Reading is known of its magic abilities to expand our vocabulary and imagination.Unfortunately parents and teachers alike have a serious challenge in getting teens,especially boys to read Families should find ways to sell the importance and the benefits of reading to teen boys. We should do whatever it takes to raise a generation of readers.
If we are to raise well rounded incredible men – because that is the core message of this blog then we have to find a way to inspire our teen boys to read and read books beyond the school curriculum prescribed books. Some of the best life lessons they will need to thrive in life as men , fathers ,husbands, professionals , leaders in their communities are hidden in books. Missing such books can result in fatal life mistakes.
Red badge of courage by Stephen Crane
The Red Badge of Courage is the story of Henry Fleming, a teenager who joins the Union army because he is enamored with the romance of battle. When the actual fighting starts, Henry is worried that he’ll run away. At the beginning of the battle, Henry fights, as a soldier must. But, during a lull in action, Henry’s fear overcomes him and he runs from the field. He convinces himself to return, and as he does, he meets up with a group of wounded men. Henry wishes for a wound, a red badge of courage, of his own.
An old family friend, Jim Conklin, or the ‘Tall Soldier,’ is among the wounded. Henry witnesses Jim’s gruesome death, and he rushes away, into the midst of scared Union soldiers. One of them hits Henry in the head with a rifle, leaving him dazed and bleeding. Eventually, Henry returns to his regiment, where he finds the courage to fight, eventually capturing the Confederate flag and ensuring victory in the battle. By the end of the story, Henry has resolved to accept both parts of himself, his cowardice and his courage, because they make him who he is.
Themes
Courage is obviously a theme of this novel; it’s in the title. However, the novel questions what courage actually is. Henry equates courage with manliness. Henry weighs courage with survival at several points in the story, and sometimes survival wins, which leaves Henry feeling like a coward. His belief about what courage is changes as the novel progresses. While at the beginning, Henry believes courage is fighting bravely, he soon grows to understand that courage is doing what he has to do. Henry proves his courage by not only risking his life for the cause of the Union army, but also by accepting himself for all of what he is.
Masculinity is something that is on Henry’s mind a lot in The Red Badge of Courage. Like courage, Henry’s idea of masculinity changes as the novel progresses. At the beginning of the story, Henry sees manliness as a brave soldier who rushes headlong into battle. However, by the end of the Battle of Chancellorsville, Henry realizes that true masculinity is acceptance of himself and understanding what is worth risking his life for.
Solitude is another theme of The Red Badge of Courage. Henry feels very isolated from the rest of his regiment. He assumes he is the only soldier plagued by fear and doubt, leaving him feeling like an outcast. The solitude in this book is physical as well as emotional. While Henry is alone, separated from the rest of the fighting, he has the time and relative safety to discover the truths about himself that lead to his growth from childhood to adulthood.
The personal growth that occurs in The Red Badge of Courage makes it in some ways a coming-of-age novel. Though the book spans only 48 hours in the life of Henry Fleming, it is a pivotal time for him. Henry goes through an amazing amount of growth over the course of the battle, and changes from a selfish teenager to a courageous man. Henry’s growth is reflected in that of his fellow soldier, Wilson, who starts the novel as the ‘Loud Soldier,’ an opinionated braggart, and ends up not only a brave fighter, but a good friend to Henry.
The Giver – Lois Lowry
The book features a story about a boy named Jonas who lives in a perfectly peaceful society free of poverty, strive, crime, in qualities, and all the challenges of our modern-day society. The community in the story feels no sense of emotion, color, feeling, or remorse. This is a community where conformity is rigorously enforced over individuality.
When Jonas turned twelve he was assigned a receiver’s a role in his community. His main responsibility as a receiver is to keep the memories of the past for the entire community, The new receiver receives training from an old receiver. The old receiver transfers memories to Jonas through touch. Jonas found the experience exciting at first because most of what he is starting to experience is new to him, for the first time he gets to experience things like color and real emotions.
The excitement did not last as the transfer continues to the memories of pain and other negative images. This made Jonas run away from his community to a new community, where he was greeted by a sight of beautiful homes and a different life from what he knew.
Holes – Louis Sachar
The book centers on an unlucky teenage boy named Stanley Yelnats, who is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile corrections facility in a desert in Texas, after being falsely accused of theft. The plot explores the history of the area and how the actions of several characters in the past have affected Stanley’s life in the present. These interconnecting stories touch on themes such as racism, homelessness, illiteracy, and arranged marriage.
Float – Laura Martin
Emerson can float…he just can’t do it very well.
