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25+ Great Books With Boys As Main Characters!

High interest and proven page turners, these tried and true titles make great choices for any reader!

25+ Books with Boys as Main Characters book collage with Hoot, James Patterson, Percy Jackson and Hugo Cabret

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Well, if you're looking for some great books that have boys as main characters, there are plenty of them out there!


These books feature boys as the main character, but girls love 'em too!



Looking for more books ideas? Check out these posts for more great books!


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Even kids who aren't big readers will find something that draws them in from this list!


Whether it's action and adventure, mystery and crime solving or something that makes you laugh, we've got you covered!

Star Wars Jedi Apprentice books with boys as main character


25+ Great Books With Boys As Main Characters!


Here is a basic age guide to help if you're doing the choosing. Every kid is different, but this should put you in the ballpark.


Adults enjoy these books too! Give 'em a read!


Age Breakdown:


Kids = 7-9

Mids= 10-12

Teens = 13+

 

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

Percy-Jackson-in-the-Lighting-Thief-by-Rick-Riordan book with boy character

Rick Riordan's best-selling series is filled with a great cast of characters! Led by 12-year-old Percy Jackson, The Lightning Thief brings Greek mythology to life in the most entertaining way possible!


Overflowing with funny scenes, fantasy, action and adventure, Percy Jackson & The Olympians is a fantastic series with a great follow-up series as well!


When your kid has finished all of the Percy Jackson books, The Heroes of Olympus series will be there to entertain!


Age: Kids, Mids, Teens +

Book Series



Holes

by Louis Sachar

Holes-by-Louis-Sachar-Newbery-Award-Winner books with boy main character

A multilayered mystery, quirky characters and a family curse make this a book that is impossible to put down until you've reached the last page!


Read our review for Holes and find some fun activities to go along with this award-winning book here!


Age: Kids, Mids (Teens -and adults- would also definitely enjoy)!


I,Q - Book One - Independence Hall

by Roland Smith

I,Q-by-Roland-Smith-Book-One-Independence-Hall books for boys

13-year-old Quest and his older stepsister, Angela, are thrown together by way of their famous musician-parents' marriage and join them on the road for a year-long concert tour.


As if dealing with new family dynamics isn't enough, Quest & Angela find themselves in the middle of secrets, mysteries and a high-stakes conspiracy!


It's James Bond with a little bit of Indiana Jones thrown in and I,Q will no doubt keep you turning the pages and eager to read the next book in the series!


Age: Kids & Mids

Book Series


Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series

by Jeff Kinney

Diary-of-a-Wimpy-Kid-Do-Days-by-Jeff-Kinney Books for boys

This series features fun illustrations, a handwritten font and an easy conversational style of writing that make this a great series for kids!


The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are a cross between a comic book/graphic novel and a journal. Even kids that don't normally love to read will find themselves flying through the pages and laughing along with Greg Heffley and the rest of the gang!


Fabulous books for kids that go in for funny reads, graphic novels/comic books and want a story that moves along at a quick pace!


The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books have super fun movie adaptations as well!


Age: Kids & Mids

Book Series


The Magic Tree House Series

by Mary Pope Osborne

This is an incredible book series that is a great way to get your kid excited about reading!


Jack and Annie are a brother and sister team that travel throughout time, meet historical people, mythical creatures and characters, and experience everything you could just about think of! Young readers will turn page after page to see what happens next!


There's something for everyone with this series! Culture, history, magic, space, sports, dinosaurs and ninjas are just a few of the adventures that Jack and Annie experience in the Magic Tree House book series!


Perfect for young readers, The Magic Tree House series of beginning chapter books are high-interest reads that provide both quick-paced stories and plenty of follow ups to keep the adventures coming!

Magic Tree House Fact Tracker Rain Forest Book boys books

A Magic Tree House Series Bonus: Many of the Magic Tree House books have 'Fact Tracker' companion books like this one which are fabulous non-fiction additions to learn more about the subject!


Age: Young Kids (6-9)

Book Series


Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

by Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl book boy main character

Willy Wonka, the eccentric owner, is finally opening the doors to his highly secret factory! Five lucky winners will find a golden ticket in the Wonka chocolate bar and be able tour the Wonka Chocolate Factory!!


Whether it's the Oompa Loompas, Willy Wonka, or Charlie and the golden ticket holders, there's no shortage of crazy fun characters, a great story line and fantastic settings which is everything you need to make this a book that's fun for kids and adults alike!


Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a modern classic that has thrilled readers for generations and been translated to the big screen with great success! Here is our favorite version!


Even reluctant readers won't be able to put down this book filled with quirky characters, a wild-ride storyline and a hero to root for!


