Modern YA novel that celebrates boys

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted a similar question on here a few months ago-- books for my 12-year-old boy that weren't fantasy or science fiction. Someone recommended the historical fiction books by Alan Gratz-- many of them are about World War II. My son absolutely loved them-- he read them all this summer. Thank you to whomever made that recommendation!

NP. Good to know. My son picked one of these out in the library at school this week because he needed a book for English. It sounds like he will like it.

[Anonymous]

How about SE Hinton? or The Chosen? or A Separate Peace? Or Old School by Tobias Wolff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whats the one with Pony Boy?

This made me laugh. The Outsiders

[Anonymous]

Hatchet

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Percy Jackson, Harry Potter

Lord of the Ring

In fact until recently, pretty much every book.

That's a good quip. But you apparently haven't been to a bookstore in a couple decades.

I was at a bookstore last weekend. Girls have been reading books about boys having adventures for centuries. I know I did! Is there some reason that your boy can't enjoy books about girls having adventures?

Kids need books that are windows and books that are mirrors. Just because things were really one sided in the past doesn’t mean they should swing the other way now. I want my boys to be able to read contemporary books with girl and boy protagonists.

The point is, not all contemporary books feature "only girls." Which you would know if *you* had been in a bookstore lately.

Do you know how hard it is to find a book with a male protagonist? Or even a YA book by a male author? I spend gobs of time going through shelves and shelves at the library looking for something appropriate for my advanced reader, who is willing to read books w/female protagonists and is a self-proclaimed feminist, but who would like to read books w/male leads occasionally! Percy Jackson, Harry Potter are great, but too simplistic and when you hit upper middle school the pickings are slim! I brought home “Boy robot” last week from the library which stated it was about what makes us human - I didn’t pre-read it. DS comes downstairs today and says, “So Boy Robot was ok, but did you know there’s a lot of gay sex in it? I don’t mind but I thought you’d want to know.”
Gay sex is fine but it shouldn’t be this hard to find non-fantasy, non-sports YA books w/male protagonists! Go through a bookstore sometime. It’s about 10%.

Not sure how you've managed to miss Jason Reynolds in all of this poring over library bookshelves you claim to be doing. Or Justin Reynolds, for that matter.

And references to sex in in YA books are pretty common. You might want to do a lot more pre-reading if that's going to be a problem.

[Anonymous]

One of the issues here is that there are MANY more women authors writing in the YA genre. Middle grades is more split, but true Young Adult is dominated by women.

In fact, young female authors are often "pushed" into YA while talented young men are hailed as "literary authors."

So, when it comes right down to it, the relative lack of male characters in contemporary YA is just another way in which the patriarchy hurts everyone. YA is deemed "chick lit" by the literary establishment, so men aren't writing it.

[Anonymous]

The Sign of the Beaver - Newberry winner about a 13 YO boy alone in the wilderness is one of the best books I read as a kid.

Book description:
When Matt's father leaves him on his own to guard their new cabin in the wilderness, Matt is scared but determined to be brave and prove that he can take care of himself. And things are going fine until a white stranger steals his gun, leaving Matt defenseless and unable to hunt for his food. Then Matt meets Attean, a Native boy from the Beaver tribe, and soon learns that people called the land around him home long before the white settlers ever arrived. As Attean teaches him more about his own culture, Matt must come to terms with what the changing frontier really means.


PS - OP I completely understand where you are coming from as a father of boys. Pretty much all forms of media seem aimed at boosting girls these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Sign of the Beaver - Newberry winner about a 13 YO boy alone in the wilderness is one of the best books I read as a kid.

Book description:
When Matt's father leaves him on his own to guard their new cabin in the wilderness, Matt is scared but determined to be brave and prove that he can take care of himself. And things are going fine until a white stranger steals his gun, leaving Matt defenseless and unable to hunt for his food. Then Matt meets Attean, a Native boy from the Beaver tribe, and soon learns that people called the land around him home long before the white settlers ever arrived. As Attean teaches him more about his own culture, Matt must come to terms with what the changing frontier really means.


PS - OP I completely understand where you are coming from as a father of boys. Pretty much all forms of media seem aimed at boosting girls these days.

As the parent of teenage boys, I find assertions like this absolutely bonkers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Sign of the Beaver - Newberry winner about a 13 YO boy alone in the wilderness is one of the best books I read as a kid.

Book description:
When Matt's father leaves him on his own to guard their new cabin in the wilderness, Matt is scared but determined to be brave and prove that he can take care of himself. And things are going fine until a white stranger steals his gun, leaving Matt defenseless and unable to hunt for his food. Then Matt meets Attean, a Native boy from the Beaver tribe, and soon learns that people called the land around him home long before the white settlers ever arrived. As Attean teaches him more about his own culture, Matt must come to terms with what the changing frontier really means.


