Name some book that boys would like to read.

[Gilgamesh]

I have a son who is about to leap into reading 'long' books. He said he read all the Harry Potter series. He also read Fablehaven and Candyshop Wars by Brandon Mull. He then would re-read his favorite series, Magic Tree House Series. But that seems 'too short' in my opinion. And, he read most of the Goosebump series.

When we visit the library, he picks up books on diseases and disorders - medical stuff/non-fiction. They are fairly short. He doesn't pick up too many fictions. I sometimes pick-up biographies of famous male figures who I 'think' he may like, and it's been about 50/50 hit and miss for him.

He seems to have the capacity to read something more, if I can only find something that he can relate to or find to his liking (such as basketball). Even Hobbit, I think, he can read it, but he is slow to start the book. So, I am asking: could you suggest some books for a young boy to read please?

 

[abecedarian]

Here's a few ideas:
Captain Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J.V. Hart
Interesting take on how how Hook became so mean..

Peter and the Starcatchers-Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
How Neverland came to be, and how Peter came to be there.

The Way We Work by David Macaulay
Actually, anything Macaulay writes is worth investigating. He has some wonderful books on architecture.

Are you wanting more nonfiction suggestions, or fiction? A combination? It's really hard to know what will click with a kid. Maybe he would like to create his own Amazon Wishlist to give you a starting point..then I'd use that list for library requests or gift giving occassions. His list doesn't have to be public, and could even be a sublist of your own wishlist. Just an idea..

 

[Leeny]

If he enjoyed Harry Potter I'd suggest the Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo. Wonderful fantasy series.

 

[MoreCowbell]

Sorry if there are any repeats from a list I gave you a few weeks ago, but I am going to do one on purpose: The Great Brain series. They're old and set in Utah maybe around the late 1800s early 1900s but they're hilarious and one of them is about them getting a basketball goal right around the time it was first invented.
More ideas:
Cornelia Funke…Inkworld trilogy
Philip Pullman…His Dark Materials series
Neil Gaiman…The Graveyard Book
Markus Zusak…The Book Thief, I Am the Messenger, Getting the Girl, Fighting Ruben Wolfe
Robert McCammon...Boy's Life
Carol Matas…Daniel’s Story
Eoin Colfer...Airman
Stephen King…The Eyes of the Dragon
Everything about the Stanley family by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, especially The Headless Cupid and The Famous Stanley Kidnapping Case
Mark Childress...V Is For Victor

The Basketball Diaries is great but REALLY heavy, probably only good for someone over 13 and even then there is major drug stuff (well, that is what it is about.) The same goes for The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, which is wonderful.

 

[Hazra]

I I think Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series would be good. Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book is also reputed to be very good.

 

[mmyap]

I would like to suggest Redwall by Brian Jacques. One of our favorites for both male and female.

 

[Blindsided]

The Hatchet - about a boy that has to survive in the wilderness by himself. I loved this book when I was a lad. Anything by Gary Paulson is gold to a young boy.

Where the red fern grows- saddest book I've ever read, but good.

Artemis fowl- good book for young people

Lost years of merlin/ tree of avalon books- good young adult books by t.a. barron. Similar to harry potter, but different enough to enjoy it.

The lightning theif ( the Olympian series staring percy jackson)- Awesome books. My girlfriend and I ate them up( we are 21). They would be great books someone 11+. They are funny, fast paced, and you learn a lot about mythology in the process. The mythology side stories in the book are pretty spot on( i studied mythology a little in college)

Any book in the young adult section that tickles your kids fancy will be good. Put him in the section and have him pick a book out.

 

[jaynie]

Does he enjoy books or movies of the action/thriller genre? I would definitely recommend Matthew Reilly (Australian author but I think he is published world-wide) - my brother started reading them when he was about twelve I think and really enjoyed the frenetic goings on. They have a wide cross-over appeal, very popular with males of all ages and I myself have been known to become quite involved! Start with Scarecrow or Six Sacred Stones (which is the first in a trilogy).