20 Books Every Boy Should Read Before He Turns 16

I have to say, this having-a-boy thing is an adventure. Sometimes I stare at Gabriel while he sleeps, looking forward to his future with a mix of hopeful anticipation and way-too-stressed-out anxiety. This world is such a harsh one for a young man. There is so much I expect of him: I expect him to be brave, to be kind, to treat ladies with gentleness and respect while still knowing how strong and how much fun they are (I'm not too worried about that one: his sisters are sure to teach him...), to be resourceful, to be funny, to be a creator, to love his family, to love learning, to love his freedom, to love God.

After all that, I'm inclined to paraphrase Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing: "And his hair...his hair be whatever color it please God."

Basically, I want him to be exactly like his father. But that seems like a lot to ask of this 17 pound bundle of smiles. So I asked his father what some of the biggest influences were on the man he became. And (surprise, surprise) one of the answers was: books. We brainstormed together to come up with this list of books, older and newer, which we know will help form our little boy into a strong and gentle man.

Our first category, and the one that influenced Mark the most as a kid, was: The Age of Chivalry... These books of knights in shining armor and brave troubadours, quests and castles, show that there is strength in virtue and power in gentleness. 

Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle. 

This book about risking everything to save your family's honor made a big impression on both me and Mark as kids. Mark came away with a strong idea of the dignity of women. I decided I wanted to marry the main character, Myles Falworth. (Not kidding--you can ask any one of my sisters or friends from when I was twelve. I think they might have even jokingly called Mark "Faith's Myles Falworth" a time or two.)

The Scottish Chiefs, by Jane Porter

Mark says: "It shows that chivalry is a balance between passion and discipline."

The Sword in the Stone, by T. H. White

Mark's all-time favorite. 

He says: "Besides being really well-written, it really is a good introduction to teaching boys how to look at the world philosophically...to make connections between the things they see and their own lives."

Adam of the Road, by Elizabeth Janet Gray

This was another favorite of mine: a story of a young minstrel who sets out on a quest to find his missing father. (It influenced this manuscript, incidentally.)

Bonus: It's illustrated by Robert Lawson.

Redwall, by Brian Jacques.

Yes, it's about mice and hares and badgers with funny accents. But it's also about the fact that power and courage have nothing to do with size, and that evil can be overcome.

Category Numero 2: Survival and Sustainability. Because boys should know how to take care of themselves--and others.

My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George

Mark says: "Teaches kids not to be wimps. You think your chores are hard? Try living out in the woods for a few days."

I would add that it shows the importance of good stewardship of the natural world.

The Long Winter, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The entire series is so great for boys, even though we girls have claimed it. After much thought, Mark decided this one most influenced him (but he read them all, and so should you). He says: "It helps you have an honest idea of what difficulty really is in your daily life, and how normal those difficulties used to be. Also, it gives you a good idea of what basic things you should know in order to survive harsh conditions."

The American Boy's Handybook

Not a novel, but seriously--every boy should read this and will love it.

Third Category: Books of Adventure. Because, well, adventure is good.

Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson

Great main character. The type of adventure every boy wants to daydream about.

Mark says: "The best thing about this one is that the main character is just an average kid who has a huge adventure. Unlike a lot of video games, where the hero is powerful or magical or otherwordly, this shows that you already have what you need to be adventuresome and strong."

(The sequel, David Balfour, is awesome too.)

The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart

We especially loved the theme of not giving into mindless cultural norms.

The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster

This one influenced our family rule: No boredom allowed. 

And it's SO funny.

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis

So much to say here, so I'll just say: read them. And yes, I'm cheating and counting these seven as one, because I'm a rule-breaker that way. But we all know The Last Battle is the best.

The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien

Like many of the others, this exemplifies the important theme that greatness can be found in littleness. Add Tolkien's excellent narrative voice and tongue-in-cheek humor, and you have a few hundred pages of reading that beat the movie(s) every time. 

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman

This is worth reading for the gorgeous writing alone, because if your boy ever wants to be a writer he should have these wonderful voices in his head. 

But the reason it made our list is that it showed that we can be on friendly terms with death and the departed, and that living a meaningless life is far more to be feared. And we just really want to live right next to a graveyard.

Category 4: Strong American Boys. Not that you non-Americans won't love these as well. 

Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes

Honest proviso: This is not the most historically accurate account of the American Revolution that you will ever read. (Seriously, the Sons of Liberty were kind of terrorists.)

That said, this is still a great story, with a wonderful main character who shows the good that can come out of very difficult circumstances.

Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls

I know, I know, the dogs die. But without that, you couldn't have one of the most beautiful reflections on death ever written. This is coming-of-age at its best.

Holes, by Louis Sachar

It's funny, clever, and boys get to dig holes, which every boy wants to do once in their life. Also, it shows how all our lives and action are interconnected, and that coincidences are rarer than you'd think.

Heart of a Shepherd, by Rosanne Parry
This is one of my very favorite recently-ish published middle grade stories. It's about a rancher boy who is the youngest of five brothers--when his father is deployed to Iraq, he's left in charge of caring for his grandparents' ranch. A little bit family story, a little bit survival story, and a lot of coming of age and embracing faith.

When the Whistle Blows, by Fran Cannon Slayton
A beautiful story about a son and his father, told in vignettes that span several Halloweens in a West Virginia railroad town.

The Madman of Piney Woods, by Christopher Paul Curtis.

I'm cheating. This is set in Canada. That's North America, though, right?

And this story depicts the complicated tragedy of racism and prejudice on this continent with power and grace. It shows that one person can embody the best and worst of human nature at the same time. It shows that pain and injustice can lead to more pain and injustice or to forgiveness and healing.

And it's a funny story about boys doing fun boy things. Can't ask for much better than that.

I'd like to add that these are all going to be required reading for my girls, as well. Because if girls don't come to know and admire the finest of men in literature as well as in life, they might not care so much about waiting for them in real life.

I'd also like to add that Anne of Green Gables should really be on this list, because Mark loved it and I totally decided to marry him when he told me that and quoted bits (so I knew he wasn't just making it up). Gabriel will read it, for the very reason my girls will read these "boy books." I want him to know a great girl when he sees one. But... I thought I might be pushing it with Little House. So you can decide that one for yourselves. :) Some others that nearly made the cut: Rose in Bloom (yes, really), The Yearling (but Mark doesn't like that the deer dies), White Fang, The Black Arrow, Tom Sawyer, The Red Badge of Courage, and A Wrinkle in Time. 

Do you have any recommendations for books I should add to my son's library?


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