18 Good Books for Boys

18 GOOD BOOKS FOR BOYS AGES 6-8

ByMichele

Are you looking for a good book for a boy(s)? This is a list I have compiled that I think most boys ages 6-8 (grades 1st, 2nd, & 3rd) will enjoy reading. My daughter and other girls have enjoyed many of these books as well, but I tried to focus on ones that fit the interest of most boys I know. These books are all mom (me), teacher (me), and kid (several kids) approved. I have put a star next to the books that are the easiest reading level.

Fiction Books

  • The World According to Humphrey and the other books in this series about Humphrey the Hamster by Betty G. Birney. Humphrey is a one very smart classroom pet. He has many adventures that will keep a kid’s interest, and he has unique ways of helping others out. A good book to read along with the audio.
  • Henry & Mudge and the other books in this series by Cynthia Rylant. Fun and easy reading chapter book about a boy and his best pal, Mudge his pet dog. *
  • Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World by Mildred Pitts Walter. Ten-year-old Justin learns some interesting black history and good life lessons while visiting his grandfather one summer. The reading level is about a 4th grade level. However, I have assigned this to many 3rd graders, including my own kids. They needed just a little help on some words, but they really enjoyed the book.
  • Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. A classic and a Newberry Honor Book. One thing leads to another, and Mr. Popper (and his family) find themselves with a dozen penguins to care for (and the weather in Stillwater isn’t exactly ideal for penguins).
  • Owen Foote, Frontiersman by Stephanie Greene. There are other Owen Foote books available, too. In this book, Owen and his friend have built a fort. Some boys come along and cause Owen and his friend some problems. Owen comes up with a somewhat unconventional solution. Good story, and a good book for discussion.
  • The Nate the Great book series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. And Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective (a series) by Donald J. Sobol. These series are both about boy detectives that have a mystery to solve in each book. Nate the Great books are at an easier reading level. *
  • Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig. A classic. Sylvester the donkey turns into a rock. Great read-aloud book!
  • Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh. Martha the dog begins to talk after eating alphabet soup. Don’t be surprised if your kids want to feed their pet alphabet soup after reading this story. Also is a good read-aloud book. *
  • If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Joffe Numeroff. A great read-aloud book or “I read a page, you read a page” book. This is the sequel to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, but I actually like this book better. This book is also good for follow-up activities. *
  • The Mouse and the Motorcycle series by Beverly Cleary. A toy motorcycle becomes a real (running) motorcycle for a mouse named Ralph. Adventure follows for Ralph and the hotel guests!

Nonfiction Books

  • James Herriot’s Treasury for Children by James Herriot and Ruth Brown. This is a collection of animal stories taken from the James Herriot books and written for children. One of my favorite books to read aloud to children.
  • Sergeant Reckless by Patricia McCormick. An amazing story about a war horse named Reckless! There is an adult/older kid version of the story about Reckless also, but this is the picture book about the only animal to ever officially hold military rank and receive two purple hearts!
  • Somewhere in the World Right Now by Stacey Schuett. At the very same moment somewhere in the world someone is sleeping because it is night, somewhere else kids are getting ready for school, somewhere monkeys are screeching in the trees, and somewhere a family is sitting down to eat supper. This is a great book to follow-up with learning about time zone and/or learning about other parts of the world.
  • Weird & Wild Animal Facts by Jessica Loy. Interesting and unusual facts about all kinds of animals (jellyfish have no brain, no respiratory system, no circulatory system, and no excretory system and giraffes can clean their ears with their long tongues). Great pictures to go with the facts that kids will learn (and likely stump adults with).
  • Improve Your Survival Skills an Usborne book by Lucy Smith. Kids can learn about survival skills in various environments (tropical, city, desert, etc.). They can learn how to put together a survival kit, how to build a shelter, and even what to do about a gas leak in your home. Good information and written in a way that kids will like.
  • How Much is a Million? by David M Schwartz. This book illustrated by Steven Kellogg, shows kids how much a million really is.
  • Epic Stories for Kids and Families – Accidental Inventions That Changed Our World: Fascinating Origins of Inventions to Inspire Young Readers by Riddleland (Amazon). The title pretty much explains what this book is about. The stories include the invention of bubble wrap, cheese, Lysol, and the internet. This is a good book to read-aloud to your child or have them read it aloud to you. Then the listener can guess as to what the invention is.

There are many more great books out there for kids ages 6, 7, & 8, but I was trying to keep this list short. Hopefully, you can find some new book ideas in this list. I will continue to add lists, so check back if you are looking for more ideas. All of the books in this list, except for the Amazon and Usborne books – noted above, should be easy find/order from a local bookstore. For convenience, I have created an Amazon list of all of these books.

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