&sr=8-1&keywords=bazooka+jewel+heist

Yes. If you like that one, give “Alabama Moon” by Watt Key a read. Early chapter books my sons enjoyed were the “Magic Treehouse” series and then they moved on to “39 Clues” series. One devoured C.S. Lewis and the other Roald Dahl.

If you guys get it, let me know what you think!

That’s awesome that the author replied, Aliza! What a thrill for your kids!

Jackie,

Great website, keep up the good work!

I recently discovered a really exciting adventure book for kids, it’s both clean and fun to read. My kids (boy and girl, 8 and 11 years old) really loved it. They posted a comment on Amazon and the author relied, which gave them a special thrill! The book is called “The Awesome Adventures of Pickle Boy”, I highly recommend.

A mom who wants her kids to love reading

Thanks for your feedback, Connor, and keep up the reading! That’s awesome!

The above list is really good. I have read some of these books to find out the best books for my must read book list for kids. I have published a new list and included the must read books by grade and age. I have taken “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” from the above list.

Three years after losing his father in a fire, thirteen year old Jethro Black (his friends call him Jet) finds himself embarking upon a mysterious adventure when, while attending his grandfather’s funeral, a very strange person walks up and gives him an envelope and a key. As a mystery begins to unfold, Jet and his best friend Travis are about to discover that there is more to the world than meets the eye, and they just may have a crucial role to play in the outcome of humanity’s future
Nebulous is the first release in the young adult sci-fi series ~ Jet Black ~

They certainly can be!

All of these books can be read by girls too

You’re so welcome, Donna! Enjoy!

I know… it breaks my heart too, Christy. Sadly, my 17 and 14 year old aren’t so big on the idea of me reading to them at bedtime anymore though. On the upside, my 14 year old studied Lord Of The Flies this year in Grade 9 English, and yep… I read it to him – about an hour or so every night because it really is a rather difficult read. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed our nightly sessions! It actually has me looking forward to Shakespeare (egads!!) because I have a feeling he’ll want me to help him get through Romeo and Juliet later this month. 🙂

Absolutely, Jennifer! If I could go back, I would choose even more novels with strong female leading characters.

For girls I suggest: Esperanza Rising and Because of Winn Dixie

Thanks for the list! I enjoy seeing what other reader like!

I really wanted to reach mothers of boys, Liz, as we have a difficult time finding books that specifically appeal to our sons. I’m ok with mothers of girls skipping the article as moms of girls typically don’t have difficulty finding reading material for their daughters. Had I called the post “Great books” or “books I loved to read to my children”, moms of boys may have skipped it, and those were the ones I wanted to appeal to with this post. 🙂

They’re great for all kids. The title of the post just makes it easy for Moms of boys to find a great book list for their sons. In my experience, girls will often read just about anything, but boys tend to be a little more particular about their reading material. Especially reluctant readers. This list simply puts a collection of books that boys find particularly appealing in one place for those looking for books for their sons to read.

Yes!

I fail to see why any of these wouldn’t appeal to girls too, having read many of them when I was a girl. Stories are stories not “for boys” or “for girls”. Please don’t “pinkify” books now too!

Are you serious, Michelle? You’re in PH?

As a mom with an 18 year old voracious reader, and as a teacher, never stop reading to your child as long as they will let you! Great opportunities to know what your child is thinking.

Enjoyed the blog, through a link posted on Facebook by my sister-in-law in Colorado. How fun to read the Farley Mowat bit and realize we live in the same town!

A bit of both, Suzanne, but I think I leaned more towards content.

Great list! I am wondering, are the age ranges you have recommended based on reading level or content?

When you finish Wonder (which I think should be on EVERY school’s required
reading list), there are some companions to that as well.

Lastly, someone recommended Ready Player One by Ernest Cline for my
reluctant reader (that loves video games). I started reading it and could not
put it down. I would say this one is more appropriate for Middle or High School
age.

Some good books for girls that I would recommend (from when I was an avid-book-reading girl who read about one novel per day) would be:
Anything by Margaurite Henry
Nancy Drew series
Saddle Club series (if she’s really into horses, if not, skip that one – the series had over 70 books by the time I stopped reading, but there are probably more now – the same author who wrote TMNT wrote the Saddle Club)
Diary of Anne Frank
Anything by Jean Slaughter Doty
Summer of my German Soldier by Bette Green (and the sequel)
The Silent Storm by Sherry Garland

I read the Little House of the Prairie series as an adult, and wished I had read it sooner.

🙂

In case it is not obvious based on his age I am primarily asking about books for me to read to him (& his almost 3 year old sister) at bedtime. Though any ideas of any classic books he might be able to read himself would be awesome too. He is a beginning reader and I want engaging things to draw him in to reading for himself also. At this pint he has read some of the Suess books on his own, like Go Dog Go, and Red Fish, Blue Fish. Of course right now he is drawn to Super Heroes – Marvel, X-Men, DC, etc… And I am looking for things to broaden his horizons beyond that first instinct to go there. We have not ventured into Star Wars, partially because I liked the original movies but never was a Star Wars junkie like some are.

