Books For Boys...Who Don't Like to Read

Do you have any kids who just don't like to read? I do. And I don't understand how it happens, ya'll. I'm a reader. I've always been a reader. I was the kid walking through my school with a book open, reading as I walked and trying not to run into anyone. As an adult, before the age of the ereader, I've been known to panic at night when I finished a book and didn't have another to pick up.

You would think that with my genetic material, everyone of my kids would have been a reader. But no. In my family, it's primarily been my son who has rarely ever found a book or series he really enjoyed.

Every summer when the kids were younger, we signed up for our library's summer reading program. And without fail my older daughter completes several reading records and my younger girls filled up one easily and sometimes picked up a second. And then there was Charles.

There haven't been too many books he has ever just loved. He always enjoyed being read to, and occasionally he has enjoyed a good audio book. Sometimes he just has to find the right book or series. There have been a few that we've found that he did like. If you have a boy who just doesn't love reading, here are a few books and series that may inspire at least a little love for books.

Books for boys who don't like to read

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Read Alouds


Redwall (and the other Redwall books)- This series is a very delightful series with a Medieval setting. The characters are all animals, and the books are very interesting.




The Hobbit- This is the prequel to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. I read this one aloud when he was pretty young, but he was interested enough to follow it.




Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- This is a very interesting book and much better than the movie.



Tales of the Kingdom- This is actually part of a trilogy by David and Karen Mains. We found it through our My Father's World curriculum, and it became a read aloud favorite.




The Chronicles of Narnia- All of the kids have really enjoyed the reading of this series. I've read through it multiple times over the years, and it's been a favorite for all four of them.



The Bronze Bow- I read this aloud as part of our school year when we were studying Rome to Reformation. It was a favorite of Charles because it has a strong male protagonist. It's set in Bible times and gives an interesting look at Israel during Roman occupation.





Books for boys who don't like to read


 Independent Reading


Harry Potter series- I will admit to some bribery here. I wouldn't let him watch any of the movies until he had read at least some of the books. I know there is quite the buzz about the appropriateness of Harry Potter. After much review, I was okay with them. But this is open for discussion- and your own discretion.


Percy Jackson books- Amazingly he picked these up and started reading them on his own. He's always been a big Greek mythology fan, so these were great. These have quite a bit of Greek mythology- gods and goddesses. There is a minor love story.


Time Warp Trio books- He picked these up several years ago and read them. He was about 9-10. It is a series of books in which the main characters travel to different time periods and learn about them with some adventure.



The Whipping Boy- Set in the middle ages, this book was a fun historical fiction read for him. (It also fits into the history cycle, so you can definitely count it as "school")



The Sign of the Beaver- This book is written by the author of The Bronze Bow and also features a compelling male protagonist. It's also historical fiction, set in the early Americas.




Shiloh- This is a classic story of a boy and his dog. It's another one with a male protagonist, and it has been a favorite of several of my children.



If you have a child who hasn't loved reading so much, check out some of these and see if they spark an interest in your less than avid readers. You can find other great book recommendations in my free Leah's List of Living Books catalog.



5 comments

  1. Would he be interested in comic books...erm...graphic novels? They are my 7th grader's choice when he has to choose a book for himself. He will read other books since he *has* to (I'm hoping doing lapbooks this summer will help make them less boring), but he always has the option one waiting for him as a "reward" for getting through the ones he likes less.

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  2. My reluctant reader has enjoyed Redwall and the Hobbit too. I second Meg's suggestion: Asterix and Tintin have also been popular.

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  3. He has read a few graphic novels. I've heard of Tintin. He might like that. Isn't there a movie based off of it?

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  4. My 11 year old loves reading.... but only books that have pictures in them. Things like Geronimo Stilton, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid kind of books, etc. I've challenged him to try a small novel to see if he could enjoy it. He just likes to "see" things about the story while he reads it.

    I'll look into Redwall - I've heard a bunch of great things about it!

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    Replies
    1. Oh yes. Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been a favorite here.

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