His uncontrollable floating is his RISK factor, which means that he deals with Reoccurring Incidents of the Strange Kind. The last place Emerson wants to be is at a government-mandated summer camp for RISK kids like him, so he’s shocked when he actually starts having fun at camp—and he even makes some new friends.
But it’s not all canoeing and capture the flag at Camp Outlier. The summer of fun takes a serious turn when Emerson and his friends discover that one of their own is hiding a deadly secret that puts all of their lives in danger.
It’s up to the Red Maple boys to save themselves—and everyone like them.
Okay for Now – Gary D. Schmidt
Its a story of a fourteen-year-old who just moved to a new town, with no friends and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him. So begins a coming-of-age masterwork full of equal parts comedy and tragedy from Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt.
As Doug struggles to be more than the “skinny thug” that his teachers and the police think him to be, he finds an unlikely ally in Lil Spicer, a fiery young lady who “smelled like daisies would smell if they were growing in a big field under a clearing sky after a rain.”
In Lil, Doug finds the strength to endure an abusive father, the suspicions of a whole town, and the return of his oldest brother, forever scarred, from Vietnam. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of John James Audubon’s birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage.
In this stunning novel, Schmidt expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and recovery in a story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons about love, creativity, and survival.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a novel about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. The story is set in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, inspired by Hannibal, Missouri, where Twain lived. Tom Sawyer lives with his Aunt Polly and his half-brother Sid. He skips school to swim and is made to whitewash the fence the next day as punishment. He cleverly persuades his friends to trade him small treasures for the privilege of doing his work. Tom Sawyer’s best friends include Joe Harper and Huckleberry Finn, who will get him into troubles, but also accompany him in glorious adventures.
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Final Thoughts
I always loved the saying ‘readers are leaders’. We live in an ever-changing world and these rapid changes need life long learners, people who are not lazy to read and learn new things. Our goal should be to raise independent lovers of learning. Again like everything else we need to model it, they need to see it in us.
These books are just the tip of an iceberg. This article will be constantly updated. Share with us in the comments below your best books for teen boys
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Hi Bogadi,
Books are a pleasure for some, and I am one of those who lose all track of time when I enter a bookstore.
Lovely books that u have suggested for teen boys. But there’s no particular genre, I see.
I would rather dwell on timeless classics like ‘Gone with the wind” and ‘Lorna Doon’ and even ‘Tom Sawyer’ and ‘Huckleberry Finn”. What about Emily Bronte, who has written some of the finest literature ever and the sheer reading pleasure is worth every minute? Later of course, one must read Eric Segal and Richard Bach, and maybe Ayn Rand too.
Thanks.
Aparna
Thank you Aparna for stopping by
You have made beautiful recommendations, I will check them out and update the article accordingly
This is really good to see here. I really fancy what you have shared here and the fact that it can really be perfect way to get my boys busy. I really like this a lot. He loves Reding generally and seeing this here only gives a more proper and better view to this. Thank you so much for sharing here.
It is beautiful to see that somebody still cares about the education of young people and knows how is that important and can influence the rest of their life. As soon as you start to read, it will open new horizons and you will attract in your life people who are sharing the same interests and from who you can hear many quality things. Being a parent means parenting, taking care to provide to your kid quality content, and acquire reading habits for young age. Thank you for great advice for reading.
Hey Trud
It is our responsibility to nurture a reading spirit within our kids . Most importantly they need to see us modeling it .
Thank you for stopping by
Hi Bogadi
I watched the movie about the Giver and I loved it. I never knew that it came from a book. Now I am very curious to read the original story from the book. And I think it is quite an inspiring story for teenage boys as it teaches them the courage to pursue what is right.
Thanks for sharing!
Hey Adyn
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy.
I am also curios to watch that movie . Go ahead indulge in the book and recommend it to as many teenage boys as possible
Hi,
This is a topic near and dear to me, and I love that you are sharing great thoughts and reads online.
I worked as an elementary librarian when my grown son and daughter were young. The best job ever!
One day, a 5th grade boy strolled in to the library talking loudly about how stupid it was to have to sit quietly and read. I told him to find a good book and settle down. He replied that he’d read everything good already. I was inwardly astounded. How could an 11 year old think he’d run out of reading material?!! I also realized this was a turning-point moment–I could help rekindle his interest in reading or sadly lose him–and I had to be smart.
