Books for Boys

School is back in session, and if you've got a boy starting first grade, he's going to be asked to start reading books without pictures. Now, I know that your daughter will be asked to read those same books, but often (certainly not always, don't start sending me hate-mail) the girls take to reading more readily than the boys. My son went through this a couple of years ago, and I have some reading suggestions for kids who may not be embracing the fine art of cuddling up with a good book.

1) The Ricky Ricotta books by Dav Pilkey. Sure this is a hedge, because they're illustrated, but they do require real reading. Boys will eat these books up: they are very very silly, and they feature a boy whose best friend is a giant robot.

2) The Droon books by Tony Abbott. Kids love series, because when one book is done, there is always another one to read. Droon, a fantasy series geared toward new readers, now has some 30+ books to choose from.

3) Roscoe Riley Rules. Now up to 7 books in the series, this one is near and dear to me, because these books were the ones that switched on my son's reading light. He would be oddly quiet in his room, then come running out and say "Dad, guess what page I'm on now. 45!" I tried to explain to him that it's not a competition, but I don't think he heard me.

The last thing I will say on the subject is that we love to see our youngest customers (Junior Green Applers in the store parlance) bringing books in to trade. We understand that at $4.99 for a book that a kid will read in half an hour, it's not a cheap habit. But bring those books back, get some trade, and it will ease the sting a bit, as well as give our Junior Green Applers as sense of independence.