I’m going to get in trouble, I know it. Every time I try to recommend books for boys or girls I offend someone. So let me start by saying, I’m not trying to force anyone to read only a certain type of book. I don’t think there are “boys’ books” or “girls’ books.” My son loves Madeline and Olivia, so I’m all about equal opportunity reading. What I hope to do is provide parents with boys who may like more traditionally masculine books (spies, adventure, science fiction, knights and battles, etc.) with some options that include cool, strong, interesting female characters to balance out all the testosterone. That’s it. No other agenda. So if you have a boy who thinks girls have cooties and you want to encourage him to think of girls as more than just cootie carriers, perhaps you may want to sneak a few of these on his shelf. You could also offer him cootie spray until he’s read a few.
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The Luck Uglies series
Rye O’Chanter believes the Bog Noblins have come back to Village Downing and she’s going to need help to save her town. Spooky creatures abound as Rye and her friends Quinn and Folly try to discover whether the Bog Noblins exist and how to stop them. When they find they need the help of the Luck Uglies, well, that’s when things get interesting.
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Encyclopedia Brown series
Available from:Encyclopedia gets most of the glory as he solves crimes in his hometown, but he’d be in trouble without his friend, bodyguard, and business partner, Sally Kimball. Together, the two make a great team as boys everywhere have known for years.
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A Series of Unfortunate Events series
The Baudelaire siblings, Klaus and Violet, know they have to work together if they ever hope to solve the mystery of the VFD and escape the clutches of Count Olaf and his evil crew. Klaus uses his incredible love of reading to solve many a predicament. His sister Violet is the inventor in the family, creating gadgets and gizmos and machines at just the right moment. Together, they’re an unbeatable pair.
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Artemis Fowl series
Artemis Fowl, teenage criminal mastermind, is the heart of this series, but fairy Holly Short isn’t cowed by him. She’s a soldier and perfectly capable of holding her own, thank you very much.
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Lawless series
When M Freeman enrolls in the Lawless school, she doesn't realize she’s signing on to be trained as a master criminal. Once she understands what her education entails, she resolves to be at the top of her class. She and her peers are drawn into high stakes adventure and intrigue both in and out of the classroom as they discover they are at odds with a competing school. This series is a great read for both boys and girls.
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Harry Potter series
I’m starting to feel guilty for always including this series in my recommendations, but the truth is, it has something for everyone. Boys identify with Harry Potter and revel in the magic, adventure, and suspense of this seven-book saga, but it’s Hermione Granger who brings heart and intellect to the story, saving our hero more than once with her bookish ways.
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Inkheart trilogy
In a world where characters can be transported in and out of books, boys won’t care that the main character is a girl named Meggie. They’ll be too busy wondering who Dustfinger and Capricorn will kidnap next, what Mo is planning, and if Meggie and Farid will ever get home.
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians series
Available from:Speaking of intellect, Percy Jackson may be a son of Poseidon, but he’s got nothing on Annabeth Chase, a master strategist and daughter of Athena. The pair start off as rivals, only to become friends, fellow quest seekers, and ultimately, a couple. But don’t worry, there isn’t too much of the kissing stuff.
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Divergent trilogy
Boys love the action in the Divergent trilogy so much that I’m not sure they realize the main character is a girl. Tris brings her own version of kick-ass to this tale of a fractured population on the cusp of war.
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The Hunger Games trilogy
Does anyone not know who Katniss Everdeen is? I guarantee your sons will devour this trilogy that tracks the rise of a revolution in a dystopian world. Katniss, who survives two rounds in an arena where tributes fight to the death, is as fearless, bold, and loyal as any warrior I’ve ever read about. Boys will be impressed.
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The Golden Compass
Available from:Dark, suspenseful, full of magic and adventure, the first novel in Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is perfect for teen boys. Even better is the presence of the strong-willed, independent and determined heroine Lyra Belacqua. This is a girl guys will respect.
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