- Thomas M.
- Friday, July 14, 2023
We get all sorts of requests in the Teen Center at Richland Library Main. Sometimes we get asked for "boy books," usually meaning books with a male protagonist, especially if he is doing something with sports, superpowers, survival, or spies. Danger is a strong motivator that invites action, after all. Below are some booklists with the sort of subject specialties boys request, starring boys:
I would like to add a couple of extra categories to these. Sometimes a request for boy books includes the term "struggling reader," which can be better phrased as a dormant, developing, or growing reader. There is another blog post full of booklists and advice for helping just such a person:
The Making (or Remaking) of a Teen Reader
Last but not least, there is also a booklist of titles dealing with masculinity, which has a range of different meanings to people. Is masculinity toxic or empowering? Something to be embraced, resisted, or somewhere in between? Like many personal qualities, boyhood and manhood are specific to each individual, but we can all learn something from others' stories:
No matter what kind of stories, heroes, and reading habits you seek, I hope these links help you enjoy them all.