Books Teen Boys Will Read

As a parent of boys, and as a teacher of boys, I have always struggled with getting teen boys to read. They can easily get hooked on a new video game. A funny series of videos on YouTube will keep their attention. But reading . . . nah. We even have a required 20 minute reading time after lunch break to encourage students to get their nose in a good book. For a long time I fought with boys who just wanted to flip through Popular Science magazine, or keep doing their PACES, or even ask to take a nap instead.

Recently I discovered some authors and series of books that just grab them and won’t let go. Now I have teen boys at school who don’t want to close their book when the 20 minute reading time is over. Or they take the book home and read for hours until they finish it. They argue over who gets the new book in the series when it is released. Unbelievable! I love it!

A couple years ago I had a senior boy, Peter, who really did NOT want to read. Said he hated reading. I coaxed  him into reading just one chapter of the first book in one of these series, and promised him that if he didn’t like it he didn’t have to read the next day. He reluctantly started reading the first chapter. Page after page. He didn’t want to stop with chapter one. He didn’t stop with book one. He didn’t stop with that series – he read other series by the same author.

These are not “classics” I realize. They are high action adventure books. The authors are professed Christians who do not include sex, swearing, and other morally offensive content to attract readers. I am  thrilled to see teen boys’ eyes off the screens and on to the pages. I think you will be too!

By the way, these are not just for boys! My teen daughter and other girls in the Learning Center love these books too! It’s just easier to find books that girls will enjoy, which is why the focus here is on books teen boys will read.

Listed below are some of the top favorite books teen boys will read that I’ve found so far. If you know of others, feel free to mention them in the comments below and keep the conversation going.

New! Tim Shoemaker – author

• Code of Silence: Living a Lie Comes with a Price (A Code of Silence Novel Book 1)
• Back Before Dark: Sometimes rescuing a friend from the darkness means going in after him. (A Code of Silence Novel)
• Below the Surface (A Code of Silence Novel)

Wayne Batson – author

• The Door Within: The Door Within Trilogy – Book One
• The Rise of the Wyrm Lord: The Door Within Trilogy – Book Two
• The Final Storm: The Door Within Trilogy – Book Three

Pirate Series by Wayne Batson

• Isle of Swords (Pirate Adventures)
• Isle of Fire

Andrew Klavan – Author

Homelanders Series

• The Last Thing I Remember (The Homelanders)
• The Long Way Home (The Homelanders)
• The Truth of the Matter (The Homelanders)
• The Final Hour (The Homelanders)

Mindwar Trilogy

• MindWar (The MindWar Trilogy – book 1)
• Hostage Run (The MindWar Trilogy – book 2)
• Game Over (The MindWar Trilogy Book 3)

Christopher Hopper – Author

• Rise of the Dibor: The White Lion Chronicles, Book I
• The Lion Vrie: The White Lion Chronciles, Book 2 (White Lion Chronicles)
• Athera’s Dawn: The White Lion Chronciles, Book 3 (The White Lion Chronicles)

Chuck Black – Author

Wars of the Realm Trilogy

• Cloak of the Light: Wars of the Realm, Book 1
• Rise of the Fallen: Wars of the Realm, Book 2
• Light of the Last: Wars of the Realm, Book 3

Kingdom Series – excellent for upper elementary and junior high

• Kingdom’s Dawn (Kingdom, Book 1)
• Kingdom’s Hope (Kingdom, Book 2)
• Kingdom’s Edge (Kingdom, Book 3)
• Kingdom’s Call (Kingdom, Book 4)
• Kingdom’s Quest (Kingdom, Book 5)
• Kingdom’s Reign (Kingdom, Book 6)