A Book a Week for 10-year-old Boys
Notes from a 4th Grade Teacher
Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam
+JMJ+
May Our Immaculate Mother accept this work to Her greater glory.
If you’re like me, you have a long mental list of books to read a mile long, very little time to read them in, and no clue which one should be next. This list comes from years of books referencing other books, amazon suggestions, internet surfing, and suggestions from friends. It provides for a life full of the adventure of discovery and learning in my free time. However, when I was 10, my only book recommendations came from the librarian, the suggested books shelf at the library, my teacher, and my parents on occasion. Some of the books were good, and some were terrible. Some were morally insidious, and the realization of their bad effect has only come in adulthood. Few people have a ready mental library of books appropriate for that in-between age of still mastering the English language to some degree as a reader but definitely beyond picture books. It’s a difficult time when not every book quite hits the mark of their development, and not every book in that developmental level is the right topic. To add fuel to the fire, more and more books are published with subversive elements.
Therefore, this post will try to provide a list of books that boys love and that your boy may love as well. The intention is also to give books that inspire them to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty. Maybe your son doesn’t have the endurance to read a book a week, and maybe a book a week wouldn’t be enough. In either case, I hope that this can be a place to start or at least a few forgotten titles ripe for the picking.
Suggested Authors:
Fr. Francis J. Finn
C. S. Lewis
J. R. R. Tolkien
Robert Lewis Stevenson
Howard Pyle
Andrew Lang
Brian Jacques
Beverly Cleary
Books:
Tom Playfair
Author: Fr. Francis J. Finn
Description: The first book in an incredible three-part series about a troublesome boy who learns through the help of virtuous friends and a devoted teacher at his all-boys boarding school to use his inborn stubbornness to serve others instead of merely to cause trouble. This book has been the single most influential piece of literature for me as a teacher and has inspired me to prioritize the Sacraments as a necessary part of any Catholic curriculum. Spoiler: This book leads to the ultimate climax, Tom Playfair’s first communion, which he has been praying and studying to prepare himself for throughout.
Percy Wynn
Author: Fr. Francis J. Finn
Description: The second book in this series focuses on an incoming boy, Percy Wynn, who was homeschooled with only sisters before joining Tom Playfair’s all-boys boarding school. Through both hilarious and chilling encounters, Percy goes from being the laughing stock of the school as the only boy unable to throw a baseball to everyone’s hero and a model of courage and piety.
Harry Dee
Author: Fr. Francis J. Finn
Description: The third and final book focuses on yet another incoming boy, Harry Dee, who, after enduring the shock of his mother sitting next to his bedside dead one morning, suffered the further trauma of losing the nanny that served him in his mother’s place after his uncle was found murdered on Christmas Day. As you can see, the opening plot reads more like a gothic thriller, but Harry Dee luckily regains his strength and vigor after joining Tom Playfair in many dangerous adventures both in and out of school. In the end, through the help of Tom Playfair and Percy Wynn, Harry is finally able to be reunited with his nanny and discover his uncle’s murderer.
The Hobbit
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Description: This book hardly needs a description, but it is often seen as a book for older children perhaps even nearing High School. In my personal opinion, this is a critical mistake. While grammatically diverse and sometimes challenging, it is an incredible story of adventure, and nearly every young boy that has read it in my 4th-grade class has left with an imprint of Tolkien’s world in his imagination. In some cases, even struggling readers have been inspired to regular book worms due to this story.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Author: C. S. Lewis
Description: I cannot provide an introduction to this series that others have not done better. This is an absolute classic that every boy and girl should read as soon as possible.
Prince Caspian
Author: C. S. Lewis
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Author: C. S. Lewis
The Silver Chair
Author: C. S. Lewis
The Magician’s Nephew
Author: C. S. Lewis
The Horse and His Boy
Author: C. S. Lewis
The Last Battle
Author: C. S. Lewis
Men of Iron
Author: Howard Pyle
Description: This story about a young man rising through the ranks to become a knight and reclaim his family’s honor is moving. Every hard-headed, self-righteous boy should be handed a copy.
