Boys have always needed stories

Books Boys Actually Read

Boys have always needed stories — stories with stakes, struggle, and characters who don't have it all figured out.

A note on this list

This isn't exhaustive — it's a conversation starter. These are books that got boys reading. Use them to start talking about the books your boys loved, or might love next.

Farewell to Shady Glade
Farewell to Shady Glade Bill Peet
Where the Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak
The Golden Compass
The Golden Compass Philip Pullman
Tuck Everlasting
Tuck Everlasting Natalie Babbitt
James and the Giant Peach
James and the Giant Peach Roald Dahl
The Muddle-Headed Wombat
The Muddle-Headed Wombat Is Very Bad Ruth Park
Swords
Swords Ben Boos
Chess Rumble
Chess Rumble G. Neri
The Outsiders
The Outsiders S.E. Hinton
Kit's Wilderness
Kit's Wilderness David Almond
Hatchet
Hatchet Gary Paulsen
Dogsong
Dogsong Gary Paulsen
Touching Spirit Bear
Touching Spirit Bear Ben Mikaelsen
The Last Mission
The Last Mission Harry Mazer
The Chocolate War
The Chocolate War Robert Cormier
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies William Golding
Hole in My Life
Hole in My Life Jack Gantos
Panther in the Basement
Panther in the Basement Amos Oz
Books by John Martin

Written for the boys who don't read yet.

The Bird The Bird About this book → Brothers of War Brothers of War About this book → Madam Moon Madam Moon About this book →