Pennsylvania School Library Association
Presents
Books for Boys
By Kim Deniker
May 3, 2008
Statistics
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Young male readers lag behind their female counterparts. According
to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) in
2001, fourth-grade girls in all of the 30 plus participating countries
scored higher in reading literacy than fourth-grade boys by a
statistically significant amount.
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Jon Scieszka, author of children’s books such as The Stinky Cheese
Man and the Time Warp Trio series, believes that boys are slower to
develop than girls biologically and therefore often have early
struggles with reading and writing skills. On his website
(www.guysread.com), he also says that the male way of learning,
which tends to be action oriented and competitive, works against
boys in many classrooms.
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http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/gendergap/index.html
Frustrated over finding an
interesting book for boys to read??
Searching for “WHY”
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Why does this disparity exist? Theories abound. According to Michael W. Smith and Jeffrey
D. Wilhelm in Reading Don’t Fix No Chevys: Literacy in the Lives of Young Men
(Heinemann, 2002), research on gender and literacy provides some interesting insights:
– Boys take longer to learn to read than girls do.
– Boys read less than girls read.
– Girls tend to comprehend narrative texts and most
expository texts significantly better than boys do.
– Boys value reading as an activity less than girls
do.
• According to a national survey conducted by the Young Adult Library
Services Association in 2001, boys of an average age of 14 listed their
top obstacles to reading:
– Boring/no fun 39.3%
– No time/too busy 29.8%
– Like other activities better 11.1%
– Can’t get into the stories 7.7%
– I’m not good at it 4.3%
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An area that seems to be critical to stimulating reading success among young male readers is
the choice of materials. According to Smith and Wilhelm in Reading Don’t Fix No Chevys:
Literacy in the Lives of Young Men, boys differ from girls in the choices they make of reading
material.
• Boys …
– are more inclined to read informational texts, magazines, and
newspaper articles.
– are more inclined to read graphic novels and comic books.
– tend to resist reading stories about girls, whereas girls do not tend
to resist reading stories about boys.
– like to read about hobbies, sports, and things they might do or be
interested in doing.
– like to collect things and tend to like to collect series of books.
– read less fiction than girls.
– tend to enjoy escapism and humor, and some boys are passionate
about science fiction or fantasy.
Tips for
encouraging boys
to read:
Five Suggestions
from
Michael
Sullivan:
#1
• Take It Easy:
Becoming a reader has little to do with reading difficult
books and everything to do with the amount of reading a
boy does. Let the boys choose books that are below, even
well below their reading level. If they choose books that are
very easy, he may be feeling unsure of their abilities and
are looking for some reassurance that they can read and
enjoy it. This is called regression, and it is perfectly normal.
What you don't want to happen is for them to give up on
reading altogether for any amount of time; it may be very
hard to get them reading again.
#2
• Let Him Choose:
As much as possible, let boys choose the books they wants to read
for pleasure, it will fight the impression that reading is a chore that
is imposed on them. They might choose the same types of books,
even the same books over and over again. They are showing signs of
regression . They might choose books that make you crazy: books
that center on action and even violence, books that are gross and
humor that is edgy. They is testing the limits of their freedom and
your forbearance. This too is perfectly normal. Try to remember that
they are exposed to these types of things from the media all the time,
and that they will deal with such things better in context, that is, in a
book.
#3
• Read with him:
Reading is hard for many boys,
but stories are still appealing.
Share the reading, so he only
has to do half the work. If the
reading is too hard but the story
is too good, just read it to him.
Listening to things being read
encourages boys to read.
#4
• Model Good Reading:
Even when you are not reading to boys, make sure
they see you read, especially you and other
students! Men have been trained to read in
isolation, either because that is natural for the
women who educated us, or because we felt
uncomfortable being seen reading. Break the cycle!
Men need to Read in front of boys, your own and
anyone else's. Boys need to see men with books.
#5
• Show respect for mental activities:
Reading is just part of a rich life of the mind. Show
the same respect for that world as you do for the
more physical world (sports, outdoors, etc.). Involve
yourself and your male students in library and school
activities, chess and other challenging mental games,
crossword puzzles, and the like. The mind needs to
be exercised just like the muscles.
Family Literacy
• Takes place during daily
life.
• Parent’s are the child’s
first teacher.
• Start when they are
newborns to develop
these skills.
• Children who develop print
awareness have a head
start on reading and
literacy skills:
– Children should participate in
conversations,
– Read to child regularly, and
– Have books in the home.
