| Boys don't read - hundreds of reports and | | | | suitable to readers 10 and up; it's lots of |
| newspaper articles have made that clear.The | | | | fun, however, and there's never a dull |
| mantra of the literary community is to just | | | | moment. It's also a very beautiful book. You |
| get boys to read anything, even the back of a | | | | might need to pay a bit more, but your boy |
| cereal box.This message ignores the fact that | | | | will like the look-and-feel.6. Touchdown |
| literacy is not the real problem. Boys can | | | | Pass, Clair Bee.Touchdown Pass introduces |
| read - they just choose not to. The | | | | readers to one of the great characters in |
| dumbing-down of literature will not solve the | | | | American fiction - Chip Hilton. Clair Bee |
| problem of boys not reading. We need to | | | | wrote the Chip Hilton series in the fifties |
| inculcate a love of reading. Let's not lower | | | | and early sixties. This is the first book. |
| the bar and endorse mediocrity. Let's raise | | | | Under no circumstances buy the new edition - |
| it. Are you happy when your kid is reading a | | | | stick with the original. You won't find the |
| comic book? Or would you prefer he bury his | | | | original in book stores. Go to or the used |
| nose in Tom Sawyer?Below is a list of great | | | | book section of or Barnes & Noble, and it's |
| books every boy should read before they're a | | | | easy to find (and cheap). A bit Pollyanna in |
| teenager - books that will capture his | | | | tone, and perhaps dated, Clair Bee |
| imagination and motivate his to read more. | | | | practically invented the genre of the sports |
| It's a mix of old and new, and guaranteed to | | | | series.7. Hockey Stories, Leslie |
| get a big thumbs up.1. Chasing VermeerA | | | | McFarlaneLeslie McFarlane was the |
| terrific action and mystery story surrounding | | | | best-selling author of many of the Hardy Boys |
| the disappearance of a priceless work of art. | | | | books. He wrote these stories in the 1930s, |
| Two kids find themselves at the centre of an | | | | and they have just been re-released. The tone |
| international art scandal. Boys will be drawn | | | | and terminology are slightly dated, but the |
| to the story's dramatic conclusion, as the | | | | themes are timeless . All the short stories |
| heroes solve a crime that left the FBI | | | | have a quirky, humorous side that makes them |
| baffled.2. Tiger, Jeff Stone.Five young | | | | fun and worthy of a read. This one is |
| monks in China, trained by a kung-fu master, | | | | suitable for younger boys, even |
| are forced to flee the safety of the temple | | | | strong-reading eight-year olds.8. Tarzan of |
| to find some secret scrolls. Each monk has | | | | the Apes, Edgar Rice BurroughsWho hasn't |
| mastered a different form of fighting, all of | | | | heard of this one? Yet, it's not easy to find |
| which comes in handy as they battle their way | | | | in bookstores. This is the first of a series. |
| closer and closer to their goal. Tiger is | | | | The rest of the Tarzan books are definitely |
| full of action, but also speaks to such | | | | B-list material. This one is not. It's a |
| issues as self-reliance, friendship, loyalty, | | | | magnificent book - compelling and exciting. |
| and truthfulness. The author does a fine job | | | | The romance elements are vague enough to be |
| of incorporating Chinese culture, an element | | | | appropriate for any kid. The length suggests |
| that many boys will be attracted to.3. Huck | | | | a reader who is 10+.9. HolesA young boy, |
| Finn and Tom Sawyer.I have included these two | | | | wrongly accused of stealing, is sent to a |
| masterful tales from Mark Twain as a single | | | | youth detention centre. He is forced to dig |
| entry, but each deserves its own spot. Tom | | | | holes in the ground, along with his fellow |
| Sawyer is the lighter of the two, although | | | | inmates, supposedly to build character. |
| the book's ending involves an accused | | | | Instead, the evil warden is using the kids to |
| murderer whom Tom confronts in a cave. | | | | find a priceless treasure. This is a story |
| Carefree adventures are combined with humour | | | | about friendship and loyalty, and the |
| and drama to make it a perfect read for any | | | | character development is noteworthy. It is |
| boy. You might want to wait until your son is | | | | also a major motion picture (not as good as |
| 10 or 11 before you introduce Huck Finn. Huck | | | | the book!)10. Off the Crossbar, David |
| drifts down the Mississippi with Jim, a | | | | SkuyPerhaps this is a biased entry, since it |
| run-away slave. Again, action, adventure, and | | | | is my own. The main character is Charlie |
| humour are combined, this time against the | | | | Joyce, a boy who arrives in a new town after |
| backdrop of American slavery. Tom Sawyer | | | | the tragic death of his father. A terrific |
| makes a guest appearance.4. The Time | | | | hockey player, he tries out for the school |
| Machine, H.G. Wells.Younger readers will miss | | | | team. This marks the beginning of his |
| the subtleties of this classic allegory of | | | | troubles, as some of the kids don't want the |
| time travel and the decay of English society. | | | | 'new kid' to play. It's full of fast-paced |
| They will certainly love reading about the | | | | action, climaxing in a hockey tournament. |
| Morlocks, the subterranean descendants of the | | | | Charlie battles - on and off the ice - first |
| working class, and the Eloi, the | | | | for a spot on the team, and then to keep |
| simple-minded representatives of the | | | | everything together, as infighting and |
| bourgeoisie. Wells was a master storyteller, | | | | rivalries threaten to destroy the team's |
| and his clear, easy style make this book very | | | | chances. A book for boys who love |
| accessible. Boys won't put this one down, as | | | | sports.David Skuy is the author of "Off the |
| they learn, along with the time traveler, the | | | | Crossbar," a sports novel for boys. You can |
| truth about London's strange inhabitants.5. | | | | visit his website at He is a popular |
| Operation Red Jericho, Joshua Mowill.This | | | | lecturer, speaking to kids and parent groups |
| book is written as a spy-journal, with lots | | | | on the importance of literacy and sports for |
| of detailed maps and secret clues. The story | | | | children. |
| is somewhat complex, which might make it more | | | | |