Books for (teen) Guys Part I

It's time for me to get out my soapbox. There has been a trend that has been bothering me and I feel the need to vent.

There is a big push to get boys to read. Studies have shown that boys don't read. Of course there are many factors to this such as home life, outside activities (video games, sports, working etc.) and the "it's not cool factor."

There have been numerous websites dedicated to guys and reading. As a librarian I strongly support this. But most of the sites forget that there maybe a young man over the age of 13 who wants to read, or is being made to read by his evil English teacher. Either way they do not give teen guys any books to choose from.

So where are the suggestions for teen guys? There are none. Or if there is a list of books you see the standard answers such as Stephen King or Lord of the Flies. Boo! So here is a list that I have made. This is only a partial list, but these are the books that my male patrons love.

I will create Part II in a few days. I hope it is useful.

• Code Talker: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac
• Homeboyz by Alan Lawrence Sitomer
• Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
• The Hoopster by Alan Lawrence Sitomer
• Bootcamp by Todd Strasser
• Quad by Carrie Gordon Watson
• Black and White by Paul Volponi
• Ghosts of Onyx by Eric Nylund
• Acceleration by Graham McNamee
• Ball don't Lie by Matt de la Pena
• The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin
• Tyrell by Coe Booth
• Rats saw God by Rob Thomas
• Endgame by Nancy Garden
• Kerosene by Chris Wooding
• Nailed by Patrick Jones
• Demonata Series by Darren Shan
• No Right Turn by Terry Trueman
• Private Peaceful by by Michael Morpurgo
• Raider's Night by Robert Lipsyte
• Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle
• Crackback by John Coy
• The Trap John Smelcer
• Open Ice by Pat Hughes
• Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson
• Doing It by Melvin Burgess