Here is an article from Robert Gould, founder and CEO of Big Guy Books:

You want to encourage your son to read, but also want to steer clear of The Transformers, G.I Joe, Star Wars and all the other over-marketed, too-violent usual suspects from Hollywood to Hasbro. Well then, here’s a selection of topics that boys will love - and actually have plenty of redeeming educational value to boot (go figure)!

Space
Granted, with NASA’s recent funding trouble, astronaut is not the career track it was thirty years ago, but still, there’s nothing a boy likes more than reaching for the stars. From distant planets to rocket launchers, astronomy and space exploration hold a particular kind of magic for the young male reader.

Cool icons: The Space Shuttle, Apollo anything, planets of the solar system, black holes

Great books from the genre: Georges Secret Key to the Universe, Me and My Place in Space, The Usbourne First Encyclopedia of Space

Dinosaurs
The gold standard of boyhood passions. Not only do dinosaurs help build vocabulary skills, they teach kids about biology, history and geography all in one fell swoop! Plus they pull off the rare feat of crushing/killing stuff while staying somewhat cuddly at the same time.

Cool icons: T-Rex, Velociraptor, Pterodactyl, Stegosaurus

Great books from the genre: How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight, Dinosailors, Danny and the Dinosaur, Time Soldiers Book #1: Rex, Time Soldiers Book #2: Rex2, Big Stuff: Dinosaurs

Construction
They grow out of this one at a pretty young age, but oh how little boys love big things that move smaller things over to other things. Got that? Big picture books filled with giant trucks and construction sites are an excellent entrée into reading for boys.

Cool icons: Earth movers, Bulldozers, GIANT bulldozers

Great books from the genre: The Construction Alphabet Book, Building with Dad, Big Stuff: Giant Earthmovers, Big Stuff: Tractors

Pirates
Pirate stories do spark a child’s imagination — transporting him to a distant land on the open sea, filled with treasure chests (and free of parent restrictions). Did somebody say “y’argh”?

Cool icons: Tall ships, canons, eye patches, loads and loads of treasure

Great books from the genre: How I Became a Pirate, Treasure Island, Pirate Pete, The Night Pirates, Time Soldiers Book #3: Patch

Ancient Egypt
Here’s another category that’s got it all. Ancient Egypt always holds a special place in boys’ hearts because, well, they wrapped people up and mummified them back then. It’s hard to find a boy who doesn’t say “whoa” when they learn that little factoid.

Cool icons: Mummies, the Pharaoh, the Sphinx

Great books from the genre: If I Were a Kid in Ancient Egypt, Mummy (DK Eyewitness Book), Mummies Made in Egypt, Time Soldiers Book #5: Mummy

Whichever topics you choose to focus on, the important thing is that you read to your son every day and install in him a love of reading at a very young age. In return, you get a smart, successful well-adjusted child who is just plain great to be around!

Robert Gould
Founder and CEO, Big Guy Books

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Big Guy Books is a children’s book publishing company dedicated to solving the problem of boys not reading. We call it Stealth Literacy®, the cure for the reluctant reader. Visit www.FreeDinosaurBook.com to get your FREE e-book now and receive more tips and info on boys and reading.

Copyright 2008, Robert Gould and Big Guy Books, Inc.

My wife and I have been blessed with a son who loves to read. He’s five and his room is literally overflowing with books! We read together several times a day, and for the longest time I would always see a healthy rotation of different titles when it came to his favorites. On any given day, this five-year old might have 5-6 different books with him, on any number of topics, ready to dive into.

But then I brought home the Time Soldiers series from Big Guy Books and a funny thing happened: ALL his other books started gathering dust! For the past six months, he has been SO into this series! It’s all he wants to read at bedtime – and he even loves talking about the stories when we’re in the car or out doing other things. He finds them incredibly compelling. The photography is outstanding. It’s as if each page contains an image that makes him want to know more about the words. I think he is also moved by the fact that the boys in the story look just like him. This just bolsters his interest in the tales and creates a stronger connection. What a great idea to place “every day” kids into fantastic, but somehow relatable situations.

