When I was a kid, one of my favorite times at school was when we received a new “catalogue” of school news books. I flipped through the pages selecting the books I wanted and filling out the order form. and as soon as i got them i was lying under the covers with my nose buried in a book.
Unfortunately, not all children have that kind of enthusiasm for reading. for several decades, boys have scored lower than girls on reading assessment tests. boys also take longer to learn to read than girls, are less likely to actually read and value reading, and are more likely to label themselves “non-readers” (up to 50% of school-age children secondary are considered so) . boys who don’t read do worse academically and end up being men who don’t read (women read almost twice as many books as men).
You are reading: Classic books for boys
what’s the problem? some of them may be biological (boys’ language skills develop more slowly than girls). but much of this is sociological. boys may see reading as a passive and therefore effeminate activity. boys also lack male reading mentors: their librarians and teachers are often women, and it is the mother who reads to them. And in the name of gender neutrality, teachers are foisting books on kids they just don’t like.
but parents are also to blame, as they often try to get their children to read “important books” to develop their character. Dad loved a long tome when he was a kid and he wants his son to appreciate it as well.
but all reading experts agree that children should be able to choose the books that really interest them. Of course, it’s okay to make suggestions to your son about things he might like: Boys value the opinion of other boys and men when making their reading selections. so here are 50 books that many children and young people will love. we included some classics, but also added some more modern and accessible options; After all, not all kids have the desire or aptitude to dive into dickens.
Finally, while we had kids ages 9-15 in mind when we made this list, I’ve always found the distinction between adult and young adult literature to be unfortunate and artificial. Putting this list together reminded me how great these books are, and I can’t wait to read them again as a man. Whether you’re 12 or 52, grab one of these books and a bag of cookies and head to the tree house.
gary paulsen ax
practically every child’s favorite book. When the pilot of the small plane he’s a passenger in crashes in the Canadian wilderness, 13-year-old Brian Robeson must survive with only his wits and an axe. Alone, Brian must learn to trust himself. Engrossing and vividly narrated, each child imagines himself in Brian’s shoes and wonders if he would have what it takes to survive.
a separated peace by john knowles
Set in a boys’ prep school on the eve of World War II, A Separate Peace centers on the friendship of Phineas and Gene. Phineas’ seeming perfection creates a jealous gene, resulting in a tragedy that will change both of their lives forever. a penetrating look at both the light and the shadows of friendship and humanity. all children wish they were small, but they know that it is more like a gene. This book has stayed with me since I read it when I was young and remains one of my favorites to this day.
neil gaiman’s graveyard book
Take rudyard kipling’s jungle book, replace the jungle with a graveyard and the animals with ghosts, and you have neil gaiman’s graveyard book. the book begins with mention of a family murder, but quickly moves on from there and is not a gruesome story inappropriate for young people. the sole survivor of the murder is an 18-month-old baby, who staggers away into a graveyard. here the ghosts and demons of the graveyard adopt the child, give him a name (“no one” since he is like no one else in the graveyard), protect him from the murderer who is still on the loose, and teach him life lessons that only the dead can know. . It takes a graveyard to raise a child, and the graveyard is a great home, but eventually Bod, as they call him, must deal with the world outside his borders. spooky, magical, and mesmerizing, it’s a must for every kid who likes ghost stories (just about every kid). be sure to read other great gaiman books like neverwhere and anasi boys.
the practical book of the american child by daniel c. beard
Long before the dangerous children’s book came into vogue, there was the practical American children’s book. every parent and grandparent should have this on their shelf, waiting there for a child to pull it out and start flipping through it. Dozens of awesome (and unlike any other book, some really dangerous) hands-on projects for kids to tackle, from how to build kites and forts to how to raise wild birds and catch animals. originally published in 1882 and remains a must have for all children today.
norton juster’s phantom toll
the story of a boy whose boring life is interrupted by the appearance of something strange and unusual that transports him to a magical place. It’s a premise that underlies a lot of children’s books, but few are as creatively constructed as the ghost toll booth. young milo finds a toll booth in his room, gets in his toy car and drives to another dimension. Kids will love Milo’s bizarre adventures, while older kids and adults can enjoy the witty satire and clever puns.
the adventures of huckleberry finn by mark twain
one of the great American novels. Young Huck Finn escapes his abusive father by taking off on a raft down the Mississippi River. He is joined by Jim, a runaway slave. the two embarked on a great adventure full of close situations and interesting characters. With wit, action, and fun, coupled with an undercurrent of serious themes, Huck Finn is a multi-layered masterpiece for young and old.
