Great Books for Boys
Great Books for Boys
The Stupids Step Out, by Harry Allard
The Stupid family and their dog Kitty have a fun-filled day doing ridiculous things.
Patrick's Dinosaurs, by Carol Carrick
When his older brother talks about dinosaurs during a visit to the zoo, Patrick is afraid, until he discovers they all died millions of years ago.
Night Driving, by John Coy
As father and son drive into the night, they watch the sunset, talk about baseball, sing cowboy songs, and even change a flat tire before pitching camp at daybreak.
Chester's Way, by Kevin Henkes
Chester and Wilson share the same exact way of doing things, until Lilly moves into the neighborhood and shows them that new ways can be just as good.
Ira Sleeps Over, by Bernard Waber Ira is thrilled to spend the night at Reggie's, until his sister raises the question of whether he should take his teddy bear.
Nate the Great, by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Nate the Great, boy detective and pancake-lover, is on a case -- who stole Annie's painting of her dog, Fang? Garbed in deerstalker hat, trench coat, and rubbers (his mother insists), Nate follows all leads. With a deadpan style reminiscent of Sam Spade, Nate follows the clues and solves his case -- and eats a lot of pancakes on the way.
The Stories Julian Tells, by Ann Cameron
Julian, that quick fibber and wishful thinker, is great at telling stories. He can make people--especially his younger brother, Huey--believe just about anything. But some stories can get you into a pack of trouble, and that's exactly where Julian and Huey find themselves all too often.
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, by Jon Scieszka
Wonderfully quirky, this book breathes new life into traditional children's stories. In these irreverent variations on well-known themes, the ugly duckling grows up to be an ugly duck, and the princess who kisses the frog wins only a mouthful of amphibian slime!
The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary A reckless young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy in Room 215 of the Mountain View Inn and discovers the joys of motorcycling.
The Adventures of Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey
When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking he's the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen.
Holes, by Louis Sachar As further evidence of his family's bad fortune (which started with a curse on a distant relative), Stanley Yelnats is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J. K. Rowling
Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches.
My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George
A young boy relates his adventures during the year he spends living alone in the Catskill Mountains, including his struggle for survival, his dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate realization that he needs human companionship.
There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom, by Louis Sachar
An unmanageable, but lovable, 11-year-old misfit learns to believe in himself when he gets to know the new school counselor, who is a sort of misfit, too.
Bunnicula, by Deborah Howe and James Howe
This book is written by Harold, whose fulltime occupation is Dog. He lives with Mr. and Mrs. Monroe and their sons, Toby and Pete. There's also a cat named Chester and a rabbit named Bunnicula. It's because of Bunnicula that Harold turned to writing -- someone had to tell the full story of what happened in the Monroe household after the rabbit arrived.
Encyclopedia Brown, by Donald J. Sobol
Whenever ten-year-old Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown's father, the Chief of Police of Idaville, had a difficult case, Encyclopedia always managed to solve it at the dinner table. So, he decided to open his own detective agency.
James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl
For young James Henry Trotter, life with the exceedingly nasty Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker is pure misery. James dreams of a better life, but he's totally unprepared for the wild adventures ahead when he drops the magic crystals he receives from a strange old man. Before long, James is off on a weird, wonderful journey inside a giant peach with a bizarre group of companions!
Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen
After a plane crash, 13-year-old Brian spends 54 days in the wilderness, learning to survive with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother -- and learning to survive his parents' divorce.
Crash, by Jerry Spinelli
Seventh-grader John "Crash" Coogan has always been comfortable with his tough, aggressive behavior, until his relationship with an unusual Quaker boy and his grandfather's stroke make him consider the meaning of friendship and the importance of family.
Stuart Little, by E. B. White
This is the adventures of the debonair mouse, Stuart Little, as he sets out in the world to seek out his dearest friend, a little bird who stayed a few days in his family's garden.
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