Kudos to Big Guy Books for knocking hundreds of other titles out of my son’s rotation – and more importantly, for helping to keep my son excited about reading!

Now if you know anyone who’d like to buy some dusty, used books…

Scott Bernberg
Encino, California

Source: Family of Readers Advisor’s Guide
Ages: 5-8, 9-12, 13+

1. Have children choose their own books as soon as they start showing a preference for one over another.
2. Find the children’s section of your local library. Get to know the librarian, who can be a great resource.
3. Find out what your child is interested in, and help choose books that are related to his or her interests.
4. Ask friends, family, and teachers what books their children have enjoyed; try a book swap.
5. If your child does not like a book you are reading together, put it away. Reading is a fun time to share, not a time to fight.
6. Again, Again, Again! Children may want to read the same book many times, even if you think they have outgrown it.
7. Use book lists generated by various literacy organizations; they usually have good suggestions. For example: American Library Association, International Reading Association, Children’s Book Guild.
8. Look for books that you will like reading aloud. Your enjoyment will shine through and become contagious.
9. Try out different kinds of books to see what appeals to your children.
10. Have fun! Show your children the joy of reading and how it can open up a brand new world!

The following is an interview I had with Michael Sullivan, author of the Escapade Johnson series.

This interview was featured in our Fall 2007 E-Newsletter. I thought I would post it here for everyone to enjoy.

If you would like join our free Big Guy Books Reading Club, you can do so by clicking here.

Through the Reading Club, you will receive our E-Newsletter, like this one, filled with tips and ideas related to children and reading, discounts on our books, freebies, and the first news of our new book releases.

Here’s the interview:

Sara:
Michael, let’s get right into this. Can you tell us a little about yourself and what makes you qualified to speak on the topic of boys and reading?

Mike:
I have spent nearly 20 years as a special needs teacher, librarian, chess coach, and storyteller.

I have a Bachelors Degree in History from Harvard, a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Simmons College.

I have written a book and several national journal articles, and spoken to tens of thousands of teachers, librarians, and parents on how to turn boys into readers.

Sara:
What are some of the trends you have noticed regarding boys and reading?

Mike:
The biggest trend is that people are now acknowledging that boys read, and learn to read, differently than girls. This is making addressing boys’ issues a great deal easier.

There is also more literature available that is boy friendly, specifically books aimed at the reluctant boy reader.

The counter trend is the push to standardize education, and specifically to judge results by standardized testing. This makes it extremely difficult for classroom teachers to address differences in learning style. Since boys fail at reading more often than girls, this rigid approach can only hurt them.

Sara:
What are some tips that you could suggest to others to help encourage reluctant boy readers to read?

Mike:

• Lighten up. Pressure doesn’t help boys read. If you are less stressed, the boys will be less stressed.
• Let boys choose the level of their own reading.
• Let boys choose the type of reading they want to do.
• Acknowledge and honor the types of reading that appeal to boys: nonfiction, humor, action/adventure, sports, horror, and all things edgy.
• Connect boys’ reading to the things they like to do. Read about an activity, then do it.
• Encourage boys to exercise their minds in areas other than reading. The brain is a muscle, it needs exercise. Play chess with your boys.

Sara:
Is there any material out there that you would suggest for others to read about this topic?

Mike:
Sullivan, Michael. Connecting Boys With Books: What Libraries Can Do. ALA Editions, 2003.

Gurian, Michael. Boys and Girls Learn Differently!: A Guide for Teachers and Parents. Jossey-Basse, 2001.

Krashen, Stephen. The Power of Reading: Insights from the Research. (2nd ed.) Libraries Unlimitted, 2004.

Newkirk, Thomas. Misreading Masculinity: Boys, Literacy, and Popular Culture. Heinemann, 2002.

Pennac, Daniel. Better Than Life. Stenhouse, 1999.Sax, Leonard. Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know About the Emerging Science of Sex Differences. Doubleday, 2005.

Smith, Michael W. & Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Reading Don’t Fix No Chevys: Literacy in the Lives of Young Men. Heinemann, 2002.