Harry Mazer’s last mission
The classic story of the collision of a child’s idealistic vision of war with his ugly reality. however, the book manages to avoid being a tired cliché. Jack Raab, 15, lies his way into the Army Air Force and finds himself flying bombing missions over occupied territory. On his 25th mission, his last mission before being sent home, his plane is shot down and he is imprisoned in a German POW camp. a story that is fictional and easy to read, but historically accurate and realistic in its details. Be sure to check out other Harry Mazer books; his child at war series is a painless way to teach children some history.
the first edition of the boy scout handbook
if you have a son in scouts, he will definitely like this book. Today’s Scout Handbook is definitely watered down compared to the first edition. The first edition manual is packed with information on tracking and capturing animals, building shelters from scratch, and navigation. In addition, it has stories of bravery and adventure that inspire children to be great men. something that is sorely lacking in today’s manual.
stephen crane’s red badge of courage
Known as a book of war, The Red Badge of Courage is truly a coming-of-age story set on the battlefield. young henry fleming leaves his mother to fight for the union army. his question of whether or not he will have the courage to stand up and fight is answered in the negative when he runs away from their first skirmish. Fleming decides to redeem himself during the next battle. a story not only of the tragedy of war, but also of the struggle to replace pride, weakness, and rationalization with courage and personal honesty.
watership down by richard adams
one of my favorite books as a child, who would have thought that the life of rabbits could be so fascinating? I’m sure it’s full of rich symbolism and other things to ponder, but it’s one of those books that creates a world so rich and evocative that it’s better to get completely wrapped up in it rather than constantly searching for deeper meaning. . When a prophetic rabbit correctly predicts that its den will be destroyed, a band of rabbits travels in search of a new home, encountering dangerous and interesting obstacles along the way. some authors can’t make the human characters as interesting as these rabbits.
the johnny dixon series by john bellairs
If you have a child who loves scares, suspense and mystery, don’t do mediocre crap like Goosebumps. check out john bellairs books, totally underrated. In the Johnny Dixon series, Johnny is something of an outcast who finds a friend and mentor in Professor Childermass. together they investigate dark and creepy mysteries. Bellairs writing is thoroughly engaging, its plots rich and its characters endearing. Also check out his other two equally good series with Anthony Monday and Lewis Barnavelt.
the adventures of tom sawyer by mark twain
the essence of childhood distilled, transcribed and bound. This classic is packed with humor and wit and is chock-full of episodes familiar to any American – Tom convincing his friends to whitewash the fence, Tom listening to his own funeral, Tom exploring a cave with Becky. twain called it a “hymn to childhood” and it’s a song that can be sung over and over again.
the chronicles of narnia by c.s lewis
a fantasy world, talking animals, magic, good and evil….c.s. Lewis packed a treasure trove of interesting topics into his seven-book masterpiece. The books tell the story of a group of children’s adventures, journeys and battles in the world of Narnia. Although the stories are known as a Christian allegory, CS Lewis denied having written them with that intention. and can be enjoyed by both readers simply looking for a gripping story and those seeking deeper layers of meaning. the only question is, what order should you read them in?
canoeing with the cree by arnold sevareid
Before becoming a manly broadcaster, eric sevareid did exactly what every boy dreams of doing: embark on a wild, unstructured, and crazy adventure. After graduating from high school, Sevareid and his friend William Port decided to create their own rite of passage and embarked on a 2,250-mile canoe journey from central Minnesota to Hudson Bay. With only an 18-foot canoe, $100, and some bad maps, the boys spent four months racing against the coming winter and paddling through dangerous rapids, inclement weather, and hungry mosquitoes, barely surviving with their lives. Drawn from the journals they kept, Canoe with the Cree was published in 1935 and remains a simple but fantastic book of travel and adventure.
