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Subject Topic: Finding Series that Boys Love Post ReplyPost New Topic
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JennGM
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Posted: May 15 2009 at 1:48pm | IP Logged Quote JennGM

This isn't needed immediately, but I do want to start gathering these as my sons grow older. The rate my older son is reading I think these will be read sooner rather than later. These are series that are hard to find, might be reprinted. I'd love to hear suggestions on the best way of procuring titles -- used or new, favorite versions, how many in the series.

Swallows and Amazons -- that series hasn't been discussed much lately. I think it was in one of Rumer Godden's biographical books she mentions playing this. So not only was it a series, but also a game for kids. I think this was mostly discussed as an audio version, which I'd like to hear more info about that, too. Wiki article

These are comic strip type books, but delightfully good:

Adventures of Tin-Tin Wiki article

Asterix and Obelix -- English versions. Wiki article and official website

And any other must-have series/classics that boys always love?

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Posted: May 15 2009 at 1:52pm | IP Logged Quote guitarnan

Encyclopedia Brown mysteries

Alvin Fernald books

My Side of the Mountain and its 2 sequels

Homer Price

The Call of the Wild (every boy and young man I ask says he loved this book...I completely disliked it)

Johnny Tremain

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MarilynW
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Posted: May 15 2009 at 2:08pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

Jenn - I have been working on a list that I will link.

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Posted: May 15 2009 at 5:29pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

Thornton Burgess Animal Tales - TREASURES! There are many, many in the series and Dover has reprinted most/all. Very inexpensive and beloved!

Billy and Blaze series by Thornton Anderson - delightful stories about a boy and his horse. My son loves these.

Matt Christopher sports themed books

The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West - oop, but my son loves them and they can be found inexpensively through amazon and used book stores - here is the first book in the series for $3.00 at Amazon. The 5 Hollister children solve innocent mysteries together.

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner - several in the series.

Paddington Bear by Michael Bond

E.B. White's books - Charlotte's Web, Trumpet of the the Swan - they're classics and not so much boy books, but enjoyed by all I think.

Bethlehem Books, in particular, Old Sam, Thoroughbred Trotter - many of the Bethlehem Books are well suited to boys and are classics! These are particularly recommended for boys with age/reading level suggestions listed with the books.

ALL of the Daniel Carter Beard books Field and Forest Guide, American Boys Handy Book, The Book of Camp Lore and Woodcraft

Holling C. Holling books - these stand alone as such classics - for all really - but especially for a boy. Foster a great respect and love of the natural world, geography, and history! Detailed sketches and drawings throughout that boys really love!

The D'Aulaire's books really appeal to my boys. Buffalo Bill, Leif the Lucky...I could go on and on. There are so many.

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Posted: May 15 2009 at 5:39pm | IP Logged Quote stellamaris

I'm sure you've already thought of this one: The Chronicles of Narnia

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Posted: May 15 2009 at 5:50pm | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

We are currently reading Swallows and Amazons. I can see someone saying they are "playing" it without it being an actual game? But, if you find it was a game with rules or a board game or something, let us know! Here is a link with all the titles in the series

My boys have also *loved* being read the Ralph Moody series Little Britches I think my husband edits as he goes--there are words like "helluva" that he doesn't read out loud, but nothing too shocking.

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Posted: May 15 2009 at 5:52pm | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

We also really enjoyed My Father's Dragon.

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Posted: May 15 2009 at 5:59pm | IP Logged Quote Lisbet

The Great Brain Series is a recent favorite among the testosterone crowd here.

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JennGM
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Posted: May 15 2009 at 6:57pm | IP Logged Quote JennGM

Oh my goodness! What a great list! Now I have a lot of books, and look at the list I don't have...I have a lot of searching to do!

I had no idea Daniel Carter Beard wrote more books, so I'll be on the lookout for that. The Thornton Burgess Dover tip is tremendous.

I don't think Swallows and Amazons was a board game, just an imaginary game to be played?

What about Rudyard Kipling? As a girl, I didn't really enjoy his books. Anyone have boys who love them?

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Posted: May 15 2009 at 7:26pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

Oh, we should mention Mark Twain - certainly for an older boy, but his books are fantastic. Joan of Arc is a favorite.

Swallows and Amazons is a classic series that ranks up there with Little House, Anne of Green Gables, and Chronicles of Narnia. My oldest dd is devouring them...again. And my 8yo son loves for her to read them to him. Then, they re-enact them in their tree fort. Is there any greater felicity than this for a child, to be filled with such delightful stories and then re-live them in the backyard during the glorious days of the summer, I ask you?

We should probably add...
The Redwall series by Brian Jacques - simply extraordinary! Loved by the boys here!

