Great books for boys!

Posted on June 4, 2012 by nobles

Happy December!

I was browsing the Internet and looking up various book recommendation sites when I came across http://www.guysread.com/ and thought to myself, “I should do a blog post on great books for boys!” I am well aware of the plethora of great books out there that are being published for teen girls (look for a post on that in the future) but for some reason it seems that there are less books available that might appeal to young men, or at least we aren’t discussing these books as much.  Why is that? Some critics might say that boys don’t read as much as girls, but here at Nobles some of our best “customers” are our male students. So for the benefit of these students and the entire Nobles community, here is a list of great books for young men.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

Two young aspiring comic book creators, cousins Sammy Clay and Joe Kavalier, spin stories of the heroic, fascist fighting superhero Escapist and Luna Moth. This novel won the Putlizer Prize and is widely considered one of the “defining novels of our modern American age.”

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Llloyd

The graphic novel on which the movie was based, this is the story of V, the masked vigilante out to reclaim a dystopian England from its corrupt government, and Evey, the young woman who falls under his spell and aids him in his fight.

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

T.C. and Augie have been best friends for almost their whole lives.  But now they are 9th graders, living in Brookline, MA, and falling in love for the first time.  T.C.  with Ale, the new female transfer students, and Augie, with a boy, something he does not accept about himself, but that everyone else realizes almost instantly.  Riddled with references to all the things we love about Boston (go Sox!) this is a hilarious tale of two best friends growing up.

Holes by Louis Sacher

Stanley Yelnats did not steal those sneakers.  But no one believes him, so he is sent to a camp in the desert where he spends all day, every day, digging holes alongside other boys in need of reform. But what exactly are they digging for? And what connection does Stanley have to the treasure their wardens hope to find?

Maus by Art Spiegelman

This graphic novel memoir tells the story of Art Spiegelman’s father Vladek’s experience as a survivor of the Holocaust.  In this telling, the mice are the Jews and the cats are the Nazis. This memoir not only explores Vladek’s experience during the war, but his complicated relationship with his son. This was the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize.

The Outsiders by S.E.  Hinton

One of my favorite novels (and movies) this tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis, the youngest of three brothers whose parents have died, and who have created a family of their own with the other “greasers” in the town.  The greasers rivals are the socs, the upperclass boys who they fight with on a regular basis.  When Ponyboy witnesses the accidental murder of a soc, he must hide out with his friend to protect his safety.

The Long Walk by Stephen King

In this dystopian society there is an annual walk, where 100 teenage boys walk until 99 of them have dropped dead and one remains alive, the winner, guaranteed anything he wants for the rest of his life. The book focuses on Raymond Garrity, one of the walkers and the relationships he forms with many of the other boys over the course of the walk.

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

In this gruesome and fascinating nonfiction book, Mary Roach explores what happens tour bodies after we die. She looks at how cadavers have been treated since the medieval era and what kinds of useful things we have learned by experimenting on people after they die.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

I can’t say too much about this book because I don’t want to give away the epic twist, but suffice to say, this book is awesome. It is the story of three students, Ruth, Tommy and Kathy, at a boarding school in the English countryside, and it is clear right from the start this this is not a normal boarding school and its students are special. Why? You will have to read it to find out.

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis
The true story of Michael Oher, the right tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, and his incredible success story, as well as an analysis of the evolution of offensive football strategy and how the position of the left tackle became so important.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

This series of novels tells the story of Luke, the third child in a world where families are only allowed to have two children.  Luke must stay hidden at all times or risk his family’s safety.  Luke is not content to stay hidden, and along with another third child Jen, leads a revolution against the population law.

For more suggestions check out these links:

Young Adult authors recommend their favorite reads for teenage guys

140 young adult books for boys

Happy Reading,

Ms.