Sara:
How do we find out more?

Mike:
Check out my website (www.talestoldtall.com) for a constantly updated list of sure-fire boy books. Check out my MySpace page (www.myspace.com/talestoldtall) to subscribe to my Blog on boys and reading, or email me (mike@talestoldtall.com) with any questions.

Sara:
Thank you, Michael. We really appreciate this insider’s view and your willingness to be accessible to answer any of our questions

It is typical for children, especially boys, to fall back in their reading levels during the summer, between the school years. Well, I do not want that for your children this summer. So I have put together a few tips to help you encourage your kids to read no matter what you are doing or where you are.

Car-Time Skill Builders

1. Alphabet Soup

When to use it: If you have children you are learning the alphabet, then use this activity with them while in the car or out on a walk.

What to Do: Young children can watch license plates and signs, finding each letter of the alphabet in sequence. If you have more than one beginning reader, have them take turns to keep the shouting down.

2. Phonics on Wheels

When to use it: Use this activity with your children while in the car or out on a walk.

What to Do: Using road and business signs that you pass, ask younger readers to look for words with repeated consonants, a long “u” sound, a short “e” sound, a blended consonant sound (sh, sp, bl, etc). A phonics workbook can provide ideas. If contests are handled well by your family, offer a small prize and keep score.

3. Stop, Look, Listen: Books on Tape

When to use it: Use this activity while in the car.

What to Do: Go to your local library and find a tape or CD that your family can enjoy together. Pop this in your car and turn it on, especially on long trips. Audio books will model a smooth and fluent out-loud reading style and will keep your child’s mind active. Listening to a riveting read-aloud can interest your readers in books by the same author. Books on tape allow younger readers to listen to more complex stories than they can read.

4. Get local! Community Search

When to use it: Use this activity any time you or your kids want to learn more about what is directly around you. I don’t know about you, but I find that I know more about far away places that I have visited than about some of the local areas I’m around everyday. You don’t need to take an extensive vacation to a far away place to have an adventure to remember.

What to Do: Use the Internet and your local newspaper to find out more about your town. Hotels and motels often have racks of pamphlets about interesting local attractions. Your kids can read about botanical gardens, museums, zoos, landmarks, an architectural wonder, or a family-run bakery. Check for printable websites. Have your children read aloud as you drive – or at home. Most towns have historical societies, chambers of commerce, hobbyist clubs, and other organizations that might interest your kids. Family research projects encourage self-propelled reading and self-guided learning.

5. My Aunt is Moving…Word Game

When to use it: Use this activity when you want to build language skills and memory.

What to Do:
Here’s an example:

First Child:
“My aunt is moving to New York and she is taking apples with her.”
(or any other object that begins with the letter A)

Second Child: “My aunt is moving to New York and she is taking
apples and beans.”

Third Child: “My aunt is moving to New York and she is taking
apples, beans, and cats.”

And so on through the alphabet. There are many variations of
this game. Let your children modify it to suit themselves!

(For more tips and ideas, check out the title above!)

I work as a reading specialist in Menlo Park and these books are hands down the most popular books in my room. Rex is nearly falling apart at the seams from being perused so much. I recommend them to every parent looking for interest generating material for their young readers.

Jacqui Cebrian
Reading Specialist
Oak Knoll School

Dear Mr. Robert Gould,

Hi my name is Monica. You went to my school Garrison to talk about your books and showed us a small clip. I love Time Soldiers. They readly get my attention. Now I’m actually interested in books!

Monica
Garrison Elementary
Oceanside, CA

I have to tell you that I found these books by accident about a year ago, and I bought them for the very reason you describe [to get reluctant readers reading]. My middle son was not reading and I was looking for ANYTHING that would pique his interest. I’ve bought some for gifts besides my son.

Shelley Hachman
Billerica MA

I love these books and so do the kids… They are always checked out and are extremely popular. They are “just right” books for 2nd and 3rd graders and lower reading 4th graders. Please keep publishing!! … Thanks for introducing new wonderful books to our readers!!

Stacey Brody
Library Media Specialist