Great Books for Middle-School Age Boys

Some boys love to read; other boys put up a real stink about having to read. Want to entice a middle school boy to read? Use this list of top pick book picks for boys. Compiled by myself, my husband, my sons and the more than 500 boys I've coached or taught over my teaching career. Many of these books are Newbery Award winners. I've tried to select books that explore coming-of-age issues in an entertraining and adventuresome setting. These books are available through your local library or from Amazon.com

Captains Courageous: British Nobel Prize laureate Rudyard Kipling penned this coming of age novel based upon his many varied experiences living around the world. Made into a movie with Spencer Tracy and Lionel Barrymore this is the story of poor little rich boy finds real friends.

The Stolen Train -Robert Ashley: A group of renegade union officers commandeer a train and make a mad run through confederate territory to the union lines.

The Indian in the Cupboard -Lynne Reid Banks (plus the other books in the series: The Return of the Indian, The Mystery of the Cupboard, The Key to the Indian, The Secret of the Indian). Omri learns about life from a toy plastic Indian that he brings to life with a magic cupboard.

Hatchet - Gary Paulson (plus Brian's Winter, The River, Brian's Hunt, Brian's Return) Ultimate story of survival. Pampered, city boy Brian is supposed to meet up with his long lost father somewhere in Canada when the pilot of his plane dies at the wheel and the plane crashes, Brian is left with a hatchet and absolutely no idea of how to survive.

The Baker Street Irregulars- R.J.Carter: An orphaned boy lost in London and being pursued by a ruthless man is taken in by a group of local children who work for the consulting detective Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Series of books.

The Three Investigators- Robert Arthur: Pete, Bob and Jupiter, three intrepid teenagers set up a hidden workshop and office in a junkyard belonging to Jupe's uncle and operate a mystery and detective agency. Series of books.

The Sign of the Beaver- Elizabeth George Speare: 12 year old Matt must maintain the family homestead deep in the Maine woods by himself while his father travels to Boston to bring his mother, sister and the new baby to the homestead.

The Cay -Theodore Taylor: A teen boy is shipwrecked on an island and befriended by old native man and a cat.

Adam of the Road: Elizabeth Janet Gray Lovely medieval tale of life on the roads of England as a minstrel. Beautifully illustrated and painstakingly accurate. Illustrated by Robert Lawson.

The Slave Dancer- Paula Fox: A young teen boy with the gift of fiddling is taken hostage on a slaving ship and made to play for the slaves.

Brian's Song: Bitterweet story of courage about football player Brian Picolo.

The Shadow of the Bull - Maia Wojciechowska: A young teen in Madrid must face up to his fears of becoming the next matador after his father's death.

Across Five Aprils: Irene Hunt Two brothers of the same family end up on opposite sides of the Civil War.

And Then There Were None- Agatha Christie: One by one the guests on an isolated island are killed by a ruthless murderer.

The Hound of the Baskervilles Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Terrifying story of mystery, detection and spectral hound of hell.

The Phantom Tollbooth- Norman Juster. Funky fun story of metaphors, ironies and word plays.

Rainbow's End- Dame Ellis Peters Smart, precocious 12 year old Bosse takes on a killer stalking the grounds of an ancient abbey and in search of a mysterious medieval manuscript. The choir boys take it upon themselves to foil the killer.

For more literature information visit me at www.kidzliterature.blogspot.com. For more free lesson plans, visit me at www.freelessonplans4u.blogspot.com .