the giver by lois lowry
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What would you be willing to give up to live in a world without pain, a world without chaos, disease or war? At what point would the sacrifice become too great to live in such an idyllic state? The Giver describes a world where community leaders make all the decisions for the people: who to marry, what job to take, even who should live or die. people take pills to suppress their passions. No one can remember a world before these external controls were put in place… except the giver, who chooses 12-year-old Jonas to be the new recipient of memories. When Jonas realizes that people have given up their freedom, emotions and humanity in exchange for equality and peace, he is faced with a huge decision. a truly profound and thought-provoking book.
lord of the flies by william golding
what is the truth of human nature? Away from society, freed from the restraints of external authority, how would men, boys, really act? not very well, according to william golding. A group of shipwrecked children must forge a new life on a desert island while waiting to be rescued. but the pretense of civilization quickly turns into savagery. while the children fear the attack of a beast, it is their inner beasts that will cause their destruction. it is an obscure book, not the kind one delights in picking up and reading again and again. but every child should read it once.
heat by mike lupica
Knowing that kids love sports, there are children’s authors writing one sports story after another. and then there’s mike lupica. Lupica provides the kind of vivid play-by-play detail that every good sports book needs, while also rounding out his characters and their off-the-field stories with enough interest and realism to keep the reader engaged. the plot of the heat is of the law & order torn from the variety of holders; Cuban-American Michael Arroyo is a star pitcher whose chances of leading his team to the Minor League World Series are compromised when he is accused of being over 12 years old. Not only that, but Arroyo’s parents are dead and he must prevent Social Services from finding him outside. It sounds corny, but Lupica manages to keep it current and relevant without being clunky. If your guy likes it, be sure to check out Lupica’s plethora of other sports-themed offerings.
jack london’s call of the wild
all children feel the call of nature. he feels the desire to be entrepreneurial and free, and yet he soon learns the rules of society and the consequences of stepping too far out of line. for the rest of his life he will feel the desire to be a primal jerk versus the need to conform. In Jack London’s magnum opus, she explores this idea through the lives of dogs in the Alaskan Klondike. dogs, like men, must fight to survive and lead, in a world that is often cruel. London’s manly writing is cheap and concise, and yet powerful enough to force you to wrap yourself in a blanket against the cold and dark of an Alaskan night.
robert louis stevenson’s treasure island
Children love treasures. boys love pirates. boys love treasure island. Almost everything we think of when we think of pirates comes not from the pages of history, but from this book: treasure maps with an “x” marking the spot, desert islands, peg legs, parrots, etc. Stevenson insisted that there be no women in the book other than Jim Hawkins’ mother at first, which made the book a testosterone-filled, swashbuckling good time. American novelist Henry James praised it as “perfect as a child’s game well played”. he couldn’t agree more.
james and the giant peach by roald dahl
After his parents are killed in a rhino crash, James is sent to live with his evil aunts. Lonely and unhappy, he meets a mysterious man who gives him magical crystals that he promises will completely change James’ life. But James accidentally drops the crystals on a peach tree, which slowly begins to grow into a giant peach. One day, James walks in, the peach rolls away from his ordinary life and embarks on a grand adventure with 7 oversized insects: Centipede, Earthworm, Grasshopper, Firefly, Miss Spider, Ladybug and Silkworm. more fun and exciting than you remember; a true classic.
holes by louis sachar
Sent to “Camp Green Lake” for a crime he didn’t commit, Stanley Yelnats finds himself in a juvenile detention center set in a hot, dry wasteland. Stanley quickly picks up the daily grind; get up every day and dig a hole five feet deep by five feet wide by five feet long. The camp director tells the kids that the dig is designed to reform her wayward character, but Stanley soon discovers that she has another purpose in mind. With depth, realism, action and magic, it’s extraordinarily good at turning pages.
