| Boys don't read - hundreds of reports and
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| | 5. Operation Red Jericho, Joshua Mowill.
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| newspaper articles have made that clear.
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| | This book is written as a spy-journal,
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| The mantra of the literary community is
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| | with lots of detailed maps and secret
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| to just get boys to read anything, even
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| | clues. The story is somewhat complex,
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| the back of a cereal box.
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| | which might make it more suitable to
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| This message ignores the fact that
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| | readers 10 and up; it's lots of fun,
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| literacy is not the real problem. Boys
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| | however, and there's never a dull moment.
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| can read - they just choose not to. The
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| | It's also a very beautiful book. You
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| dumbing-down of literature will not solve
| |
| | might need to pay a bit more, but your
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| the problem of boys not reading. We need
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| | boy will like the look-and-feel.
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| to inculcate a love or reading. Let's not
| |
| | 6. Touchdown Pass, Clair Bee.
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| lower the bar and endorse mediocrity.
| |
| | Touchdown Pass introduces readers to one
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| Let's raise it. Are you happy when your
| |
| | of the great characters in American
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| kid is reading a comic book? Or would you
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| | fiction - Chip Hilton. Clair Bee wrote
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| prefer he bury his nose in Tom Sawyer?
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| | the Chip Hilton series in the fifties and
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| Below is a list of great books every boy
| |
| | early sixties. This is the first book.
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| should read before they're twelve, books
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| | Under no circumstances buy the new
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| that will capture their imagination and
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| | edition - stick with the original. You
|
| motivate them to read more. It's a mix of
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| | won't find the original in book stores.
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| old and new, and guaranteed to get a big
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| | Go to or the used book section of or
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| thumbs up.
| |
| | Barnes & Noble, and it's easy to find
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| 1. Chasing Vermeer
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| | (and cheap). A bit Pollyanna in tone, and
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| A terrific action and mystery story
| |
| | perhaps dated, Clair Bee practically
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| surrounding the disappearance of a
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| | invented the genre of the sports series.
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| priceless work of art. Two kids find
| |
| | 7. Hockey Stories, Leslie McFarlane
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| themselves at the centre of an
| |
| | Leslie McFarlane was the best-selling
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| international art scandal. Boys will be
| |
| | author of many of the Hardy Boys books.
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| drawn to the story's dramatic conclusion,
| |
| | He wrote these stories in the 1930s, and
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| as the heroes solve a crime that left the
| |
| | they have just been re-released. The tone
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| FBI baffled.
| |
| | and terminology are slightly dated, but
|
| 2. Tiger, Jeff Stone.
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| | the themes are timeless . All the short
|
| Five young monks in China, trained by a
| |
| | stories have a quirky, humorous side that
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| kung-fu master, are forced to flee the
| |
| | makes them fun and worthy of a read. This
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| safety of the temple to find some secret
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| | one is suitable for younger boys, even
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| scrolls. Each monk has mastered a
| |
| | strong-reading eight-year olds.
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| different form of fighting, all of which
| |
| | 8. Tarzan of the Apes, Edgar Rice
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| comes in handy as they battle their way
| |
| | Burroughs
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| closer and closer to their goal. Tiger is
| |
| | Who hasn't heard of this one? Yet, it's
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| full of action, but also speaks to such
| |
| | not easy to find in bookstores. This is
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| issues as self-reliance, friendship,
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| | the first of a series. The rest of the
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| loyalty, and truthfulness. The author
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| | Tarzan books are definitely B-list
|
| does a fine job of incorporating Chinese
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| | material. This one is not. It's a
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| culture, an element that many boys will
| |
| | magnificent book - compelling and
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| be attracted to.
| |
| | exciting. The romance elements are vague
|
| 3. Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer.
| |
| | enough to be appropriate for any kid. The
|
| I have included these two masterful tales
| |
| | length suggests a reader who is 10+.
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| from Mark Twain as a single entry, but
| |
| | 9. Holes
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| each deserves its own spot. Tom Sawyer is
| |
| | A young boy, wrongly accused of stealing,
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| the lighter of the two , although the
| |
| | is sent to a youth detention centre. He
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| book's ending involves an accused
| |
| | is forced to dig holes in the ground,
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| murderer whom Tom confronts in a cave.
| |
| | along with his fellow inmates, supposedly
|
| Carefree adventures are combined with
| |
| | to build character. Instead, the evil
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| humour and drama to make it a perfect
| |
| | warden is using the kids to find a
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| read for any boy. You might want to wait
| |
| | priceless treasure. This is a story about
|
| until your son is 10 or 11 before you
| |
| | friendship and loyalty, and the character
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| introduce Huck Finn. Huck drifts down the
| |
| | development is noteworthy. It is also a
|
| Mississippi with Jim, a run-away slave.
| |
| | major motion picture (not as good as the
|
| Again, action, adventure, and humour are
| |
| | book!)
|
| combined, this time against the backdrop
| |
| | 10. Off the Crossbar, David Skuy
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| of American slavery. Tom Sawyer makes a
| |
| | Perhaps this is a biased entry, since it
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| guest appearance.
| |
| | is my own. The main character is Charlie
|
| 4. The Time Machine, H.G. Wells.
| |
| | Joyce, a boy who arrives in a new town
|
| Younger readers will miss the subtleties
| |
| | after the tragic death of his father. A
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| of this classic allegory of time travel
| |
| | terrific hockey player, he tries out for
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| and the decay of English society. They
| |
| | the school team. This marks the beginning
|
| will certainly love reading about the
| |
| | of his troubles, as some of the kids
|
| Morlocks, the subterranean descendants of
| |
| | don't want the 'new kid' to play. It's
|
| the working class, and the Eloi, the
| |
| | full of fast-paced action, climaxing in a
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| simple-minded representatives of the
| |
| | hockey tournament. Charlie battles - on
|
| bourgeoisie. Wells was a master
| |
| | and off the ice - first for a spot on the
|
| storyteller, and his clear, easy style
| |
| | team, and then to keep everything
|
| make this book very accessible. Boys
| |
| | together, as infighting and rivalries
|
| won't put this one down, as they learn,
| |
| | threaten to destroy the team's chances. A
|
| along with the time traveler, the truth
| |
| | book for boys who love sports.
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| about London's strange inhabitants.
| |
| |
|
