Children's Lit
By Rachel SteenLesson 4: The First Years of School- 4-6 Years Old
Heroes and books for boys
As your child gets older, you will notice that there is suddenly a split between books that boys enjoy, and books that girls enjoy, and the interest in “things” that began to emerge when she was younger, is more fully realized. Subjects such as Princesses and Fairies are associated with things that little girls enjoy, and dinosaurs and trucks for example, are typically associated with little boys. These are very stereotypical assumptions, and not entirely wrong, but it would be unfair to either sex to lock them into one category or the other. I’ve encountered many non-sports/dinosaur/machine loving boys, and girls who have little interest in things that are traditionally labeled girly. As much as we would like to believe that gender doesn’t matter at all when it comes to choosing a story, unfortunately children don’t work that way. There are many great stories featuring male and/or female characters that do appeal to both genders, such as Winnie the Pooh or Frog and Toad that should not be missed, but there is a definite difference in many of the things that do appeal to boys and girls, and each gender should have some books that geared especially for them.
Boy Books An important thing to keep in mind when you are pondering the whole boy/girl question is that what a child sees in a book goes a long way towards influencing how they see themselves and others. Too often, boys are not exposed to adult male readers, and therefore by the time they are able to read, they have already lost interest. A popular Young Adult author named Paul Jennings once said “a reluctant reader is a child for whom we just haven’t found the right book”, and more often than not, reluctant readers of any age are boys. Part of the problem is that there is a general belief that boys don’t read, and therefore, not as much concern was previously shown in developing books for boys as they start moving beyond the pre-school stage. If a boy is not read to and does not continue to receive encouragement to read by the time he enters grade one, he will likely not be a reader at nine or ten, and certainly not into his teens. Recent books such as Harry Potter and Holes have proven that a book doesn’t have to be about sports to keep boys interested, but regardless of his personal interests, there are certain characteristics of a good boy story that will appeal to even the most mold-breaking boy.
Humor: Who doesn’t like to laugh? The more outrageous and absurd the book, the more enjoyable it is. One great example is The Dumb Bunnies by Sue Denim. This family of bunnies couldn’t be more topsy-turvy! They hang Christmas Stockings for Halloween, put ketchup on watermelon, and go roller-skating in the lake. This book is really goofy, but little boys enjoy it immensely. Other great choices include George and Martha by James Marshall, and any of the fractured fairy tales mentioned in the previous section.
Action/Adventure: Boys love stories with a heroic character who does something adventurous and fantastic. Whether it be facing monsters, or seeking buried treasure, boys love an exciting story. Is there something happening in the book? Is it exciting and attention grabbing? One of my favorites is an old classic called Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain by Edward Ardizzone. Tim has always dreamt of being a sailor, and when the opportunity arises to stowaway on a steamer ship, he jumps at it. What ensues is the adventure of a lifetime for Tim, stormy seas and sinking ship included. There were a whole series of Little Tim books, but this is one of the few titles currently in print.
Another Great adventure book for boys is Paddle to the Sea by Holling C. Holling. A Young Indian Boy carves a canoe with a figure inside, and names him Paddle-to-the-Sea. Paddle journeys from the Great lakes to the Atlantic Ocean inside his canoe, and it’s a wonderful geographical adventure. It’s also considered to be a jumping off point for longer and more complex boys adventure stories, as he gets older.
Magic- Boys love stories with a touch of magic in them. Magic sparks the imagination, and they love hearing about fantasylands and creatures. Old Folk and Fairy Tales such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Sinbad, and Aladdin are all great stories to read, and there are illustrated versions of these stories available in the five to seven year old age group. A couple of my favorite fantasy books are a really great illustrated version of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Sally Grindley, and Strega Nona by Tommy De Paola. Both of these books are about situations that spin out of control when the young apprentices try their hands at magic. These stories are especially great for those eager young wizard wannabes, who are too young for Harry Potter. Kids familiar with Disney’s Fantasia will particularly enjoy The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, but it's still a great book regardless. Meaning Grandma Witch in Italian, Tommie DePaola has written a few books about Strega Nona, and one featuring Big Anthony, her helper. Combination folktale and fantasy, boys in particular love these books.
Non-Fiction- Boys have wide interests, so look for a book about something he likes. Whatever his interests, don’t be afraid to incorporate some non-fiction into your reading time. The Let’s Read and Find Out science books are interesting and very informative. I also really like the I Wonder Why Series, which are simple question and answer books about everything from stars to stalactites. As I’ve learned from experience, kids have a great capacity to absorb and store facts about a multitude of subjects, as long as we take the time to nurture that interest.
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