Top 5 Summer Books for Boys Age 9 to 13

School is out and the sun is shining, so how do you help boys maintain their interest in reading? Give them something good to read! Here is a list of 5 of my favorite summer books for boys age 9 to 13*. Be sure to ask for them at your local library, or at a bookstore near you!

1. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
What is a Whangdoodle, you ask? Open the pages of this wonderful fantasy book to find out. Readers will enjoy exploring the world of the Wangdoodle with Ben, Thomas, Melinda and Professor Savant. A wonderfully magical and vivid read, this summer book is sure to get imaginations spinning.

2. Something Under the Bed is Drooling by Bill Watterson
If your young reader would rather look at scenes and pictures than page after page of type, check out Calvin and Hobbes in this great summer book for boys of all ages. Only one of several collections of Calvin and Hobbes comic strips, this book is an entertaining look at the escapades of one young boy and his stuffed tiger.

3. The Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley
Although originally printed 40 years ago, clubhouses and adventure never go out of style. Complete with tales of invention, fortune and even a sea monster; this book will keep reader's attention from the first page through the last.

4. A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin
If your reader likes to look at things from a new perspective, this book will give them a wealth of opportunity to do so. Told through the eyes of a dog named Squirrel, this book shows many of the difficulties that a stray dog might go through in its lifetime.

5. The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base
While on the surface this book appears to be a simple yet colorful children's picture book with a bit of poetry, this read will challenge young and old alike to solve the mystery through hidden messages embedded in the illustrations. Even the front cover has a code to crack! This summer read will keep minds busy for hours.

Is there a book that you love that didn't make my list? Please leave the title and author of your favorite summer books for boys in the comment field below.

*Although recommended for readers 9 to 13, the books above may be enjoyed by readers of any age who are looking for a good book this summer.