These are all good starts to
family literacy.
Tips to Promote Family Literacy
• Read with your child everyday.
• Regularly listen to your child
read.
• Turn of the TV to read and help
your child with homework.
• Make sure your child sees you
reading newspapers,
magazines, and books.
• Share family stories and make up
your own bed time stories.
• Read street signs with your child,
write shopping lists or letters
together, play word games as a
family.
• Visit the library with your child.
• Talk with your child’s teacher to find
out what students are learning in
class.
• Encourage your child to write
lists, stories, and poems.
• Talk with your child about
favorite characters or events in
books.
• Ask your child what happens in
books as you read together.
• Find books that match your
child’s interests.
• Encourage your child to act out stories in plays or
puppet shows with friends or siblings.
• Encourage your child to read everyday during the
summer.
• Play rhyming games, sing songs with rhymes and play
with word sounds.
Books About Boys and Reading
Bibliography:
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Gurian, Michael. Boys and Girls Learn Differently!: A Guide for Teachers and Parents.
Jossey-Basse, 2001.
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Krashen, Stephen. The Power of Reading: Insights from the Research. Libraries Unlimitted,
2004.
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Large, Jerry. "Teaching Boys the Joy of Books." Seattle Times, March 11, 2004.
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Newkirk, Thomas. Misreading Masculinity: Boys, Literacy, and Popular Culture. Heinemann,
2002.
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Pennac, Daniel. Better Than Life. Stenhouse, 1999.
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Sax, Leonard. Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know About the
Emerging Science of Sex Differences. Doubleday, 2005.
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Smith, Michael W. and Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Reading Don't Fix No Chevys: Literacy in the
Lives of Young Men. Heinemann, 2002.
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Sullivan, Michael. Connecting Boys With Books: What Libraries Can Do. ALA Editions,
2003.
Ages 6-8
• The Magic Tree House, Book #1,
Dinosaurs Before Dark. By Mary
Pope Osbourne.
• Jumanji, by Chris Van Allsburg.
Ages 6 to 10
• Flat Stanley, by Jeff Brown.
• How to Eat Fried Worms, by
Thomas Rockwell.
Bruce Coville for Ages 8 to 12
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Aliens Ate My Homework
Aliens Stole My Body
The Dragonslayers
The Monster’s Ring
My Teacher Flunked the Planet
My Teacher is an Alien
Gordon Korman’s Books for Boys
Ages 8-12
•“One the Run” (Series)
Book One: Chasing the Falconers
Book Two: The Fugitive Factor
Book Three: Hunting the Hunter
Book Four: Now You See Them, Now You Don't
Book Five: Public Enemies
Book Six: The Stowaway Solution
•"Everest" (Series):
Book One: The Contest.
Book Two: The Climb.
Book Three: The Summit.
• "Island" (Series):
Book One: Shipwreck.
Book Two: Survival.
Book Three: Escape.
More Korman Titles
• “Dive” (Series)
Book One: The Danger
Book Two: The Deep
Book Three: The Discovery
• Maxx Comedy : The Funniest Kid in America
• No More Dead Dogs.
Science Fiction Novel for Ages 8-12
• Downer, Ann. Hatching Magic.
Aladdin, 2003. ****
Tod Strausser’s “Help! I’m Trapped” Series…
Help! I'm Trapped in My Teacher's Body
Help! I'm Trapped in The First Day of School
Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School
Help! I'm Trapped in My Gym Teacher's Body
Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School Again
Help! I'm Trapped in My Sister's Body
Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of Summer Camp
Help! I'm Trapped in Santa's Body
Help! I'm Trapped in a Movie Star's Body
Help! I'm Trapped in My Principal's Body
Help! I'm Trapped in an Alien's Body
Help! I'm Trapped in My Lunch Lady's Body
Nonfiction Books…
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Webber, Desiree. Bonehead: Story of the Longhorn. Eakin Press, 2003.
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Webber, Desiree. The Buffalo Train Ride. Eakin Press, 1999.
Ages 8-12
• Cirque du Freak, A Living
Nightmare, Book #1
By Darren Shan
• Maniac Magee, by Jerry
Spinelli
• A Week in the Woods, by
Clements, Andrew.
Shadow Children Series by
Haddix for
Ages 8 and Up
• Among the Hidden
• Among the Impostors
• Among the Betrayed
• Among the Barons
• Among the Brave
• Among the Enemy
• Among the Free
Historical Fiction for Ages 9 and Up
• Hoobler, Dorothy. The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn.