the trumpet of the swan by e.b white
although often overlooked in favor of other white classics (charlotte’s web and stuart little), this is my personal favorite and a great one for kids. a classic story of the relationship between father and son, father and son swans that is. Louis is a trumpeter swan who was born without the ability to make a sound. Unable to honk his horn and attract the swan he loves, his father steals a trumpet to give his son a voice. Incredibly grateful, Louis works to pay off his father’s debt. the swans don’t seem so manly, but this is a great book about individuality, courage, and overcoming life’s challenges.
the strangers of s.e hinton
It’s amazing that I know Hinton began writing this book when he was 15, but it certainly explains his uncanny ability to capture the angst, alienation, emotion, and immediacy of adolescence. such perfect tone has rightly catapulted outsiders to classical status. say “greasers and socs” or “ponyboy and soda” or “stay gold”, and everyone will immediately know what you’re talking about. While every youngster is likely to be assigned this book in school, it’s a great book to read on your own when you’re not thinking of turning topics into a term paper.
robert cormier’s chocolate war
should we dare to disturb the universe? even when the consequences of stepping out of line can be extremely serious? Jerry Renault is an ordinary high school student. The annual fundraiser arrives, where students are expected to sell chocolates to raise money for the school. the vigils, a kind of secret society, which governs both the students and the faculty, assigns the students different tasks, simply to belittle them and demonstrate their authority. Jerry is required to refuse to sell chocolates for ten days. Jerry complies with his order, but after the ten days are up, he continues to refuse to sell the chocolates, earning the ire of the vigils and the rest of the school. To what extent would he be willing to stick to his convictions, even when everyone turns against him? powerfully written but gloomy and dark, this book is best for older children.
to kill a mockingbird by harper lee
There are books that tackle deep issues, but they do so at the expense of plot and character development. and there are books that turn the pages with fascinating plots that excite your mind while you read but then leave you empty when you finish. And then there’s killing a mockingbird. a literary masterpiece that weaves subtle lessons on racism, tolerance, innocence and guilt, and right and wrong with a riveting plot and memorable characters. no wonder mrs. lee made this the only book of hers; some things you can’t improve.
calvin and hobbes by bill watterson
As a child, I was a huge fan of Calvin and Hobbes. he read the strip every day in the newspaper and bought all the books that came out. it’s true that a lot of the jokes and content about politics and social issues went through my 9 year old head, but as a kid i could appreciate calvin’s huge imagination where his stuffed tiger would pounce on him after school and together they would plot plans and throwing snowballs at the upset girl. It’s been almost 15 years since the last Calvin and Hobbes strip was published, so it’s very likely that a young man in his life has never had the opportunity to read such a good comic. Introduce them today with one of the many Calvin and Hobbes books; I think this is the best.
orson scott card’s ender’s game
many men’s love for science fiction was born in childhood with the reading of ender’s game. In the 22nd century of Earth, the future of humanity is threatened by ant-like aliens called Formics or bugs. Fearing for the planet’s survival, Earth relies on an international military unit called the International Fleet. the if believes that the only hope on earth is to train children to become military geniuses. Thus, six-year-old Ender Wiggins is chosen to attend battle school and be trained to take on the aliens. Being the smartest of the genies causes him to be resented by the other students, but despite the challenges, Ender quickly emerges as a great leader in the mock battles the boys must compete in. but the games have more serious consequences than he thinks. Written in a simple and direct way, many children will love it, some will hate it, and most will at least have something to think about.
me and harris by gary paulsen
The 11-year-old son of a set of “vomit-drunk” parents is sent to live with distant relatives, the Larsens, on their family farm. He befriends his 9-year-old second cousin and Tom Sawyer-esque Harris, the two have a summer of fun adventures as the narrator plunges headlong into country life. Harris’s wild, youthful spirit is contagious, helping the narrator kick off his shoes and the reader living vicariously through both.
