We have read lots of great series’ for boys, and these are our absolute favorites — ones we have read to multiple children, recommend as gifts, and have added to our home library. Also be sure to check out these pages:
Best Series’ for Girls
Best Series’ for Boys and Girls
Alvin Ho
This is a sweet series about Asian-American second-grader Alvin Ho, who fears everything. He is a very relatable character with a close-knit family and particularly a meaningful relationship with his dad. He also lives in Massachusetts, and the author has woven in lots of subtle American history.
Many books considered great “boy” literature have very strong male lead characters who are brave, outspoken, and adventurous. I wouldn’t necessarily describe Alvin in any of those ways, and I think this series fills an important niche in that sense. If you have a more introverted, deep-thinking, quiet son, he may really love and connect with this series.
Henry Huggins
I remember reading that when Beverly Cleary was working as a librarian in Oregon, she had some boys come to her and ask, “Where are all of the books about boys like us?” She felt like it was a missing genre, so she decided to write this series about a regular boy and his everyday adventures. The audio books are wonderful for this series, as well.
Billy and Blaze
In recent years, I’ve noticed that we’ve read more children’s books about horses for girls than for boys. Yet if you have a little boy who just loves horses or cowboys, this is a sweet series to check out. The books are short (and are easy to read in one sitting), but the stories are timeless and interesting.
Little Britches
The first several books in this series are probably in the top 10 books I have ever read with my children. Author Ralph Moody wrote these autobiographical tales about his own life, and each one is endearing and full of stories that are sometimes hard to believe. For elementary or middle school children, I would really recommend the first four books — the last four cover Ralph’s late teen and early adult years, so they may be a little beyond what you want to read aloud.
Ralph S. Mouse Series
This series really could be good for both boys and girls, but since all of the protagonists in these books are elementary-aged boys, I included it in this particular list. Ralph S. Mouse has multiple adventures with his motorcycle in these books that have kept all of my kids enthralled!
The Knights’ Tales
If you are studying anything having to do with knights or the Middle Ages, this series is pure gold. It’s also quite humorous to listen to, and the audio books were fantastic. Though the covers look like they’re geared toward younger elementary, the content is geared more for mid- to late-elementary.
Big Foot and Little Foot
This was a gem of a find as a read-aloud for the early elementary range — particularly my two boys, ages 6 and 3. Hugo the Sasquatch lives in charming Widdershins Cavern and unexpectedly befriends Boone, a human boy who lives nearby. Despite being extremely different in many ways, they forge a sweet friendship and embark on a variety of adventures together. This was one of my top 10 books/series for 2020, and you can check out the whole list HERE.
26 Fairmount Avenue
Noted author and illustrator Tomie DePaola delivers an extremely personable, kid-friendly peek into his early elementary life in Meriden, Connecticut. The series is also subtly historical in its portrayal of daily life in the 1930s and 1940, particularly during World War II. DePaola himself reads the audio books, and he does an incredible job!
I hope this list of series’ for boys is helpful as you encourage your son or student to read some great books! Do you have any favorite series’ that I missed?