Esther Lombardi
Beyond picture books and early-reader volumes, we finds a wonderful selection of books for boys--that includes stories of adventure, hilarity, boy-and-dog, and beyond.
Mark Twain created one of the greatest epic adventure stories ever written, when he created his novel about Huck Finn and his journey down the Mississippi River. Intermingling the harshest and most-brutal aspects of Southern society with the very-basic tenants of human companionship and friendship.
Often associated with boys for the purposes of reading, the book is also one of the most beloved American classics of all time. It's controversial (a banned book), because of the racial and social implications.
Fred Gibson's Old Yeller is the unforgettable story of a boy and his dog. Left alone as the "man of the family," with his father away on the cattle drive, 14-year-old Travis discovers the true value of the ugly, ole dog that comes to steal-and-stay in the early-frontier Texas hill country.
First published in 1956, this award-winning book is one of the most beloved American classics. Tragic-and-poignant, the novel remains one of the most memorable stories.
Jeff Kinsey offers up a quirky-hilarious collection of everyday happenstance in a boy's life--all put together in date/diary format, interspersed with cartoonish, stick-figure illustrations that help to set the light-hearted tone of the book. The book takes us through every aspect of the known-and-unknown: school, home and something like friendships or acquaintances.
It's somewhat difficult to categorize Shel Silverstein famous book, Where the Sidewalk Ends, very effectively. With the intricately funny illustrations, and the playful way-with-words, the pages of poetry offer something to readers of every generation. The quirky interplay of words and characters are particularly attractive to middle readers.
Set in Oklahoma, around the turn-of-the-century, Summer of the Monkeys centers around 14-year-old, Jay Berry Lee. He discovered monkeys, in a tree down by the river bottoms, and determines to catch them for the reward he believes he'll receive. Beyond the adventure and the intrigue, the story offers up a poignant mix of magic, courage, and the stuff that enduring legends are made of...
Esther Lombardi is a writer chick, avid reader, constant book collector, blogger, book nut, editor, geek, all-around literati and impassioned pen pusher.
