Great Books for Boys, Reluctant Readers or Otherwise
This post is getting too long (and crashing) so I split it into three parts:
Best Books for Boy Readers, Reluctant or Otherwise: Part 1 (Authors by Last Name A-L)
Best Books for Boy Readers, Reluctant or Otherwise: Part 2 (Authors by Last Name M-Z)
Best Books for Boy Readers, Reluctant or Otherwise: Part 3 (Non-Fiction)
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This has been a popular post for me on a topic near and dear to my heart. I am kicking off a week of posts that focus on Reluctant Readers and this is the first stop. I have more posts in a category labeled “Reluctant Readers” here. I have also updated this list. How about you? Can you please add your picks to this list? Thank you! p.s. If you like this list, you might also like:
NY Times Top Selling Graphic Novels
Top 10: Summer Books with Activity to Coax Boys to Read
Top 10: Baseball Chapter Books
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Nice to see you Mitali! Thanks for stopping by!
What a great list! I loved the Lloyd Alexander books when I was a kid. (and I’m not a boy!) I think boys would also like the Earthsea Trilogy by Ursula K. LeGuin. Those are a lot of fun to read.
The Earthsea trilogy is not one I’m familiar with. I’m excited to check it out. Thank you!
Wow! There are some great titles in there! Lots of good suggestions, and the nice thing is that many of them are good for both boys and girls as well as parents, which means they make great read-aloud books for the whole family.
Thanks for linking to my blog, http://www.motherdaughterbookclub.wordpress.com. I’ve added a link there to your site under Parenting Resources.
I love your blog! Thanks for stopping by and for the post on my blog! I REALLY appreciate it!
Glad you liked Ice Mummy. At the same reading level, available May 2010, is Discovery in the Cave, how four boys and a dog discovered the famous cave paintings near Lascaux, France. – Mark Dubowski markdubowski@hotmail.com
I would love to review your new book when it comes out! I love that story about the cave paintings and can’t wait to see your version of it!
You might add the Captain Underpants series to this list– what boy could refuse the temptation to peek inside those books?
Great suggestion! Thank you! I can’t believe I’ve never actually read Captain Underpants yet. (and it makes for a great dad adult costume at Halloween!).
Thanks for this awesome list!
This is a terrific list- many on here my kiddos love and also many that are new to us! We also like Judy Blume’s “The Pain and the Great One” Series, nice for boy/girl siblings, a little shorter than Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing series, my little guy will read them by himself.
You are an inspiration to me! Your blog helps me as I try to get mine up and running!
What a great list! A few of my own sons’ favorites are on it including Hoot, Rules and Holes (my editor!).
I hope you’ll check out my debut novel when it comes out, The Pull of Gravity, Frances Foster Books/FSG. I wrote it with a male audience in mind and the MC is an almost fifteen year old boy. It’s quirky, funny, spare and smart. Steinbeck and Star Wars guide two teens on a whirlwind secret road trip to keep a promise to their dying friend (grades 6 – 9).
Gae Polisner
The Pull of Gravity
May 10, 2011
To Gae,
Yes, I’d love to read your book. Can you send me a copy?
Ooh, glad I checked back here!
I would love to! Will ask my publisher to send you out a package with ARC (the book comes out May 10). I’m gonna post this to you, then go check contacts to make sure your full name and address is there. If not… Would you email me at g.polisner@gmail.com with the information. Thanks!
Great site.
Gae
To Gae,
Thank you so much! Will do!
Add Harris and Me to your list. It is the best book for boys ever. I reviewed it for my blog, if you want to check it out (http://fruitcakefiles.blogspot.com/2011/01/tom-and-huck-down-on-farm.html).
To Jude,
Thank you for the book recommendation. Yes, will add to the list!
What a great, well rounded list! I just finished reading COLD CASE by Julia Platt Leonard. It’s not out yet, but would definitely add to this list! Thanks for sharing.
To Deb,
Thanks for Cold Case suggestion. I’ll have my daughter check it out. She just ran out of books to read so I am in a bit of a panic!
This is a great list. Thank you! My oldest is now 8 and getting ready for 3rd grade. He loves to read the Magic Tree House books but I think it is time to move on to something a little more challenging. I now have a great list to choose from.
To Erin,
Thank you so much! Please keep me updated on the books he likes and I’ll add to the list. Once kids leave the Magic Tree House series level (and all kids seem to go through them), I feel like there is such a myriad of really great choices.
Fabulous list! I have almost all of these in my classroom – and I’m going to add the rest. 🙂
I’d suggest the Bone graphic novel series – my reluctant readers love it! The Ranger’s Apprentice series is another one they love.
For nonfiction, I’d add in the 100 Most Series (Disgusting Things on the Planet, Scariest Animals on the Planet…) and anything about WWII (for the older kids in the group you listed).
To Jemi,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your great book selections. I have added them to the list. Are there any WWII books in particular that you’d recommend?
My son (now a strong reader)started 2nd grade not reading, but his vocabulary and knowledge levels were well above grade level – finding easy to read books that engaged him was a huge challenge. Remember the “Beast Quest” series was a big hit. A year or two later, he really liked Margaret Peterson Haddix’s “Shadow Children” series.
To Claire,
Great suggestions! I will add Haddix’s Shadow Children. Thank you!
What a truly great list! Thanks for the effort to compile them in one place. This is a post to bookmark and to come back to… year-in, year-out.
I took the time to consult one boy about his favorite books and here is what he said:
“You simply cannot go wrong with the series about Tintin the fearless reporter and his cute little dog Snowy. It is simply unmissable. Great fun for all ages. I’m sure that it will be popular with kids in the 21st century as well!”
Okay, okay – I admit. The boy I consulted is moi! I enjoyed Hergé’s Tintin books enormously when I was young … and I vouch that reluctant readers will adore them.
Check them out … and then ask the kids in yourselves: “Do you love it or do you adore it?”
Read Aloud Dad
PS Why not start with The Secret of the Unicorn .. its being made into a movie right now by Steven Spielberg. The Secret of the Unicorn is the first volume in a two-part story, that continues in Tintin’s next adventure, Red Rackham’s Treasure.
To Read Aloud Dad,
Thank you for your great suggestions and kind words. Am adding your picks now!
From my LinkedIn Group Moms on the Job:
Sounds obvious but Michael Crichton novels have been a hit with my third grader. I was worried some might be inappropriate, but like with some questionable television moments that work their way into 7pm prime time family television, it goes over his head and he reads for the action, which is great.
http://www.paranoidparentsguide.com
Posted by Christie
To Christie,
Thank you for the great suggestion! I wouldn’t have thought of Michael Chichton but now that you suggest it, it makes perfect sense. Fast paced action is so appealing to boys! He also might like books by James Patterson like the Maximum Ride series. I also thought Cold Case was great; fast paced realistic murder mystery fiction. Thank you for your book suggestion!
From my LinkedIn Group Moms on the Job:
The Narnia Series, Magic Meets the Moon, Harry Potter, Big Nate, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants, Mr. Popper’s Penguins and Owls in the Family are some books that my 9 year old has enjoyed recently and in the past year.
Posted by Christa