Philomel, 1999. (and it's sequels)
Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Contribute Fantasy for Ages 9 and Up…
• Peter and the Starcatchers
• Peter and the Shadow Thieves
• Peter and the Secret of Rundoon
Eoin Colfer’s Books for Boys
• “Artemis Fowl” (Series):
– Artemis Fowl
– The Arctic Incident
– The Eternity Code
– The Opal Deception
– The Artemis Fowl Files
More Eoin Colfer’s for
Ages 9 and Up
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The Supernaturalist
Half-Moon Investigations
The Wish List
Legend of Spud Murphy
Legend of Captain Crow’s Teeth
Jeanne DuPrau’s Book’s for
Ages 9 and Up
• The City of Ember
• The People of Sparks
“Alex Rider Adventures” by
Anthony Horowitz for Ages 9 and Up
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Ark Angel
Eagle Strike
Evil Star
Point Blank
Raven’s Gate
Scorpia
Skeleton Key
Stormbreaker
Warriors Series by Erin Hunter
• Warrior: The New Prophecy
• Warriors
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Into the Wild
Fire and Ice
The Forest of Secrets
Rising Storm
A Dangerous Path
The Darkest Hour
•Midnight
•Moonrise
•Dawn
•Starlight
•Twilight
•Sunset
• Warrior: Power of Three
•The Sight
Other Popular Titles by Carl Hiaasen
• Flush. Knopf, 2005.
• Hoot. Knopf, 2002.
Walter Dean Myers’s Books for
Ages 9 and Up
• Handbook for Boys
• Monster
• Shooter
• Scorpions
More Age 9-12 Titles
• Al Capone Does My Shirts,
by Gennifer Choldenko
• Something Upstairs,
by Avi.
• Snow Treasure,
by Marie McSwigan,
Wendelin Van Draanen’s Books for Boys
Ages 9-13
• "Shredderman" (Series):
Secret Identity
Attack of the Tagger
Meet the Gecko
Enemy Spy
• Swear to Howdy
Historical Fiction by Avi for Ages 10-14…
• Crispin: Cross of Lead
• Crispin at the Edge of The World
• Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary Novel
• The Book Without Words : A Fable of Medieval Magic
• The Fighting Ground
Ages 10-14
• Losing Joe’s Place, by Gordon
Korman.
• Rats, Paul Zindel,
• The Contender, by Robert
Lipsyte.
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http://www.booksforboys.com/
Cornelia Funke Favorites
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The Thief Lord
Dragon Rider
Inkspell
Inkheart
Gary Paulsen Picks:
Age 10 and Up
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Alida’ Song
Brian’s Hunt
Brian’s Return
Brian’s Winter
The Cookcamp
The Foxman
Hatchet
More Gary Paulsen Picks
• The Car
• Harris and Me
• How Angel Peterson Got His Name,
and Other Outrageous Tales of
Extreme Sports
• The Rifle
For Ages 12 and Up
• The Giver, by Lois Lowry
• Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card
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http://www.booksforboys.com/
Carl Deuker for Ages 12 and Up
SPORTS RELATED
• Heart of a Champion
• On the Devil’s Court
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http://www.booksforboys.com/
Harry Mazer for Ages 13-15
ACTION ADVENTURE
• Snow Bound
• The Last Mission
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http://www.booksforboys.com/
For Ages 13 and Up
• Firestorm, By David Klass.
• Escapade Johnson and
Mayhem at Mount Moosilauke
. Michael Sullivan
• The Outsiders. S.E. Hinton.
Spinelli & Tocher
• Spinelli, Jerry. Milkweed. Knopf, 2003.
• Spinelli, Jerry. Loser. Joanna Cotler, 2002. ****
• Tocher, Timothy. Chief Sunrise, John McGraw, and Me. Cricket
Books, 2004. ****
Blue Sky Press Titles by
Rodman Philbrick…
• The Last Book in
the Universe.
• The Young Man
and the Sea
More Favorites…
• Ritter, John H. The Boy Who Saved Baseball. Philomel, 2003.
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• Rowling, J.K. “Harry Potter” (Series): Fantasy
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic, 1998.
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Scholastic, 1999.
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Scholastic, 1999.
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Scholastic, 2000.
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Scholastic, 2003.
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Scholastic, 2005..
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. Scholastic, 2007.
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Quidditch Through the Ages. Scholastic, 2001.
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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Scholastic, 2001.
