Great Book Series for Elementary Boys

Sometimes getting boys interested in reading is a challenge. And since the elementary years are critical for in developing their reading skills and instilling a life-long love of reading, it's important to find books that elementary boys will enjoy. Book series are a great way to get boys hooked on reading; once they find characters they love, they can keep coming back to them book after book, continuing their reading practice. These 6 book series for elementary boys are filled with humor, suspense, and just enough action to keep boys engaged and entertained. They'll want to keep reading chapter after chapter, getting them excited about books for years to come.

The Black Lagoon Series
by: Mike Thaler
The Black Lagoon series is a creative set of both picture and chapter books that follow young Hubie as his imagination conjures up all sorts of crazy scenarios about the unknown. The first book in the series, The Teacher From The Black Lagoon, is all about Hubie's first day of school and what he imagines his new teacher will be like. The books are not too scary, while still including themes like monsters and aliens that will entertain. Boys will love the humor and craziness found in these stories, which are written at a perfect reading level for beginning readers, especially ages 6 to 8.

Fudge Books
by: Judy Blume
Fudge is a young boy whose real name is Farley Drexel Hatcher, the annoying younger brother of Peter Hatcher, who gets into all sorts of predicaments. In this hilarious series, which starts out with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Fudge is constantly getting into trouble which annoys his brother Peter to no end. From swallowing Peter's turtle to his embarrassing obsession with money, Fudge always seems to say and do the wrong things at the wrong times, which makes for a great book series for boys that will keep them laughing and turning pages through all four books. Because Peter and Fudge, the two main characters vary so much in age, this series will appeal to both older and younger readers.

My Teacher Is An Alien Book Series
by: Bruce Coville
If your boy is a reluctant reader, nothing will get him turning pages faster than this science fiction book series. The mystery begins in book one when Susan and Peter discover that their teacher, Mr. Smith, is really an alien and has an evil plan for their classmates! The plot thickens through each of the four books as these two students work together to save themselves and the whole sixth grade from the extraterrestrial visitor. Boys will love the premise of these books, as well as the just-gross-enough details that will keep them coming back for all four adventures. This series is perfect for older elementary readers, since the plots take place in sixth and seventh grade. They're just "grown up" enough for boys to feel like they're reading something special without introducing overly mature subject themes.

A Series of Unfortunate Events
by: Lemony Snicket
The genius of this series is that it starts with a book titled, The Bad Beginning, and the reader is cautioned through each of the unlucky 13 books not to read any further (which of course makes kids want to keep going!). The books follow the three Baudelaire orphans from their parents' tragic and mysterious death as they are shuttled from place to place trying to escape the evil Count Olaf, who only wants their fortune. Certain mysterious elements are woven throughout the books, like trying to figure out the meaning and identity of the VFD, and kids will enjoy reading them through as they try to figure out what's really happening and what will happen next. While the premise sounds dark, it's actually not twisted and scary; instead, bad things are more hinted at than described, giving boys just enough mystery and suspense to keep them reading while keeping the books age-appropriate. Another feature I love about these books is the rich vocabulary throughout each one. Snicket doesn't shy away from big words, and then proceeds to define them for the readers. This book series for boys is sure to be an instant hit and will keep them engaged for quite some time.

Star Wars Rebel Force Series
by: Alex Wheeler
If your boy loves the Star Wars like mine does, then this six-book is the perfect way to get him into reading. Scholastic introduced this series in 2008, with the sixth book being published in April 2010. The series takes place between Episode IV, A New Hope and Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back. It stars Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo, as they defend the galaxy against the Empire. The books feature innovative, creative writing and bridge the gap in the Star Wars story, which will be interesting to any Star Wars fan. Since they're written for ages 8 to 12, they aren't too hard to read, and instead keep boys engaged throughout the whole series.

Wayside School Series
by: Louis Sachar
Wayside School was supposed to be built with 30 classroom, one story high, but instead it was stacked 30 classrooms high, which is the beginning of the silliness in this fun and engaging series. These books for boys (and girls) are filled with humor, and each chapter is a mini story, so you can pick it up and put it down again at your leisure. The series is only three books long, but boys will laugh out loud at the antics of these school kids and all of the wacky things that happen in this classroom on the 30^th floor. These books are also perfect for boys with short attention spans, since each chapter/short story can be read in 5 to 15 minutes, which is the perfect length for boys on the go. First through fifth graders will find these stories equally engaging and fun, so they're great for the whole family and fun to read again and again through the years.

For more great books for boys, try: Mystery Books for Boys.