Boys& Books SLMS 2008 June Keuhn, Librarian East High School Corning, NY

Boys differ from girls in their choices of reading material: Boys are more inclined to read informational texts, magazines, and newspaper articles. Boys are more inclined to read graphic novels and comic books. Boys tend to resist reading stories about girls, whereas girls do not tend to resist reading stories about boys. Boys like to read about hobbies, sports, and things they might do or be interested in doing. Boys like to collect things and tend to like to collect series of books. Boys read less fiction than girls. Boys tend to enjoy escapism and humor, and some boys are passionate about science fiction or fantasy.

Interests Gross things Sports/Athletics Transportation Movies Insects Communication Mechanics Science Fiction/Fantasy/Magic Drawing

Male Authors who write for “Guys” Isaac Asimov Ray Bradbury Robert Cormier Chris Crutcher Carl Deuker Alex Flinn Pete Hautman Will Hobbs Anthony Horowitz Brian Jacques Stephen King Gordon Korman Jack London Chris Lynch Walter Dean Myers Christopher Paolini Gary Paulsen Robert Newton Peck Neil Shusterman J. R. R. Tolkien Terry Trueman Paul Zindel

Female Authors who write for Guys Nancy Farmer Sharon Flake Gail Giles Sharon Giles Margaret Haddix Angela Johnson Katherine Kurtz J.K. Rowling Nancy Werling Pam Withers

Right Behind You

Whale Talk

Book Trailers (YouTube)

Digital Booktalks BookWink Digital Booktalk

Podcasting Performed by Susan Tanner & Johnny Koons Music: "The Chamber" by Kevin MacLeod ( Excerpted from "The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" by Michael Scott. Sleeping Freshman Never Lie by David Lubar

What we can do promote male friendly materials (Woolcott, 2001, p.13), encourage books that expand students' versions of masculinity (Sanderson, 1995); present male, book-positive role models including fathers, athletes, authors, actors, and teachers sharing reading for pleasure Ask teachers to talk about their process as a reader – ex. how they choose and read books support fads, popular music, films with books make reading a social activity (borrowed from Rosemary Horton)

Ideas to Promote Reading for Boys Ask for book suggestions Create a “guy” only book club Buy materials that guys will read Model good male reading habits Book talking, book trailers, audiobooks, podcasts,read alouds, Website, and webquests Active reading not passive reading

A quote from Tobias Wolff, who wrote This Boy's Life: "In days to come they will take our jobs, marry our sons and daughters, operate on us, defend us from our enemies foreign and domestic, vote us out of office, take away our cars, decide what our allowance should be, acquaint us with our failures, forgive us, maybe, and bury us. So it's impossible not to take an interest in them."

References Book images were obtained from Horton, Rosemary. Boys Are People Too. Powerpoint. Podcasts: Broadway Middle School Isinglass Booktalk Podcasts YouTube: Dangerous Book for Boys

Reading Survey Grade: (circle one) Male Female (circle one) How many of each have you read this summer (July and August)? Books ___________ Magazines________ Newspapers_______ Text messages_______ s_________ Blogs/online forums (Facebook, MySpace, etc.) ________ Manuals/Walkthroughs (videogames, instructions) ____________ Will these numbers increase or decrease during the school year? (circle one) Do you tend to borrow books or buy books? (circle one)