Keeping Boys Reading

Recommendations, discussions, and odes to your favorites
trini
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by trini » December 30th, 2009, 9:34 pm

It is New Years Eve day here. Its a beautiful day. The sun is shining, nothing to do but hang with friends (or tidy the house for the company tonight). I just walked past my 16yr old boy's room to find him stretched out on his bed reading one of the Vampirates books. "What are your plans for today?" I asked him.

"I am reading my book."
"It was a dark and stormy nightmare..."

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Susan Quinn
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by Susan Quinn » December 30th, 2009, 11:36 pm

Awesome.
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Crystal
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by Crystal » December 30th, 2009, 11:43 pm

I haven't read all of this so IDK if it has already been mentioned but...

I have an 8 year old boy who HATES to read. It has been a homework requirement for the last few years and a constant struggle to get him to do it. However one day he discovered Diary of a Wimpy Kid and that problem no longer exists. He asked for the whole series for Christmas, which was granted, and I have since caught him reading past his bed time by the light of his electric blanket. lol.

I hope once he is trough them I can find something else he likes.
Working my very first attempt at a mystery novel. 1st draft

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Susan Quinn
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by Susan Quinn » December 31st, 2009, 8:17 am

Thanks so much for sharing your story! Please stop by the list on my blog of suggested readings to Keep Boys Reading, to find some ideas of other books he might like. The Wimpy Kids books are reading level 5.4, so your eight year old is definitely an advanced reader. And now that you have some idea what he likes, that should make things easier! Also: libraries (and teachers) often have lists, "If you like The Wimpy Kid, you'll love these books . . . " The best way to keep him reading is exactly what you're doing - putting books he loves in his hands!

Good Luck!
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Crystal
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by Crystal » January 1st, 2010, 12:09 pm

He is advanced for his age, he is in the gifted class this year and doing very well in Math but not so well in English and spelling. I have been exploring your blog and am very excited to finally have an idea of what to get him to try to read. My husband hates to read, unless it is something business related, so I totally understand that boys really do have to enjoy the book in order to want to pick it up. As an avid reader I will read almost anything so it is hard for me to comprehend someone not wanting to read. :) Thanks for your blog. I am sure it will come in handy for me.
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knight_tour
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by knight_tour » January 1st, 2010, 2:13 pm

Perhaps try the Percy Jackson books. My kids love the Wimpy Kid books, but the ones they keep re-reading over and over again are these Percy Jackson books. I haven't read them myself...

trini
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by trini » January 1st, 2010, 2:22 pm

Yes I understand Percy Jackson to be quite the thing these days. My eldest is reading them. She is 18. My 10 year old loves Aussie author Andy Griffiths. The first one she read was The Day My Bum Went Psycho. He has many titles available though and is well worth checking out. He appeals across the genders. When my boy was 8 he was into Captain Underpants. Those books are light and funny and filled with boy humour.
Last edited by trini on January 1st, 2010, 3:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"It was a dark and stormy nightmare..."

WIP: Graphic Novel...sex, death and rock and roll.

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Crystal
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by Crystal » January 1st, 2010, 2:26 pm

My daughter loves the PJ books. I have read 1 and am reading 2 now. My son however just laughed and said no thanks. He just doesn't even what to try a lot of tomes. I think the size of the book puts him off. IDK.
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Susan Quinn
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by Susan Quinn » January 1st, 2010, 7:11 pm

I just finished reading The Lightning Thief (the first Percy Jackson book) and it IS funny - I can see the appeal. The movie is coming out soon . . . sometimes that will draw kids in.

It's amazing how the stick-figure drawings of Diary of a Wimpy Kid attracts kids - and getting them to crack the book open and at least TRY is half the battle. Maybe graphic novels would be a way to get him excited about reading - I blogged about Reluctant Readers and Graphic Novels a while ago.
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LaTerry
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by LaTerry » January 5th, 2010, 9:48 am

I recently made a blog post about this here http://laterrythewriter.blogspot.com/20 ... -read.html.

I'm a guy who has always loved to read. It was a rarity to see me at school without a book. I never really noticed if boys or girls read more in my school, but I am aware of the seeminlgy smaller supply of books aimed for boys or just everyone in general.

I read a book some time ago called Adventurers Wanted: Slathbog's Gold. If that isn't on your list it should be. The reason I bought it was because the cover had a dragon. If a cover has a dragon on it its almost an instant sell for me so long as I have the money.
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jenniferjbennett
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by jenniferjbennett » January 6th, 2010, 6:34 pm

We read a great one over the holiday! http://www.jenniferjbennett.com/2010/01 ... arian.html Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson! Great book and I can't wait to share the rest of the series with the kids at my school as well as my own.
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Susan Quinn
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by Susan Quinn » January 6th, 2010, 6:54 pm

Thanks for the great tip - I'm going to add it to the ever-growing-list.

p.s. you are NOT the evil librarian. We had one of those, and I'm pretty sure you're not her (besides, librarians are my favorite people).
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jenniferjbennett
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by jenniferjbennett » January 6th, 2010, 8:40 pm

Susan you're right. I'm quite the opposite. But you'll find that if you read the book, that librarians control the world and all it's information. So in that respect, it might be interesting to be an "Evil Librarian". Seriously I'm going to get new glasses and I promised my daughter I would get horn-rimmed so I could look like one from the book. Funny how our family works...books are everything.
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Crystal
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by Crystal » January 12th, 2010, 4:44 pm

My son found another book he seems stoked about. The Brixton Brothers. All it took was an endorsement from Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) on the cover and he said it had to be a good book. lol.
Working my very first attempt at a mystery novel. 1st draft

Sheila Grau
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Re: Keeping Boys Reading

Post by Sheila Grau » January 15th, 2010, 4:35 pm

I love these lists, I have 3 boys and am always on the lookout for a good read. Here are a few that have been hits with them, off the top of my head:

Alabama Moon, by Watt Key
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (and her Norse trilogy as well)
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (and the sequels)
Gideon The Cutpurse by Linda Buckley-Archer (I think it was renamed the Time Travelers here. Also a trilogy)
Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud

For the younger set, and wonderful if you like Monty Python-type humor:
The Giggler Treatment - by Roddy Doyle
You're a Bad Man Mr. Gum - by Andy Stanton (series)

And even though they are pink, my boys love Babymouse.

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