Add Mystery for Interest…
• Strickland, Brad. The Whistle, The Grave, and the Ghost. Dial,
2003. ****
NEW TITLE
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Black Duck
Ages 13
by Janet Taylor
and UP
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 7-10
• Years afterwards, Ruben Hart tells
the story of how, in 1929 Newport,
Rhode Island, his family and his best
friend's family were caught up in the
violent competition among groups
trying to control the local rumsmuggling trade.
The Bartimaeus Trilogy
Stroud, Jonathan. "The Bartimaeus Trilogy" Series:
– The Amulet of Samarkand. Book 1. Miramax, 2003.
– The Golem's Eye. Book 2. Miramax, 2004.
– Ptolemy's Gate. Book 3. Miramax, 2005. ****
Boy’s Favorites by Snicket
• Snicket, Lemony. “A Series of Unfortunate Events”
(Series):
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The Bad Beginning. HarperCollins, 1999.
The Reptile Room. HarperCollins, 1999.
The Wide Window. HarperCollins, 2000.
The Miserable Mill. HarperCollins, 2000.
The Austere Academy. HarperCollins, 2000.
The Ersatz Elevator. HarperCollins, 2001.
The Vile Village. HarperCollins, 2001.
The Hostile Hospital. HarperCollins, 2001.
The Carnivorous Carnival. HarperCollins, 2002.
The Slippery Slope. HarperCollins, 2003.
The Grim Grotto. HarperCollins, 2004.
The Penultimate Peril. HarperCollins, 2005.
The End. HarperCollins, 2006.
Brian Jacques
Science Fiction/Fantasy
The Redwall Series
By Brian Jacques
The books were written out of chronological order, so the events don't all occur in order if
you read them in the order in which they were published.
Here is the chronological order:
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Lord Brocktree
Martin The Warrior
Mossflower
The Legend of Luke
Outcast of Redwall
Mariel of Redwall
The Bellmaker
Salamandastron
Redwall
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Mattimeo
The Pearls of Lutra
The Long Patrol
Marlfox
Taggerung
Triss
Loamhedge
Rakkety Tam
High Rhulain
Philomel Book Publisher, A Division of Penguin Putnam, Inc.
The Sports Genre…
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Martino, Alfred C. Pinned. Harcourt, 2005. ****
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Clair Bee, Cynthia Bee Farley, Randall K.
Farley, Bob Knight
1 Touchdown Pass - 1948
2 Championship Ball - 1948
3 Strike Three! - 1949
4 Clutch Hitter - 1949
5 A Pass and a Prayer - 1951
6 Hoop Crazy - 1950
7 Pitchers' Duel - 1950
8 Dugout Jinx - 1952
9 Freshman Quarterback - 1952
10 Backboard Fever - 1953
11 Fence Busters - 1953
12 Ten Seconds To Play! - 1955
13 Fourth Down Showdown - 1956
14 Tournament Crisis - 1957
15 Hardcourt Upset - 1957
16 Pay-off Pitch - 1958
17 No-Hitter - 1959
18 Triple-Threat Trouble - 1960
19 Backcourt Ace - 1961
20 Buzzer Basket - 1962
21 Comeback Cagers - 1963
22 Home Run Feud - 1964
23 Hungry Hurler - 1965
24 Fiery Fullback - 2002
Chip Hilton Series for
Boys
Matt Christopher Sports Books
• Series Reading Levels are for 3.0 to 7.0 with the
average being 5th/6th grades.
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Challenge at Second Base.
The Comeback Challenge
The Diamond Champs
The Dirt Bike Racer
Double Play at Short
Face Off
Football Fugitive
Into the Danger Zone
New Favorite Boy Picks
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal
• Dairy of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules
by Jeff Kinney
• Swindle by Gordon Korman
It is our job to generate
interest in books,
especially for the boys
who do not like to read.
Thanks for allowing me
the time to share my
“Books for Boys”
presentation, now it’s your
turn!
Bibliography
•
•
http://www.reading.org/publications/reading_today/samples/RTY-0408-boys.html
“Boys and Books”.
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http://www.talestoldtall.com/BooksforBoys.html “Books for Boys”
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http://www.texnews.com/1998/religion/garf1121.html “Chip Hilton Series”
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http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=7-078684907x-0 “Peter and the Starcatchers”
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http://www.amazon.com and http://www.flr.follett.com For all book cover pictures.
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A complete bibliography of the books included in this presentation will be available upon request.
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Contact: kdeniker@wilmington.k12.pa.us