Loved it? See what happens next with the next book in the sequel, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator!


If your reader enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, click here to see more titles by Roald Dahl!


Age: Kids & Mids

 

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl

Books with Boys as Main Characters Roald Dahl James and the Giant Peach

If you liked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, take a fun trip in a Giant Peach with James and his unlikely companions!


Age: Kids & Mids


Alex Rider -Stormbreaker

by Anthony Horowitz

Alex-Rider-Stormbreaker-by-Anthony-Horowitz book boys main character

This is a terrific book series for all those kids who are into spies and adventure!


This fast-paced series is great for reluctant readers and has plenty of hold-your-breath moments that will keep kids glued to the book page after page!


Thing Tom Cruise and Mission Impossible, but British!


Click here for some fun things to do and cool ideas to go along with Stormbreaker!


Age: Mids, younger teens

Book Series


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

by J.K. Rowling

Harry-Potter-and-the-Sorcerer's Stone-by-J.K.-Rowling books boys main character

The Harry Potter book series goes without needing an intro! Just in case your kid hasn't read it yet, though- let me assure you, this is an incredible series that has it all!


Magic, quests, humor, friendship, drama and surprises are woven into a compelling story line that have solidified it's spot as the best-selling book series in history!


Harry Potter has some of the best movie adaptations we've ever seen as well! However, you definitely need to read the books first!


Age: Mids, Teens+

Note: Older kids or younger kids with strong reading skills have enjoyed these books as well, but fyi the reading level of the Harry Potter series is 6th grade and up.


Also, there are some mature themes and intense moments that you may not wish your younger reader to encounter independently yet.

Book Series


The Mysterious Benedict Society

by Trenton Lee Stewart

The-Mysterious-Benedict-Society-by-Trenton-Lee-Stewart book series boy main character

Four kids pass a series of challenging tests and puzzles that bring them to the next step - to go undercover on a secret mission.


Arriving (undercover) as students at an educational institute located on a nearby island, Reynie, Sticky, Kate and Constance must work together to thwart the attempts of a criminal mastermind!


Far from your average kids' book, The Mysterious Benedict Society has an intricately woven plot with clever twists, fantastic characters and worthy surprises that will capture and hold your attention to the very end!


Age: Kids & Mids, (Teens and adults like it too! It's a fantastic book with great follow-ups!)

Book Series


Hatchet

by Gary Paulsen

Hatchet-by-Gary-Paulsen book with boys main character

13-year-old Brian Robeson survives a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness and has only his wits and a simple hatchet to survive!


This award-winning survival adventure has been thrilling readers since Hatchet was first released in 1987! A modern classic with plenty of follow up books for when you've finished the last page!


Read our review for Hatchet and find some fun things to do here!


Age: Older Kids, Mids, Teens

Follow up Books/Series


Spy School

by Stuart Gibbs

Spy-School-by-Stuart-Gibbs books series boys main character

This book draws you in from the first sentence! Funny, fast-paced writing + spy stuff = perfection!


12-year-old Ben Ripley finds himself in a spy school trying to survive misadventures, maintain his cool and impress the girl!


A popular series with tons of fans, there are plenty more books waiting when this one is finished!


(Above is a copy of Spy School from our public library; you can tell it's a hit with kids based on its well-read condition!)


Age: Kids & Mids

Book Series

 

Track Series

by Jason Reynolds

Jason Reynolds's Track Series books 0 Ghost, Patina, Sunny & Lu

Recommended by both kids and adults, this high-interest series grabbed the world by it's first installment, Ghost and fortunately has follow-ups to keep the energy going!

Ghost book by Jason Reynolds boys main character

Written by an author whose main goal is to write books for boys who aren't into reading, this series starts out with the award-winning book, Ghost.


Ghost, Patina, Sunny and Lu are the diverse members of an elite track team. Each with their own set of challenges (focused on in their own stories), they come together to face and overcome their own issues and work to prove themselves both on and off the track.


Relatable, high-interest and edge of the seat writing will keep your reader turning page after page and reaching for the next book in the Track Series!


Kids, parents and teachers alike all have given these the Track Series an enthusiastic thumbs-up!


Age: Mids, Teens

Book Series


Peak

by Roland Smith

Peak-by-Roland-Smithn books boys like main character

A fantastic read! After getting into trouble, 14-year-old Peak Marcello is given a choice. It's either off to juvenile detention or to go live with his dad who runs a climbing company in Thailand.


The teen with attitude makes his choice and gets recruited by his dad to climb Mt. Everest!


With amazing and descriptive writing this is an excellent book for those who go in for adventure! Peak is sure to keep you cool in the summer heat!