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Author: Howard Pyle
Description: Perhaps one of the most charming renditions of Robin Hood in hundreds of years, Pyle’s ability to appreciate and expound on heroic virtue shines in this retelling.
Otto of the Silver Hand
Author: Howard Pyle
Description: Combating many false conceptions of Medieval times, this story empathizes with the practice of giving young children to be raised in a monastery from the perspective of the rampant murder and blood feuds of the period. In an age where true civility struggled to leave the grounds of a Church, one pure-hearted boy will face danger and persecution while remaining true to the goodness and morality he learned from the monks that raised him.
Tales of Pirates and Buccaneers
Author: Howard Pyle
Description: Pirates. ‘Nuf said.
Hank the Cowdog (series)
Author: John R. Erickson
Description: Some classical teachers may judge me for placing this book on a list of book suggestions, but this series is delightful, hilarious, and ultimately (mostly) virtuous. Most of the books that I will suggest have characters who either have a virtuous mentor or learn virtue themselves. In this series, in the spirit of the Donald Duck comics, Hank, the self-appointed chief of ranch security, is constantly struggling with hubris, which constantly lands him in hot water. At the same time, when trouble threatens his ranch, despite his cowardice, Hank truly does see himself as a servant and seeks to do what will protect the family he loves. Caution: This book uses incorrect spelling to communicate Hank’s Texas accent. As a Texan, I thoroughly enjoy having a series that appreciates the subtleties of our vernacular, but it may be confusing for struggling readers to see words intentionally misspelled.
Redwall (series)
Author: Brian Jacques
Description: This book is definitely a higher reading level than some 10-year-olds have reached, but it is well worth it. When a rat and his army attack the abbey, Matthias takes the mantle of the mystic founder of the abbey, Martin the Warrior, in order to protect his home. Not enough can be said to praise this book which informed my imagination at its core years ago.
Mossflower (prequel)
Author: Brian Jacques
Description: Returning to the time of Martin the Warrior, this book illustrates the incredible founder’s trials. Faced against a murderous cat queen, truth and goodness are seen to triumph over power for its own sake.
The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain 1)
Author: Lloyd Alexander
Description: I will not sully these pages with my absolutely diminished account of this series. A charming tale of a daydreaming assistant pig keeper becoming a man and a hero. Several people have tried to critique its moral foundation and use of magic, but I find their critiques seriously lacking. Anyone who dislikes this book has probably never read it or simply doesn’t enjoy children’s adventure novels.
The Black Cauldron (The Chronicles of Prydain 2)
Author: Lloyd Alexander
The Castle of Llyr (The Chronicles of Prydain 3)
Author: Lloyd Alexander
Taran Wanderer (The Chronicles of Prydain 4)
Author: Lloyd Alexander
The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain 5)
Author: Lloyd Alexander
Paddington
Author: Michael Bond
Description: Hilarity ensues as a bear from the wilds of darkest Peru tries to incorporate himself into London city life. Found at Paddington station by the eclectic Brown family, this book single-handedly taught my brother to love reading.
The Mysterious Benedict Society (series)
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Description: Four exceptional children are chosen to participate in adventures under the tutelage and guidance of Mr. Benedict and his team of quirky colleagues.
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (2)
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma (3)
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages (4)
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict (prequel)
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1)
Author: Beverly Cleary
Description: It’s a mouse on a motorcycle! If that doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will.
Runaway Ralph (2)
Author: Beverly Cleary
Ralph S. Mouse (3)
Author: Beverly Cleary
Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of NIMH
Author: Robert C. O’Brien
Description: To save her children’s lives, Mrs. Frisbee, a simple country mouse, is forced to uncover the strange secrets of her late husband’s unnatural intelligence. She will face down owls, cats, and humans to work with the hyper intelligent rats who have promised to save her home.
Hatchet
Author: Gary Paulsen
Description: After a crash landing in the Canadian wilderness, one boy will survive through grit and invention.