PS - OP I completely understand where you are coming from as a father of boys. Pretty much all forms of media seem aimed at boosting girls these days.

PS my daughter will be staying away from your son who are being raised by a misogynist and will likely follow in their fathers footsteps..and in true DCUM fashion, it’s too bad because she will have a very large trust fund…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Sign of the Beaver - Newberry winner about a 13 YO boy alone in the wilderness is one of the best books I read as a kid.

Book description:
When Matt's father leaves him on his own to guard their new cabin in the wilderness, Matt is scared but determined to be brave and prove that he can take care of himself. And things are going fine until a white stranger steals his gun, leaving Matt defenseless and unable to hunt for his food. Then Matt meets Attean, a Native boy from the Beaver tribe, and soon learns that people called the land around him home long before the white settlers ever arrived. As Attean teaches him more about his own culture, Matt must come to terms with what the changing frontier really means.


PS - OP I completely understand where you are coming from as a father of boys. Pretty much all forms of media seem aimed at boosting girls these days.

PS my daughter will be staying away from your son who are being raised by a misogynist and will likely follow in their fathers footsteps..and in true DCUM fashion, it’s too bad because she will have a very large trust fund…

DP. That's not what misogynist means.

But please keep your trust fund baby away from everyone. That sounds best, for her and for everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Sign of the Beaver - Newberry winner about a 13 YO boy alone in the wilderness is one of the best books I read as a kid.

Book description:
When Matt's father leaves him on his own to guard their new cabin in the wilderness, Matt is scared but determined to be brave and prove that he can take care of himself. And things are going fine until a white stranger steals his gun, leaving Matt defenseless and unable to hunt for his food. Then Matt meets Attean, a Native boy from the Beaver tribe, and soon learns that people called the land around him home long before the white settlers ever arrived. As Attean teaches him more about his own culture, Matt must come to terms with what the changing frontier really means.


PS - OP I completely understand where you are coming from as a father of boys. Pretty much all forms of media seem aimed at boosting girls these days.

PS my daughter will be staying away from your son who are being raised by a misogynist and will likely follow in their fathers footsteps..and in true DCUM fashion, it’s too bad because she will have a very large trust fund…

DP. That's not what misogynist means.

But please keep your trust fund baby away from everyone. That sounds best, for her and for everyone else.

LOL!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the issues here is that there are MANY more women authors writing in the YA genre. Middle grades is more split, but true Young Adult is dominated by women.

In fact, young female authors are often "pushed" into YA while talented young men are hailed as "literary authors."

So, when it comes right down to it, the relative lack of male characters in contemporary YA is just another way in which the patriarchy hurts everyone. YA is deemed "chick lit" by the literary establishment, so men aren't writing it.

Can you give concrete numbers on this assertion?

[Anonymous]

https://www.readbrightly.com/young-adult-books-for-boys/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Sign of the Beaver - Newberry winner about a 13 YO boy alone in the wilderness is one of the best books I read as a kid.

Book description:
When Matt's father leaves him on his own to guard their new cabin in the wilderness, Matt is scared but determined to be brave and prove that he can take care of himself. And things are going fine until a white stranger steals his gun, leaving Matt defenseless and unable to hunt for his food. Then Matt meets Attean, a Native boy from the Beaver tribe, and soon learns that people called the land around him home long before the white settlers ever arrived. As Attean teaches him more about his own culture, Matt must come to terms with what the changing frontier really means.


PS - OP I completely understand where you are coming from as a father of boys. Pretty much all forms of media seem aimed at boosting girls these days.

PS my daughter will be staying away from your son who are being raised by a misogynist and will likely follow in their fathers footsteps..and in true DCUM fashion, it’s too bad because she will have a very large trust fund…

So you're making decisions for your daughter and advertising her like a prize pig for marriage with a dowry and calling people misogynistic?

-op

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted a similar question on here a few months ago-- books for my 12-year-old boy that weren't fantasy or science fiction. Someone recommended the historical fiction books by Alan Gratz-- many of them are about World War II. My son absolutely loved them-- he read them all this summer. Thank you to whomever made that recommendation!

NP. Good to know. My son picked one of these out in the library at school this week because he needed a book for English. It sounds like he will like it.

His books are great! Refugee was a favorite. Flips between three different stories from three different countries and time periods, all told from the perspective of a young teenager. Teens can't help but feel empathetic - it's a terrific book.

I've heard Gratz's more recent book about 9/11 is terrific, too!