Reading Is For Boys

Now this is what I love about blogging.  Interaction!  Community involvement!

In light of some of the bookish tendencies of this blog, J Pilgrim left a comment on a recent post that brought up a terrific question about boys and reading.  The background for this question comes from this blog post at The Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood.  The author, Jeff Robinson, puts forth some very compelling reasons arguing for the importance of reading in the lives of boys.  He demonstrates how reading helps boys develop skills in communication, critical thinking, and observation, not to mention inform their worldview and (most importantly) cultivate a passion for and an understanding of God’s Word.

In part two of the post, Jeff offers some examples of both fiction and non-fiction that are particularly packed with the kind of writing that aids the previously-mentioned developmental elements — sort of like the literary equivalent of a particularly nutritious meal for a boy’s mind!

As far as sampler lists go (the author admits his lists are by no means exhaustive), they seem well chosen.  To my (minor) embarrassment, I haven’t read many of the items on the list — only the Narnia and Lord of the Rings books.  The other works that he mentions sound definitely worth a look.  Also, I will admit to having much more of a penchant for fiction than non-fiction.  This limits my ability to both comment on and add to Jeff’s non-fiction list.

All that said, I’d love to offer some of my own additions where possible.  I was one of those boys who grew up reading almost constantly, and I have some definite favorites that I think are worth proffering.

Take some time to check out the original posts at CBMW, then check back soon.  I’m still working on finishing my lists, and already I can tell that if they were included here, this would be such a long post that most people wouldn’t read it.  I’ll have a second post with the lists published either later today or early tomorrow (Tuesday).  In the meantime, you might think about books you might want to include on such a list (especially if you’re a male who loved to read as a kid, or a parent of one).  Comments, opinions, and input are especially welcome in this series!