Earlier this month I wrapped up my second consecutive summer of teaching an online book club for Christian boys through Dumb Ox Learning. On both occasions, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed revisiting old favourites from my childhood, while also delving into classic novels that I somehow missed when I was a kid.

Few pleasures can rival the sense of delight that comes with seeing an 11-year-old boy’s face light up as he relates to you his sense of excitement at finishing an especially thrilling title. But it is a sad fact that today many well-meaning parents find children’s literature to be something of a spiritual minefield. Even if they succeed in getting their child off their screens long enough to pick up a book, there remains the challenge of knowing which works to trust.

An illustrative example is found in an author like Rick Riordan, whose original Percy Jackson books are highly entertaining and a great entry-level series for pre-teens. And yet, the subsequent spin-off books contain multiple LGBT storylines that leave many Christian parents feeling justifiably apprehensive as to whether their child should be introduced to Riordan’s work in the first place.

In light of the dilemmas that parents face, here are 12 books (or series of books) that Christian boys in particular will find both engaging and edifying.

The Hobbit

Admittedly an obvious choice for a list such as this, I re-read JRR Tolkien’s classic children’s fantasy novel this summer and I was reminded of how excellent it is. The prose is beautiful and not too difficult, and there is plenty of humour mixed in with the epic adventures, mighty battles and daring escapes. Older boys will of course also wish to dig into Tolkien’s magnum opus, The Lord of the Rings, as well as his much shorter works such as Leaf by Niggle and Farmer Giles of Ham.

Swallows and Amazons

In Arthur Ransome’s most well-known work, a group of siblings spend several days camping on an island with their sailboat (the Swallow), and they enjoy various exploits with another group of children who own a different sailboat (the Amazon). In a sense, nothing especially dramatic actually happens in the book, and yet most boys who take the time to tackle its 400 pages come away singing its praises. The technical sailing descriptions are a source of continual fascination, and the novel’s depiction of family life is remarkably wholesome compared to most modern literature. Swallows and Amazons is the first in a 12-part series, with some readers finding the sequel – Swallowdale – even better than the original.

Asterix

As a boy I favoured Tintin (see below) over Asterix, but with the passing of the years I find myself more and more drawn to René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo’s masterful creation. The 40 original comic books are, perhaps unsurprisingly, far superior to the modern editions, and a knighthood ought to be awarded to whoever it was who possessed the genius to preserve so much of the brilliant (and comic) wordplay from the original French. A great introduction to the series is the “Omnibus 2”, which includes three titles: Asterix the Gladiator, Asterix and the Banquet and Asterix and Cleopatra.

Biggles

These wartime aviation books written by Captain WE Johns easily ranked as my all-time favourite series when I was a boy. The books follow the illustrious career of James Charles Bigglesworth (“Biggles”), beginning with his induction into the Royal Flying Corps in 1916 and continuing all the way up until the Cold War. There are around 100 titles in total (my own collection includes a respectable 45 volumes) and some of the greatest hits include Biggles in France, Biggles Defends the Desert and Biggles Delivers the Goods. Fun fact: WE Johns never actually reached the rank of captain during his military service… but it does make for an excellent pen name.

The Chronicles of Narnia

Another predictable entry on this list, but there’s a reason CS Lewis’s fantasy collection remains one of the bestselling book series of all time. Although Tolkien famously expressed his cordial dislike of allegory, even as an adult I find myself greatly enriched by Lewis’s depiction of the lion Aslan as a type of Christ. With that being said, my personal favourite of the seven books is also the least allegorical, namely: The Horse and His Boy.

Redwall

A fabulous series for any boy interested in seeing mice, squirrels and otters set against rats, foxes and snakes. Brian Jacques had a Catholic upbringing, and Redwall is the name given to a medieval abbey which becomes the locus for various quests, discoveries and battles. There are 22 novels in total, nearly all of them offering a highly entertaining entry point into Jacques’s colourful and creative world. The first book to be published was simply titled Redwall, and it’s a good place for newcomers to begin before embarking on the various prequels and sequels.

The Jungle Book

Continuing the theme of talking animals is Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 ensemble The Jungle Book. While the most famous stories centre on the “man-cub” Mowgli and his four-legged friends, the book also contains tales of Kotick the seal and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi the mongoose, among others. One of the recurring motifs is the importance of the unwritten “law of the jungle”, which emphasises virtues of discipline, loyalty and respect. This might explain why many of the characters in the book were adopted by Robert Baden-Powell, a friend of Kipling, in his founding of the Scout Movement.

Treasure Island

Surely one of the most classic boys’ books of all time is Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. The teen protagonist Jim Hawkins is a model of ingenuity and courage, though the discerning reader will notice that he isn’t always a paragon of obedience and prudence. The book’s villain is one of the greatest in all of children’s literature, and the scene in which Hawkins discovers – from the inside of an apple barrel – the nefarious plot taking shape on board the Hispaniola is unforgettable for its dramatic tension: “… for from these dozen words I understood that the lives of all the honest men aboard depended upon me alone.” At times the language can feel arcane, making Stevenson’s work a good fit for more confident readers aged nine and over.

The Adventures of Tintin

Since their first appearance in 1929, Hergé’s comic books have been published in 70 languages with over 200 million copies sold. Tintin is a global phenomenon, as evidenced by the box-office success of Steven Spielberg’s 2011 film adaptation. The slapstick-style humour in the comics is especially suitable for younger readers, but Hergé’s iconic characters remain a source of delight to adult readers as well. Of the 24 comics, my personal favourites include The Secret of the Unicorn, Tintin in America and King Ottokar’s Sceptre.

Ranger’s Apprentice

John Flanagan’s Tolkienesque creation is a wonderful example of a highly entertaining contemporary series that has avoided being hijacked by woke politics. Flanagan initially wrote The Ranger’s Apprentice to get his son interested in reading, and the genre is medieval fantasy. The books track the adventures of Will, an orphan who becomes attached to the Rangers, an elite group of warriors and diplomats who help protect the kingdom of Araluen. I’ve yet to meet a boy who disliked these books, and the spin-off series The Brotherband Chronicles is also well worth delving into.

The Hardy Boys

Frank and Joe Hardy are the epitome of teenage masculinity, and their superb detective skills are put to the test across all manner of thrilling adventures. The putative author, Franklin W Dixon, is a collective pseudonym reflecting the fact that the books were penned by several different ghostwriters. For boys looking to advance beyond Enid Blyton’s The Secret Seven and The Famous Five, the 58 original Hardy Boys titles provide a brilliant step up. Newcomers might choose to start the series at the very beginning, or alternatively the eighth volume, The Mystery of Cabin Island, provides a riveting introduction to the series.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

A list such as this would be incomplete without mention of the great and indefatigable Tom Sawyer. Parents should be warned that Mark Twain’s work contains a number of elements that today would be regarded as politically incorrect (e.g. Tom and his friends smoke tobacco, and the N-word appears in the original editions). Nevertheless, the various tales of Tom’s ingenious exploits remain a source of hilarity to child and adult readers alike. At the beginning of the book Tom is far from being a positive role model for boys, yet his character progresses with the story in a number of charming ways. At times the antiquated prose can prove challenging, meaning this book will be more enjoyable for boys aged 10 and over.

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