I asked how he liked the way Gary Paulsen described survival in the wilderness in his book Hatchet. He looked blank. Well, how about the Quidditch game Harry Potter won by swallowing the golden snitch? Not so blank now. Wasn’t it amazing in My Side of the Mountain that boy and bird depended on each other during a harsh winter in the Catskill Mountains of New York? What? Do you have those books here? I’ve never seen them.
I led him to the bookshelf, handed him Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, and told him I had more books when he finished the two. He rushed in about a week later, out of breath and excited to tell me how awesome each story was and that he needed new books.
SMILE
I saw the boy every week for the rest of the year and the next year–he always enjoyed coming to the library and read like he was starving. Funny, there were plenty of books in our little library to keep him busy!
Boys generally require a bit more encouragement and support, but the time and energy and attention we give pays off!
Keep up the good work here! I loved your book choices. If you haven’t read Gary Paulsen, please do. He’s written 200 titles for boys. They’re my favorite.
Tamara
Wow Tamara
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy
You have added so much value here, I will certainly check the two books you have recommended. And as for the way you handled the boy at the library tells that you were not just a librarian but a passionate one. Thank you so much for igniting that boy’s love for reading.
These books that you have recommended in your article are really great ideas and befitting truly of teenage boys. It is beautiful to see that somebody still cares about the education of young people and knows how important it is as it can influence the rest of their life. Boys generally require a bit more encouragement and support, but the time and energy and attention we give pays off!
Thank you
We can never give up in the education of our kids.
Hello Rammuki! while growing up, My favorite(even now) was “The Giver – Lois Lowry”; I really liked this book, definitely in my top 10 list of favorites. I read this when I was twelve and had a little trouble reading it thoroughly and really understanding everything about the pills, the memories, the Seeing-Beyond, and the little twin’s death, but reading it now, I think it’s a very clever insight on how we can take so many things for granted. Of course, different people react differently to things such as romantic feelings towards another gender, nakedness, death, but it really is a good book.
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy
I am smiling as I read your personal experience with this beautiful book.
Hello there , I will also agree with you that reading has the abilities expand your vocabulary and imagination, but unfortunately parents and teachers have a serious challenge in getting teens to read , and I’m really glad I came across this amazing article, for a fact that I love the saying “readers are leaders” , our goal should be to raise independent lovers of learning. It was really thoughtful of you to share this article.
Hey Jack. Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy. Lets keep pushing and nurture our boys to be lovers of learning.
I am definitely going to try to get this book for my teen cousin. This lockdown has been some really waste period for him and I really want him to get better that’s why I am looking for good books for him to try to read. I’ll go through that scribd so he can get good books.
Hey Jackie
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy .
Go ahead and shape that yourng man. Let us raise life long lovers of learning. Scribd is your best option is you want to have access to a variety of books. Check my scribd review here .
Reading is a very good thing for children, likewise adults as it helps boost the brain and the activities of the mind. This article will be very helpful for my kids and it’ll be good to keep them busy and enlightened. I love the books you’ve recommended here, I’d check through them and see which ones of get.
Hey JBryce
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy
Teaching and encouraging your kids to read is the best thing you can do that will have lasting impact. I hope he get the favorite book within the listed within the Best Books For Teen Boys.
Reading is an everyday job because no one ever stops learning. We learn everyday and hence we ought to train our brain to master the art of reading. There are several books that can improve the intellectual of teens and these books helps them with better reasoning and more understanding of things more beyond them. These are all great books and are fully recommended for teens.
Hi Phil
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy
I agree that we never stop learning and this we should teach our teenagers for them to create a reading habit.
At least with this, I can get them to sit down and ficus in reading than playing ps4 everytime. The break has not been easy and managing them during this period was not easy at all. Hence, thank you so much for recommendations such as this. I just hope they will like this so atleast, I can be sure of not getying an headache anytime soon.thanks
Hey Darmi
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy.
All the best with getting your teen boys to read
Great book list Bogadi,
You can never go wrong with Tom Sawyer, I grow up reading that book and I can remember it until now! The story is not only memorable but also somehow has the ability to connect with a growing boy’s imaginations which helps affect his decision-making skills also. I totally forgot about this book after I started working, definitely getting one!
Hey Riaz
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy .
I am glad you can relate .
I have read two of those you recommended for teenage boys. Both of them are great. I am assuming the your other choices will be as good. Have you heard of M.T.Anderson? He is my nephew and has written some wonderful books for teens in general. Feed is a best seller. A bit heavier, but meant for teen boys is Octavian Nothing and the Pox Party. Check them out. You might decide to add them to your list. These are great Christmas presents.
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy.
I am glad you can relate . Will certainly check your recommendations.