Growing a Reader: Kids' Books, Tips and More

It’s amazing how vivid our memory can be for experiences we had in our youth. I remember being in fourth grade and reading Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet. I thought it was fantastic; I couldn’t put it down, and I even remember waking up early on a Saturday morning (which was completely unheard of) to finish it. 

Having reread it last year, nearly two decades later, I was shocked that I remembered character names and key plot moments. 

One reason that I decided to start a Boys Book Club at the S. Walter Stewart Branch was to share this rewarding reading experience with some of today’s kids. While the boys (ages 9-12) in the club have quite a bit of say in the books we read, I’ll occasionally exploit my power as club founder to choose a book for us – often one of my favourites from my childhood. I like to think that my choices help create a balance between the easy and accessible books the boys often choose and books that offer more of an educational and fulfilling long-term experience.

Each year, I’ve asked the boys to rate their enjoyment of the books they’ve read as part of the club. I’m always pleased to see my choices rated as highly as some of their own. After tallying the ratings, here are the top five books that the boys have enjoyed most as members of the Boys Book Club:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck: An obvious choice. I could have interchanged any of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid titles here as we’ve read a few and they’re always rated highly. If your boy enjoys this series, encourage them to read Big Nate and the lesser-known Timmy Failure, both of which are similar and equally as funny. 

Hatchet: None of the boys had read this one prior to being in the club, and I was pleased to see that it was so well received. Tense and gripping, this survival story explores the idea of being lost in the wilderness, a concept that resonates well with this age group. 

The One and Only Ivan: One of my favourite modern-day children’s stories about a gorilla that lives in a cage at the mall. Though the nature of the Boys Book Club doesn't lend itself well to thoughtful discussions due to its high attendance and general chaos (we’re talking all boys, not to mention that it’s after school), this book is a great discussion starter for paren'ts to have with their kids about animal welfare.

Silverwing: I was skeptical about this choice initially because of its length and the nature of the book’s characters (would the boys really be interested in a story about bats?), but I’m glad that I went with it. Many of the boys enjoyed the fanciful elements of this story. 

Holes: Another great story for boys with a mystery that kept them guessing until the end. The book follows Stanley, wrongly accused of theft, and his ensuing torment at Camp Green Lake. This is a great one to read together and then follow up by watching the movie.

There have been a few misses along the way: Old Yeller, for example, a near-perfect narrative in my opinion, was not well received and most of the boys didn’t finish reading it. But it’s encouraging to see that the boys can generally appreciate a good story. I’ve found that the boys in the club will read and give books a fair chance – the key is to find books that they’ll really enjoy, an undoubtedly difficult task for some. I hope you’ll find this brief list helpful as a starting point for field-tested favourites, and please comment with other picks that you think boys will enjoy.