Best Books for Boys: A Resource for Educators

by Matthew D. Zbaracki

Looking for books guaranteed to grab the attention and interest of boys? Dip into this guide for a wealth of ideas. This book is designed to help librarians, teachers, and parents find fiction and nonfiction titles that will be both interesting and motivating for young male readers. The 500 entries are organized by genre, each with a brief plot summary, indication of reading level, and complete bibliographic information. This volume will help adults sift through the plethora of titles published for children each year and identify suitable titles for individual boys. Grades 3-10.

Looking for books guaranteed to grab the attention and interest of boys? Books that will keep them reading to the end? Books that will turn them onto reading, or turn them from reluctant readers into lifelong readers? Dip into this guide for a wealth of ideas, all carefully chosen to help librarians, teachers, and parents.

The approximately 500 entries have been selected for the general appeal and for their ability to engage and involve readers. Covering a broad span of literature, the book focuses on titles published within the last decade. Genres covered include humor, realistic fiction, adventure, sports, fantasy, historical fiction, graphic novels, nonfiction, and even poetry.

Entries are organized by genre and each includes a brief plot summary that highlights the appeal to boys, an indication of reading level, and complete bibliographic information.

In recent years, educators and librarians have become increasingly aware of their failings with young male readers, and eager to enlist boys in books and reading. If you are among those educators hoping to more successfully reach out to boys and promote reading, this book is for you. A wonderful tool for collection development, book lists, and displays, this volume will help adults sift through the plethora of titles published for children each year and identify suitable titles for individual boys in grades 3-10.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

204 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2008

Reviews

[Chelsey Cosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit dated now, this book is still an excellent resource for educators, just as the name implies. It offers a bounty of title selections, composing bibliographies by subject and form and genre. There are helpful indexes (indices?) tacked onto the end, as well. Nonetheless, I was struck by disappointment that there were not more sections explaining what books like, why they like it, and what that says about the young male mind and how they learn. I think I was looking more for that than for what I got, but, frankly, what the book promises in its title, it surely delivers.

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

So the boy on the cover is reading Terry Pratchet….the first HALF of the books are classified as Reader1/2/3....
Then on top of that, given the books' publication date, 2008, the suggestions in this book are outdated, not just in award winners or classics, but all of them.
I was bummed because I really wanted to like this one.

[Amy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bibliography of books that boys might like. Sections on humor, realistic fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, poetry, graphic novels, nonfiction, and modern classics.

[Danica Midlil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm amused to discover that I've read a fair amount of the titles he suggests. Apparently I have masculine reading habits! :)

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were a few books and authors that I came away interested in. We discovered Jon Sceizska and love all his books now.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

B. nonfiction, resource, books about books