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Posted: May 15 2009 at 7:33pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

Oh, forgot to say, that I don't have any experience with Kipling yet. My dd will be reading some of his works this summer...I might get a feel for it then, but not true boy-review! Curious to hear what others think.

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Posted: May 15 2009 at 7:41pm | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

JennGM wrote:
Oh my goodness! What a great list! Now I have a lot of books, and look at the list I don't have...I have a lot of searching to do!

I had no idea Daniel Carter Beard wrote more books, so I'll be on the lookout for that. The Thornton Burgess Dover tip is tremendous.

I don't think Swallows and Amazons was a board game, just an imaginary game to be played?

What about Rudyard Kipling? As a girl, I didn't really enjoy his books. Anyone have boys who love them?


I don't know about "loving" them, but my oldest enjoys Riki Tiki Tavi and Just So Stories. We never got into Jungle Book much, but he's still sort of young. He likes Jim Weiss doing Just So Stories, too, and I think Weiss has a Jungle Book cd as well.

With Swallows and Amazons, I can totally see children acting out adventures like the children in the books.

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mary
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Posted: May 15 2009 at 7:42pm | IP Logged Quote mary

Dan Gutman wrote 9 baseball adventure books that my boys have loved.
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Posted: May 15 2009 at 7:44pm | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

ALso, my brother and his friends loved the Redwall series


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Posted: May 15 2009 at 10:34pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

Edited - I have read and removed some of the books on my list - such as Percy Jackson as I did not like them. I am so glad that none of my boys cares much for the fantasy genre.

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Posted: May 16 2009 at 6:11am | IP Logged Quote Angel

I second the *Percy Jackson and the Olympians* series (from Marilyn's list and *The Mysterious Benedict Society* books. Also...

The *Gregor the Overlander* series has been a hit here.

Also, the Tales of the RAFseries by Don Patterson about WWII RAF flyer Harry Winslow get a seal of approval... the writing is a bit clunky sometimes, but... a whole series about WWII dogfights, with lots of detail about the planes? Definitely written for boys!

In a similar vein, the Bigglesbooks, written by Capt. W. E. Johns. More airplanes.

Oh, and my dad grew up reading the Tom Swiftbooks. I keep meaning to introduce my boys to these. Maybe this summer.

I could add Jules Verne's books and H.G. Wells to the list, too, although I guess they're not technically "series" books...

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Posted: May 16 2009 at 7:51am | IP Logged Quote jdostalik

Great thread, Jenn. I am making a reading list based on all these recommendations.

My ds, 9, can be a voracious reader, when I am not prying him off the computer!

Here are a few books he has enjoyed this year in no particular order--and all of these were enjoyed by his older sisters, as well.

Lassie Come Home
The Borrowers
The Indian in the Cupboard
Harold's Tail
Adventures with Sister Philomena series: Lost in St. Peter's Tomb, Break-in at the Basilica, Curse of the Coin)...these have been a lovely surprise--good solid, Catholic fiction!!

No time to hyperlink the titles. Hoping for more good reviews!!



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Posted: May 16 2009 at 9:42am | IP Logged Quote JennGM

How about these series or authors?

Elizabeth Enright
Edward Eager

The Borrowers series


I loved these, but I'm coming from a female perspective.

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Posted: May 16 2009 at 9:56am | IP Logged Quote sunnyviewmom

My 13 year old son has been reading a lot of Rudyard Kipling lately and really enjoying it! He was inspired by the Jim Weiss CDs (Just so stories & Jungle Book) to read Kipling. He even came up with the idea of writing his own "Just So" story and did a great job.
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Posted: May 16 2009 at 1:39pm | IP Logged Quote sarahb

I am not terribly conservative wrt reading material
I'll try to arrange by younger to older kids
McBrooms Farm series (Fleischmann) in fact everything he writes is fun
Time Warp Trio
Secrets of Droon
Chet gecko series
the Stinkfiles (cat mysteries)
McGurk mysteries EW Hildick
Toad Rage, Toad Away and so on by Morris Gleitzmann
Wayside School book
Bunnicula series
Castle in the Attic (2 books)
Hero and the Crown series (2)
Mysterious Benedict Society and sequel
Hugo Cabret
Spiderwick series
Five Ancestors series

cautionary warning: fine with me but YMMV
Edge Cronicles
Series of Unfortunate Events
Harry Potter
Charlie Bone series
Septimus Heap series (Magyk, Physik, Queste and so on)
Rangers Apprentice series
Sea of Trolls and so on by Nancy Farmer
Alex rider series
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series
Artemis Fowl series
Benny and Omar books (2) (Eoin Colfer)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
The Diamond Brothers series by Horowitz
Young Bond series

and of course do not neglect the Newbery Award winners.



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