where the red fern grows by wilson rawls
Write a story about the bond between a boy and his dog and you’re halfway to a great book. add good writing, great lessons, and a heartwarming plot, and you have the ingredients to become a perennial favorite. Billy desperately wants a pair of redbone hounds to hunt raccoons, but his parents can’t afford them. So Billy works hard for two years to save money and buy them himself. together he, little ann and old dan explore the ozarks of oklahoma in search of their prize. but where does the red fern come in? According to an ancient Indian legend, a red fern can only grow where an angel plants it and marks the sacred ground. where does one grow up in the story? why, you’ll have to read it to find out of course!
rudyard kipling’s brave captains
what list for kids would be complete without some rudyard kipling? While the Jungle Book certainly gets more fanfare, for my money I’d recommend Brave Captains. It is the perfect story for our times. A spoiled, spoiled rich kid named Harvey Cheyne falls off a steamboat and is picked up by a fishing boat. his conceit is forced to give way to the new realities of his life: on this ship, if a man doesn’t work, he doesn’t eat. These salty fishermen give Harvey a kick in the pants and a real punch in the nose, and he soon learns to put his shoulder to the helm, embrace responsibility and adventure, and work hard. the story of the brat turned man is one we can all celebrate. With archaic dialect and language and a lack of real “action,” the story isn’t as accessible as more modern books, but the dedicated child will be amply rewarded.
the indian in the closet by lynne reid banks
every child wonders and hopes that their toys will secretly come to life when they’re not looking. For her birthday, Omri receives an old wardrobe from his brother and a plastic Indian figure from his friend. he cannot open the closet until his mother gives him a key that he has kept since his childhood. Omri gets the surprise of his life when he discovers that locking the Indian and then other figurines in the cabinet brings them to life. however, his initial enthusiasm is short-lived, as he must fight to keep the secret of the closet magic, realize that he is playing god with real people, and decide what to do with his “creations”. . it’s the kind of magical, well-written book that will weaken the resistance of even the most reluctant reader.
tony earley’s blue star
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The Blue Star is a sequel to Tony Earley’s Jim the Boy, but this is the best of the books. Many books set in the World War II era, written by authors who never experienced it firsthand, try too hard to recapture the setting by filling every aspect of the characters’ lives with drama and significance. But Earley seems to get the tone, realizing that life was going on in many of the usual ways, with many of the usual feelings as the storm of war brewed. the story follows a teenager in a small town who falls in love with a girl whose boyfriend has already enlisted in the service. simple, quiet, excellent.
walter farley’s black stallion
the boys save the horse. the horse saves the boy. Thus begins this classic story of great adventures and the classic bond between child and animal. Young Alec Ramsey is shipwrecked with Black, a wild horse, and the two end up stranded on a desert island. boy and horse are rescued and taken to the states. a retired horse trainer sees great racing potential in black if he can be harnessed for wildness. Together, he and Alec work to turn Black into a thoroughbred, all of which leads to the race of the century as Black takes on two champions as the proverbial and literal “dark horse.”
theodore taylor’s key
On his journey back to America from the West Indies in 1942, 11-year-old Philip is blinded and adrift when the Germans torpedo the ship he is traveling on. Phillip ends up on a life raft with Timothy, a black old sailor, and a stew. Exiled together on a small island, Phillip must deal with his blindness, overcome his prejudice toward his fellow castaways, and learn to survive and fend for himself. a classic story of adventure, tolerance, self-sufficiency, and friendship.
lord of the rings trilogy by j.r.r. tolkien
Even if a child is not that much of a fan of fantasy literature, they can still enjoy the Lord of the Rings series. J.R.R Tolkien masterfully creates a world where hobbits, dwarves, and elves unite to battle the forces of evil. loyalty, duty, and bravery are recurring themes throughout all three books. And the story’s main character, Frodo Baggins, teaches us that many times we don’t choose our calling in life, he chooses us. and when he does, he give him everything you got.
conn and hal iggulden’s dangerous children’s book
the practical american child’s book for the modern age. Sturdy, well-designed, and tactile (is that a word?), the book contains fun hands-on projects like making secret inks and a bow and arrow, instructions on various games like marbles and chess, and interesting knowledge for kids. about clouds and poems and battles. Of course one criticism of the book is that it seems like nostalgic men buy it and read it more than real guys, but it’s worth buying even with the slightest chance that it will at least momentarily unhook your son from the tethers of his xbox .