Enjoyed Peak? There are two follow up books in the Peak Marcello Adventures! Ascent and Descent will keep your cup filled with adventure and page-turning excitement!


Roland Smith is the author of more than 20 novels, a New York Times bestselling author and also both a former zoo curator and research biologist!


His books are filled with action, adventure and every necessary ingredient that will keep the pages turning!


Check out Roland Smith's website to read more about this very cool author!


Age: Mids, but Teens would like it for the adventure and identifiable lead character.

Trilogy


Theodore Boone - The Accomplice

by John Grisham

Theodore-Boone-in-the-Accomplice-by-John-Grisham boy lead

Theo's parents are both lawyers and his goal is to follow in their footsteps!


In the small city where Theo lives, he sees himself as the next big courtroom attorney and even though he's only in middle school, he finds himself with plenty of clients and cases!


The Accomplice by John Grisham is the latest in this series of legal thrillers for kids where Theo must help his good friend, Woody, who has been accused of armed robbery.


With plenty of page turning suspense, the Theodore Boone books are great for road trips or kicking back on the porch or beach!


Age: Kids & Mids

Book Series

 

Ali Cross

by James Patterson

James Patterson Ali Cross mystery book cover with boy main character

Being that this blog is run by a mom & daughter, we like to consult with the brothers/sons/boys that we know or bump into occasionally to have a well-rounded perspective when we write certain posts, such as this one!


A few months back, we asked a 13-year-old boy in the library for some of his fave reads and in his exact words were: "Anything by James Patterson."


Here's one title for fans of action and adventure!


Ali Cross, son of the bestselling James Patterson character, Alex Cross, is eager to follow in his father's footsteps as a detective and find out what happened to his missing friend.


Age: Kids & Mids


Among the Hidden

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Book 1 of the Shadow Children Series

Among the Hiddlen by Margaret Peterson Haddix book cover New York Times Bestselling author,

Families are only allowed to have two children. Luke is the third. He has lived all of his 12 years on a farm without ever having gone to school or seeing other kids other than his two siblings.


A housing development replaces the woods near his home, and now he can't even go outside. One day, he sees a girl's face in a window of one of those new houses that he knows has two other kids!


The Shadow Children is a fantastic series geared toward kids and middle grade readers that brings up great questions and is filled with page-turning intrigue and adventure!


Age: Kids & Mids

Book Series

 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

by Brian Selznik

The Invention of Hugo Cabret book with boy main character

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a fantastic novel that is super fun to read and ‘figure out’ via the numerous illustrations that fill the book. The story is told in both words and pictures!


Hugo is an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station in Paris during the early 1900's. He tends to the clocks and manages to keep his life secret.


His life takes a turn, however, when a mysterious note from his deceased father puts him on the trail to a mystery that will keep the reader fascinated to the satisfying conclusion!


Age: Mids+

Stand Alone book, but Brian Selznik has two other titles with this fantastic format: Wonderstruck and The Marvels.

 

My Side of the Mountain

by Jean Craighead George

My Side of the Mountain book by Jean Craighead George with boys as main characters

Unhappy with his life in New York City and living with his big family, Sam Gribley runs away to live by himself in the Catskill Mountains. With a few basic tools and forty dollars, he intends to survive on his own!


A very engaging survival book, My Side of the Mountain will keep your reader turning the pages!


Age: Kids & Mids

Trilogy

 

The Goosebumps Books

by R. L. Stine

Books as boys as main characters, cover of Goosebumps books by R.L. Stine

This book series is a huge hit with boys! The Goosebumps Book series is the perfect choice for those readers that are looking for some serious thrills and chills!

This best-selling series has been scaring kids for a few decades and I'm sure will be around for many more! Thanks to Julian for the recommendation!


Age: older Kids & Mids

 

Shiloh

by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor boy and dog book

Marty Preston meets Shiloh, a beagle living behind his house, and they become fast friends! The problem is Shiloh belongs to Judd Travers- a man who not only abuses his dogs, but also has a nasty temper to go with his drinking habit and gun.


Shiloh runs away and Marty aims to protect this dog that he cares about above all else, but secrets can be mighty difficult things. To make it worse, angry Judd wants his dog back.


I read Shiloh aloud to a class years ago having a lot of fun using different voices and accents. This award winning novel had the kids sitting on the edge of their seats begging for just one more page!

 

Treasure Island

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson classic book boy main character

Treasure Island is a classic that continues to delight readers of all ages!


Great storytelling, characters and a great choice for your pirate-loving fan, Treasure Island is the perfect pick for anyone looking for a book that is overflowing with adventure!


Age: Mids, Teens+

 

The Kane Chronicles

by Rick Riordan