Lawn Boy
Author: Gary Paulsen
Description: A bored boy fixes up an old lawnmower and finds more work to do than he bargained for.
Lawn Boy Returns
Author: Gary Paulsen
Description: The adventure continues as a summer lawn-mowing company becomes a full-on conglomerate.
Tales from King Arthur
Author: Andrew Lang
Description: A short volume initiating the reader into the story of King Arthur. Andrew Lang brings his classic fairy-tale skills in the telling.
The Book of Saints and Heroes
Author: Andrew Lang
Description: The greatest name in fairy stories aside from the Brothers Grimm tries his hand at Saints and heroes. Famously non-Christian, Lang tells these stories with the charity and tact of a believer and lover of history.
The Blue Fairy Book
Author: Andrew Lang
Description: Perhaps the last word on fairy stories, Lang tells classic fairy stories for children of all ages.
There are a number of other colored fairy books to choose from.
Author: Andrew Lang
Description: Although hard to find, this series is extensive and well worth perusing with your family.
Robinson Crusoe
Author: Daniel Defoe
Description: A classic of the adventure genre, Crusoe’s insatiable thirst for adventure leads him to around the world despite his family’s insistence that he become a lawyer.
The Swiss Family Robinson
Author: Johann Wyss
Description: One family is forced to take danger and adventure in full stride when they are shipwrecked in an unknown land.
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
Author: Roger Lancelyn Green
Description: An excellent full-bodied introduction to the Arthur legendarium, this book covers a wide breadth of topics including Arthur’s kingship, the Grail quests, and Arthur’s ultimate betrayal. For your sword fighting, youngster, pick this one.
The BFG
Author: Roald Dahl
Description: What if a giant collected dreams? In this mythical tale, Dahl outdoes himself with this incredibly imaginative tale.
Treasure Island
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Description: A classic story of fighting off rebellious pirates, Stevenson marks himself as one of the greats with his iconic characters and suspenseful storytelling.
Winnie the Pooh
Author: A. A. Milne
Description: If the last time you read this story was as a child, you are missing out. Not only is this series hilarious, the shenanigans they get into are wonderfully delightful. Winnie the Pooh lives in the hearts of all he touches.
The House at Pooh Corner
Author: A. A. Milne
Pen and Bayonet: The Story of Joyce Kilmer
Author: Norah Smaridge
Description: Although nearly forgotten, at one point, Joyce Kilmer was recognized as one of the great Catholic intellectuals of the early 20th century. A committed family man, mesmerizing poet, and witty personality Joyce deserves to be remembered for his life as a remarkable Christian, father, and American. When Americans were killed by German ships in World War I, he felt that it was his duty to fight alongside younger men to protect his home. Riddled with his poetry, this narrative serves a public service to keep his memory alive and the adventure of his life among us.
All Creatures Great and Small
Author: James Herriot
Description: The book that inspired my own father to become a veterinarian, James Herriot’s memories of life as a country vet are unforgettable. To this day, no one has been able to imbue such magic into stories in the context of their career. Being a vet seems almost as exciting and far more rewarding than any other job in the world by the end of the book.
Black Beauty
Author: Anna Sewell
Description: Black Beauty, after needing to be sold, encounters a slew of hard times with wonderful stories as he continues to look for love and kindness.
The Jungle Book
Author: Rudyard Kipling
Description: A group of fables, these stories are memorable and delightful. Kipling’s iconic love for adventure and heroism shine through, creating something for every boy’s imagination to take hold of.
My Side of the Mountain
Author: Jean Craighead George
Description: Playing into every boy’s desire to survive on his own cunning in the wilderness, this novel follows Sam Gribley who actually gives it a try!
Thank you so much for this James!! I’m so delighted to see many classics I’d loved as a child and forgotten about, and many I’ve never read.
This is great! I'm definitely printing the list for our next library trip. I cannot keep up with my oldest, and some of my favorites are not always his. They just listened to "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" and loved it. Another recent favorite was "From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler". My oldest has started reading one of the Redwall books to me out loud, and he's actually so good at doing the voices. It's pretty amazing.