Parents' Guide to

Guys Read

By Carla Thornton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Book site for "guys" assures boys that reading is cool.

Website http://guysread.com
Guys Read Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

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age 5+

Based on 1 parent review

rocioarroy
rocioarroy Parent of 3 and 6-year-old
July 31, 2013
age 5+

Great suggestions to encourage boy readers.

This site is such a great idea. I checked it out and told my son about it. We now refer to it when he wants to read a new book. I do think its for kids starting to read K-1 and up. However.. they have a few suggestions for a younger audience. My son knows he will get a "cool' book suggestion from this site. They had him at "guys'.

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Is It Any Good?

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Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Statistical fact: Boys fall farther behind girls in reading skills every year. To address this alarming trend, dad and best-selling children's author Jon Scieszka decided to create a Web-based national literacy program for boys. Guys Read, a huge online list of books and authors recommended "by guys for guys," has boy appeal, with a bold, handsome design and frank, funny writing. Books are divided into "guy" genres, some humorous such as "at least one explosion".

Famous male authors like Daniel Handler drop in to share their favorite "guy" books. To expand reading's appeal for boys the site lists sports magazines, comics and books on tape, too. So far, so great. There's just one problem: most listings don't have a description or age level, just genre and number of pages. Without these crucial details, the recommendations aren't very useful. When this is fixed, Guys Read will be a valuable resource for parents and their book-shy sons.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Some kids think reading isn't very important because they don't plan to go to college or use books in their jobs. Discuss why this is flawed thinking and all the ways we use reading every day, both practically and to enhance our lives.

  • Some educators believe that one reason boys dislike reading is because they can't relate to the feelings and emotions present in most popular fiction. Do kids ever feel happy, scared, angry or sad when they read? Discuss what triggers these feelings and why it's OK.

  • Books make for great family discussions about all sorts of issues. Take, for instance, the teachable moments in Harry Potter.

Website Details

  • Genre: Educational
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 5, 2015

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