Gotcha for Guys!: Nonfiction Books to Get Boys Excited About Reading [Paperback]

Baxter, Kathleen A. and Marcia Agness Kochel. 2007. Gotcha for guys: Nonfiction books to get boys excited about reading. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
ISBN: 1-59158-311-X

Librarians, teachers and parents have long struggled with how to get boys interested in reading. Educators Baxter and Kochel have provided another great resource in the war against reading reluctance in young males. The title signifies recognition that boys have to be grabbed or hooked, and this book definitely provides a tool for doing so.

This is not a specific, "how to" manual on how to spark boys interest. Instead it provides booktalks and booklists on specific nonfiction books on various topics that are known draws for young male readers. It is an invaluable tool for teachers and librarians involved in reader's advisory.

The introduction of the book points out a very important aspect in getting boys to read: choice. The authors feel that the main role of librarians is to provide a variety of choices. Most boys, if left to their own devices, seem to prefer nonfiction. Also, the difference in girls and boys tastes must be recognized. Baxter and Kochel point out that sometimes this leads to controversy among librarians and teachers. Since the majority of children's librarians and teachers are female, they may have a bias against the types of literature that appeals to boys.

The organization of the book makes it user friendly for teachers and librarians. The first nine of the ten chapters follow a similar format. A "New and Notable" section provides short booktalks. Several of the chapters have a "Not to Be Missed" section containing short annotations of books that are popular with boys. The "Worth Reading" Section provides lists of books (including bibliographic information) of books that have been reviewed positively. Also included are sideboxes with the authors favorite picks for booktalking to boys. Access features such as the index, is broken down into two sections: one for authors/illustrators and another for book titles. This provides a quick way to find information on a specific book or author. It's easy to pick and choose a topic from looking at the table of contents. Indeed, that is the beauty of this book: it doesn't have to be read in its entirety to enjoy its benefits.

Non-fiction books are highlighted in chapters with titles such as "Prehistoric Creatures", "All Things Gross", "Creepy-Crawly Creatures", and "Disasters and Unsolved Mysteries". Books about everything from gladiators to pirates are covered in "Around the World". What boy doesn't enjoy adventure? While classroom teachers often want children to learn names and facts, the chapter on "American History" will provide books that bring out the fun and action in our past. Boys won't know they are getting a history lesson! The authors devote another chapter to science. One intriguing title from this chapter is Guinea Pig Scientists (about scientists who experimented on themselves and other humans) and is sure to capture boys' attention. "All Things Gross" highlights topics that might not be a teacher's first choice, but are winners with young males. The first book listed in the "New and Notable" section is entitled Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable. (Baxter admits in the book introduction that sometimes she gets into trouble with teachers while booktalking some of these titles.) Other chapters cover animals, bugs, reptiles and amphibians, sports, military, machines, building, inventions, disaster and unsolved mysteries. Most boys find these topics irresistible and librarians will find a wealth of titles to attract them. The final chapter covers hot topics including magic, riddles, games, puzzles, drawing, fascinating facts and reference books. The authors seem to know (as do children's librarians) that these are the types of books boys ask for most.

Baxter and Kochel have given us an easy way to provide young boys with a choice in reading. It would be a rare young man who wouldn't be interested in any of the books provided in this excellent resource. Baxter points out that we have to be willing to make the books available and teach boys that reading is not a disagreeable task. She believes we can do this by talking about books that we enjoy. We also need to be willing to read books on topics we ourselves might not be interested in, but that we might be able to recommend for boys. The authors have succeeded in giving a broad range of choices in books that also meet the standards set by reliable and reputable reviewing sources. This resource is a "must have" for any librarian who wants to develop a strong collection that will appeal to boys of all ages. Every school and public library should have a copy of Gotcha for Guys on their ready reference shelf.

Reviewed by Lynda Smith