In yesterday's post on boys and reading, I promised a brief list of books that constitute sound reading for boys. There are many, many good books that boys should read, so my list does not even scratch the surface and, admittedly, it is based heavily upon the interest which my son and I share. I would be interested in hearing from Gender Blog readers who would no doubt have additional books that make sound reading for boys. Please e-mail those to me at the This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it address. Also, please note that we will be writing similar posts on reading for girls in the near future.

Fiction

-Crown and Covenant Trilogy by Douglas Bond. In three books, Duncan's War, King's Arrow and Rebel's Keep, Bond uses fiction to tell of the heroism and sacrifice of the Scottish Covenanters as they waged war with a government that sought to crush its religious freedom in the 1600s.

-Faith and Freedom Trilogy by Bond. Similar in approach to Crown and Covenant, Bond has released two Faith & Freedom books in this series thus far: Guns of Thunder and Guns of the Lion. This series is set in Colonial America and places its unforgettable characters in the middle of the American War for Independence. Like the Crown and Covenant Trilogy, this series combines, writing that lives and breathes along with memorable characters set solidly within the storyline of a crucial age in history.

-The Pilgrim's Progress, The Holy War by John Bunyan. Two of the greatest books ever written on the Christian life by the tinker of Bedford. PP views the Christian life as a journey through the howling wilderness of this world to the celestial city. Holy War is an allegory of the Christian life as a war. My oldest son has practically worn out his copy of PP for younger children entitled Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim's Progress, by Oliver Hunkin. 

-The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. Read them the books, then show them the movies.

-The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Like Tolkien, an absolute classic, and a must-read for boys (and entire families!).

Non-fiction

-Grandpa's Box by Starr Meade. An ingenious approach to telling the Bible's story of redemption.  Meade uses a grandfather and his two grandchildren to weave together the plotline of Scripture articulated as a story of war between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. A fabulous resource for learning the storyline of redemption. Meade, like Bond, is a supremely gifted writer of meaty books for young people.

-Reformation Heroes: A Simple, Illustrated Overview of People Who Assisted in the Great Work of the Reformation by D. M. Kleyn. Published by Joel Beeke and our friends at Reformation Heritage, this work hits the highlights of the men who brought the Gospel out of darkness-"post tenebras lux."  Features individual profiles of well-known reformers such as Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and Knox, as well as the lesser-known lights such as Peter Martyr Vermigli and Zacharias Ursinus.

-The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer. We use this multi-volume work as a homeschool text, but children would benefit from them as stand-alone books. A great way to build a passion for history in your boys.

-The Childhood of Famous Americans series. Each volume introduces children to a famous American from astronaut Neil Armstrong to president Ronald Reagan, baseball greats Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio, to inventor Thomas Edison, genius Albert Einstein, the great emancipator Abraham Lincoln, and dozens more.

-Fathers & Sons Stand Fast in the Way of Truth, Fathers & Sons Hold Fast in a Broken World by Douglas Bond. Two sensational new books to be read by fathers and sons together. These books challenge young men with a robust vision of biblical manhood.

-The Big Book of the Civil War: Fascinating Facts about the Civil War, Including Historic Photographs, Maps, and Documents by Joanne Mattern. Lots of maps and historic photos for ages 10-14. Also: Great Civil War Projects You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series) by Maxine Anderson. Boys will be instructed on how to make a working telegraph or a pinhole camera among other items while learning about all the key battles and figures of the Civil War.

-Great World War II Projects You Can Build Yourself (another in the Build It Yourself series) by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt. Your son can read about World War II and create such things as airplanes from the great war that will teach him about the courage, sacrifice and honor of the men who served in the armed forces. A similar book: World War II for Kids: A History with 21 Activities (For Kids series) by Richard Panchy, includes projects that allows boys to participate in assembling battle strategy or interviewing a WWII veteran.

-Koppett's Concise History of Major League Baseball by Leonard Koppett. Every American boy needs to know about our National Pastime. Hall-of-Fame baseball writer Leonard Koppett, whom I once had the pleasure of meeting, serves as an expert guide in unpacking baseball's 150-plus years of existence. He shows how baseball history has been affected by other significant events in U.S. history such as two world wars and spends significant time on Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier in 1947. This book would benefit older boys, but includes many photos and could be read to younger lads as well.