ralph moody’s little panties series
With a name like “little underpants” and a reputation for being similar to little house on the prairie for kids, one might be tempted to skip this series. but that would be a big mistake. Packed with lessons on values held dear by Americans of old, it’s perhaps the best kids’ series you’ve never heard of. In 1906, at the age of eight, Ralph Moody and her family left for the frontier and ranching life in Colorado. after a life of triumph, anguish and honest work, he decided to write his experiences in this autobiographical series. He follows little Ralph as his father teaches him the lessons of masculinity, good character, responsibility, and resilience, and prepares Ralph to take his place as the man of the family.
a wrinkle in time by madeleine l’engle
Warmer than your typical science fiction, tackling the battle between good and evil without being too harsh, A Wrinkle in Time is a unique book that easily earned a place in the hearts of children around the world. . Charles Wallace and Meg Murry are a brother and sister who have special gifts but are ignored by others. Along with neighbor Calvin O’Keefe, and with the help of three angelic beings, they go in search of their missing father who has been trapped on an alien planet controlled by an evil, disembodied brain. a plot interesting enough to keep a younger child reading, enough symbolism and allegory to keep an older child thinking.
my side of the mountain by jean craighead george
Did you ever try to run away from home? Did you tie a red bandanna to a stick, throw in some Oreos, and head down the street? You probably didn’t get very far, but you always wondered what it would have been like to strike out and keep on going. My Side of the Mountain is the story of boy who not only hears the call of the wild, but heeds it. Who not only hides out in the wilderness, but thrives there. 15 year old Sam Gribley takes up residence in the hollow of a tree and learns to survive along along with a pet falcon. Need I go on? You had me at falconry, My Side of the Mountain, you had me at falconry.
the complete maus of art spiegelman
If you think of the family circus when you think of comics, you’re missing out on some of the great graphic novels out there. possibly one of the best, and an excellent introduction to the form is maus. It would seem that no platform was less appropriate for telling the story of the holocaust than comics, but somehow the juxtaposition of something we associate with frivolity with one of history’s gravest periods makes tragedy more powerful and real than ever. any number of more serious tomes. on the subject.
the tough guys series
the girls have nancy drew; the boys have the resistant boys. She follows brothers Frank and Joe as they investigate exciting mysteries in Bayport (a staggeringly crime-ridden city). Although they often encounter great danger, their courage and, of course, their toughness, allow them to come out unscathed and solve all cases. The series has gone through many iterations, but the ones published between 1927 and 1959, largely written by Leslie McFarlane, are absolutely the best and the only ones worth reading. Beginning in 1959, the books began to be revised in an effort to make them smarter, remove anything too violent, and attract readers with shorter attention spans. The result was sanitized and simplified books that McFarlane considered “gutted”. so she buys the old books or the ones from applewood books that have reprinted the original 1-16.
the story of king arthur and his knights by howard pyle
I’m pretty sure all kids go through a gentleman phase. stories of swords, armor, wizards and dragons are the perfect fuel for a child’s imagination. And there are few better vehicles for fueling that imagination than Howard Pyle’s interpretation of the legendary stories of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. surely not the most accessible book; Pyle used the type of archaic English true to that time, but difficult for ours. but he also wrote it with the young reader in mind, so a dedicated child will not find the task of reading and understanding insurmountable, and the book is packed with illustrations to provide visual interest. of course also check out pyle’s robin hood adventures, probably the best book (but the knights are cooler, so they got the credit).
charlie and the chocolate factory by roald dahl
there are times when the movie is so famous, so classic, that people almost forget there is a book version. such is the case of charlie and the chocolate factory. but while the movie (the original, of course) is an absolute gem, the book, as it always is, is even better. Dahl has a knack for taking the things that fill a child’s imagination and building a story around them. Every kid loves candy, and every kid would love to tour a candy factory as fantastic as Willy Wonka’s. Charlie Bucket gets the chance to do just that when he finds 1 of 5 Golden Tickets that grant entry to this world of wondrous, sugary treats. a book with a message everyone can get behind: bratty brats will finally get what they deserve, while the good at heart will be fairly rewarded.