Just wanted to thank you for specifying that your BOYS loved these books. There are tons of books out there that appeal to girls, but not so much for boys. Keep up the good work!

We have that book, Rachael! My son got it for Christmas. So glad to hear you loved it. I’m looking forward to reading it!

Also Tom Sawyer. Tsk tsk tsk. 😉

Thanks for your suggestion, Adam! I’ve never heard of it. Gosh there are so many good books out there that my boys missed out on. I love hearing about the ones you guys read and loved!

Thanks, John! I’ll have to look for that next time I’m at Chapters! My guys somehow completely missed out on that one!

Spirit Animals series

Theodore Boone

Fantastic series!

My son absolutely love The Rangers Apprentice Series. he is 10… he has gotten all his friends to read the series as well.

SACRILEGE, in the World of Boys!!

I loved the Hardy Boys series. I read them in the seventies around age 12. They were my father’s probably from the forties, I need to look and see if they are still around my father’s house.
Randy

You’ll love them, Claudia! I’ve read all but a few of them, and they’re terrific!

There is evidence that being read to can continue to improve reading fluency, even after being able to read on one’so own. As an adult, I find it lovely to be read to also.

Wow! book 7. Good for him! Crazy that my boys never got into Harry. I’m not sure why that series didn’t really appeal to them. I’m determined to read it myself!

thank you, Alex. I was beginning to wonder the same thing. My son and I read several of these. We also plowed through at least a dozen of the Redwall books. Another fantastic book is The Phantom Tollbooth, a story that likely turned me into the editor I am today.

I would also recommend The Subtle Knife and other books by Phillip Pullman.

My little boy’s name is Zayne. He’s 4 1/2 but I think I’ll go ahead and snag this book to keep it for him. Thanks for the suggestion!

Caz West, have a look at the overview and reviews on these two series sets: Conspiracy 365 http://x3632.myubam.com/p/1006/conspiracy-365-january-book-1
The Last Thirteen http://x3632.myubam.com/p/2891/last-thirteen-the-13
Hunger Games fans are hooked and the fun part is, it’s not over after one book. 🙂

I am so happy to think that this post has made such an impression on you, Kejal. Yes, I read to my boys well beyond the age of 8. I think you’re exactly right. There IS something about being read to that’s really wonderful. I’m so glad you found my post, and that you’ll continue reading to your son. The years fly by so quickly. The day will come when he won’t want you to read to him, so cherish these times while you can. xx

Kara, I would love to help you find the perfect books for girls! I’ve been researching and gathering age recommendations from my book business. These books are amazing and are certain to please. If you are interested, email me at ubambrittj@aol.com I love books for my own family and give them as gifts for my children’s friends.

Thanks, Jill. I haven’t heard of it!

Thanks for the suggestion, Yve!

Thanks for the suggestions, James! So glad your boys have also enjoyed many of the books that my guys have!

Heidi, you are awesome! Thank you! xx

Here you can find some book list for girls. You can also check whether the books are available from you local library.

Best Picks for Girls

Wow! That’s all I can say… you are very patient with all of your replies to the comments, Melissa. Tough crowd at times;)

I’ll leave that to the moms who have read books to their daughters over the years, and have an extensive list of favourites, Kara. I have 2 boys, and I’ve based this list on the books we’ve read together over the years. You could search the Chapters’ website though. I believe you can search by age and gender there.

I’m not sure I understand your logic there, Jon, but thanks for chiming in.

Fantastic, Jen!

Thanks so much for weighing in, Tadd! It’s great to hear a Dad’s opinion!

Thanks so much for sharing your suggestions, Heather!

Anything by Judy Blume, Hazel Green series by Odo Hirsch, Dicey’s song by Cynthia Voigt

My 9 year old loves the series about cats (warriors, seekers, survivors) by Erin Hunter.

He also enjoyed the latest series by Tony Diterlizzi called “Wondla”. There are three in the series surrounding a girl named Eva 9. Really good science fiction.

The Cooper Kids Adventures by Frank Peretti are a fun adventurous family adventure series. Light reads. He read all seven that we have in about a week.

For teens, I’ve read some series by Micheal Scott surrounding mythologies. If you’re kids like Rick Riordan they’d like his stuff. More teenager in style than Riordan.

And finally, a series called Dreamhouse Kings by Robert Lipardo about a family that moves into an old house where doors take them to other places and time.

Hope that gives people more ideas on what to read!

… or perhaps I should write an article suggesting a list of the worlds greatest wines, even though I don’t drink.

It would be great if the books with some sexual content would be marked with an astrix just so we know. I love the list and appreciate it’s Happyhooligans’ list of favorites – not an all inclusive list of best books ever! 🙂

Melissa, I really enjoyed the Chronicles of Narnia growing up (where The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe comes from), as well as a Cricket in Times Square. When I was about ten I was really hooked on the Girl Talk series by L. E. Blair, and most girls like the Boxcar Children and Judy Bloom. Secret Garden was also fantastic, Island of the Blue Dolphins, and one of my all-time favorites, A Wrinkle in Time. I hope some of these suggestions work for you!

