B is for Blogging...and books...and boys...

Is that cheating? Wanting to write about more than one thing? How about I combine them all together into one perfect B.

Blogging about books for boys!

I have two perfect sons (on top of five perfect daughters), and they love to read. I sense that's unusual these days, but it's true nonetheless. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that my husband and I have always been voracious readers, and that early on we were poor, treating the library like our second home. We checked out books, taught each child how to read ourselves (oldest son is now graduating HS with honors and won a four year tuition scholarship to college), but part of it is my sons themselves.

When my oldest was 7 he went to the school library. He had heard about this new book series called Harry Potter and really really wanted to read it. He found book three and took it to the front to check it out.  She asked him curiously if he had read the other ones first.  He said no, having just heard about the series.

She wouldn't let him check out the book.

Now before anyone has a cow, she knew that he'd be confused by coming into the middle of the series, but he had waited so long to get a taste of these books.  Well, suffice it to say he came home terribly upset that the librarian wouldn't let him check out the book he wanted.  So we had a talk with our son and told him to go back to the librarian and insist that he should be allowed to read the book. That it wasn't for the librarian to say whether or not he could read a series out of order.  Keep in mind that my husband and I hadn't yet heard of the books, so we didn't see what all the fuss was about.Our 7 year old was the first one to enlighten us as to their existence.  :)  Go son!!! 

Well, he put on his brave face (as he recounted to us later) and insisted that the librarian let him borrow the book. And that his parents told him he could.  She smiled of course and told him she was only concerned about him getting confused, but of course he could read the book out of order if he wanted to. Uh..huh...  While I appreciate her relenting, I thought maybe she shouldn't have barred him in the first place.

Which takes me to my major point today.  How does one go about deciding what people should read and when. And what constitutes a book for boys?  Let me tell you about my karate chopping, soccer playing, marching banding, testosterone filled sons.  They've read Harry Potter. They've read Fablehaven. And Maximum Ride. The oldest is getting through the Wheel of Time. But they've also read Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, and Goose Girl, River of Secrets... with the oldest one reading every book in the house, including: Wings and Spells by Aprilynne Pike, The Gallagher Series by Ally Carter, The Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer...

My point being that I guess you can't rule out boys with "girl-type" books. A good story is a good story, and even a boy can appreciate one told about a girl.  Especially seeing as how he lives with so many.  :)  Maybe that's the key. It's okay for our boys to like books with girl protagonists because it pays homage to his sisters...or something.  Sure. Okay.  Or maybe they just like good books as much as the girls and the stigma I hear about the "gender" of books doesn't quite hold.

Now, that's not to say that my son isn't more excited about my spy book than my contemporary YA, but both still have girl protagonists, so...

Keep all those great books coming!!!!  My sons need something new to read!

Happy Blogging about Books for Boys!!!!