the usual thief by clive barker
clive barker for the youngest. In this captivating fable, ten-year-old Harvey is bored with his life until a strange being shows him the way to the enchanting and magical vacation home. Every day he goes through the four seasons, and children can celebrate Halloween every night and Christmas every night. It looks like a place of endless fun and excitement, but of course, all is not what it seems…..
that was then, this is now by s.e. hint
for a lady, s.e. Hinton sure she knew how to harness the mind of a teenager. Then, This Is Now, she returns to her favorite subject: seemingly parentless children trying to find their way in a cruel world. the outsider characters appear in the story as do the similar lines between the socs and the greasers. but while this book isn’t as good as that classic, it’s not a hackneyed regurgitation of it either. The plot, on the other hand, is quite compelling: two boys, Byron and Mark, who are lifelong friends with a sibling-like bond, come to a crossroads in their friendship. Mark is being drawn into the violence and crime of the streets, while Byron wants to make something of himself. Their friendship is changing and Byron must decide a question that hurts all men, “When does loyalty end?” believable and real until the not so happy ending.
david copperfield by charles dickens
everyone loves dickens carol (wonder what he would have thought about his work becoming 3d!). And everyone is assigned high expectations and/or the tale of two cities in high school, and yet poor David Copperfield is often ignored or mistaken for a modern wizard. Which is a shame, it’s as good, on some days I might say even better, than his most famous works. and it’s a perfect starting point for a kid who’s ready to dip their toes in dickens. certainly more challenging than choosing your own adventure book, but quite possibly the thing that changes a child’s opinion of “classic” literature. The Dickens Story is a coming-of-age tale that doesn’t make the common mistake of making a child come of age all at once. Instead, we are allowed to experience the great humanity of David Copperfield and the wonderful cast of characters who challenge him, love him, and help him become a man.
heart of a champion by carl deuker
Like Mike Lupica, Carl Deuker manages to blend the kind of seamless sports action storytelling that is the hallmark of sports writing, with compelling, realistic characters and plots. The Heart of a Champion combines baseball with a story about the influence and impact of fathers on their children, making it another classic entry in that distinctively masculine story genre: Baseball as Life. seth’s father died when he was six years old and his difficulty in accepting his death has left his life adrift. but then he meets jimmy, who has a problem with his father: his father is authoritarian and alcoholic. Jimmy’s friendship helps Seth get back on track with baseball and school, but when his parents divorce, Jimmy’s life begins to unravel. the boys’ choices soon pull them in very different directions.
salisbury graham sea blue skin
along with gary paulson, graham salisbury was one of my favorite authors growing up. The Blue Skin of the Sea is set in Hawaii in the 1950s and 1960s and follows the lives of a teenager named Sonny Mendoza and his cousin Keo as they come of age. Despite coming from a long-line family of fishermen who braved the ocean for a living, Sonny is afraid of the ocean, but he doesn’t know why. At its core, the blue skin of the sea is about the self-realization that every young man must go through on his way from boyhood to adulthood. At least that’s what I got when I read it when I was 12.
old fred gipson screamer
Like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Old Yeller is a great book that is often overshadowed by its film counterpart. but instead of playing the dvd, give your child the book to read. Often remembered as the story of the bond between a dog and a boy, it is actually a coming-of-age story. 14-year-old travis coates lives with his family in the texas hills during the 1860s. when his father is away from home for a while, he leaves travis to “act like a man” and take care of of the family. he does the best he can, but comes to need the help and love of an old screamer, a dog that wanders into his lives. But when the old screamer comes down with a rage, Travis learns firsthand one of the most difficult virtues of true manhood: sacrifice.
the art of masculinity by brett and kate mckay
Okay, I’m a bit biased on this. but honestly, I think our book is a must read for children and young people. It is never too early for a boy to start thinking and learning what it means to be a man. Even if they’re good parents, it’s hard to think of everything a child needs to know. help your son learn essential classic skills and manners and be part of the generation that will revive the lost art of masculinity.
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