These books were excellent!

Oh, the Ranger’s Apprentice series is excellent for pre-teens/young teens (12-15)! I’m finishing up the twelfth (and final) book now. 🙂 The Ranger’s Apprentice is written by John Flanagan.

I also really love The Tomorrow Series, in which the first book is “Tomorrow, When the War Began,” by John Marsden, though perhaps this is for older teens (15-17).

I read both series as an adult and have thoroughly enjoyed them, though I’ll be honest by admitting I read Ranger book 1 and wasn’t hooked. It was the second book that hooked me.

I agree with Nora. I’m sorry not to see the Harry Potter series and I understand your reply. If you don’t feel you have the time to sit down and read the books, try them on CD, read by Jim Dale. Until I heard these books, I never cared for books-on-tape. These are outstanding. As a retired librarian and former school teacher, I highly recommend the Harry Potter books for boys of the age you are suggesting, as well as girls and adults!

Dean Hughes has some great historical fiction pieces!
I enjoyed his series “Children of Promise” that focused on one family during world war 2. Very clean, no language or “mature” issues. He goes back and forth between the siblings that are serving and the family at home. You read about how the Father’s business changes, the mother’s cooking changes, the teenage girls can’t buy the right clothes or the party foods aren’t as appetizing, the boys who aren’t quite old enough to serve talk about it, then age and go off to war. Some marry during the series and a German family becomes involved in the stories. Definitely fiction, but lots of great facts.

Yes, Kim, I was thinking the same. Although the majority are probably squeaky clean, I think there are a couple in the list that have some sexual content.

My 14 yr old son and I are on the 4th book of the Time (A Wrinkle in Time) Quintet. We are both loving it!!

I don’t, Melissa, but all of the books that I said that I enjoyed would be enjoyed by girls too. I can’t speak for the ones that my sons read without me, but if you go through the list again, I’ve mentioned which ones I personally loved. They were terrific.

but it’s a great list and i’ve bookmarked/shared it for my own reference! happy reading!

Oh, I thought it was clear, Liz that these are simply books that I’ve read to my boys. Many of them can be enjoyed by girls of course, but not having girls, I couldn’t say for sure that they’d all be guaranteed hits with the girls. 🙂

Great list! Thought your son would like to know his wishes have been granted. 🙂 Rick Riordan will have a new series coming out next year. About Norse mythology. It sounds like it’ll be a good one too!

Island of the Blue Dolphins, the Lemony series, and the 2 Peter Pan books would likely appeal to her though. you could also drop a line to Jodie over at the blog “Growing Book By Book”. That girl knows her books! http://growingbookbybook.com

I made a typo (autocorrect on phone)- it’s Ribticklers not Ribstickers. Lol. Don’t know where that came from. One of my favourites from it is about a rajah from asia who has big ears and hides it so no one knows except his barber who is sworn to secrecy.

Be sure to add Gathering Blue and Messenger by Lois Lowry to the Christmas list. They aren’t exactly sequels, but they are companion novels. I haven’t gotten to read Son yet, but I’m told it wraps the previous stories up together. They take place in the same world. A great series at any age!

Can you believe I’d never even heard of it before I picked it up for my boys, Jodie? I’m so glad I ran across it. We all loved it!

Thanks for the recommendation, Raeyle. I’ve never heard of the Ribstickers. I’ll have to look for it!

Sorry, I just saw the comment above. But if your boys are past the age of being read to, this is still a series you would enjoy.

Hi Nora. I’m glad you enjoyed our list. I would love to add Harry Potter to the list, but it’s a personal list of favourites that my boys and I have read over the years, and we didn’t read the Harry books/series. I’ve heard fantastic things about the series. It’s just not one that my guys took an interest in. Perhaps I’ll read it myself one day, and add it as a personal favourite. 🙂

I’m sure it’s on many lists of favourites, Tom. It’s just not a series that my boys and I delved into. I read the first book in the series to them, and they weren’t keen to explore the series any further.

Hi Coral, This list is simply a collection of my boys’ favourites chosen from all of the books they’ve read, or that we’ve read together over the years. Please don’t be shocked that your favourites aren’t on the list. It’s simply because we haven’t read (or heard of) the books that you’ve mentioned. Thanks for letting me know about them though. I’ll look for them.

🙂 You are very welcomed!

Thank you so much, Donna!! I will correct that now. Whoops!

Thank you, Phyllis! I’ll be adding this to my son’s Christmas list as well! Rebecca (in an above comment) mentioned that “Son” is a terrific extension to “The Giver”. Not sure if you saw that, but thought I’d mention it, as it might interest you too!

Oh cool! I didn’t even know about that one, Rebecca! Thank you! Writing that on my son’s Christmas list right now!!