"Reading is for Girls." is the phrase I hear most from boys. Authors have given up writing boy's stories. I looked up a site for the best books for teenagers, and the first ten were girl's books written by women. And here you are sprouting "Tom Sawyer" and "Shane". Horrowitz does his bit, but where are the other modern books for boys? Why not try Amazon for "Colonists" - a story about kids on Mars, or "Jaunter" a boy who can teleport. Who writes for boys, anyway? They prefer playing with their P.Cs to reading, any day.

Kieran, Brisbane, Queensland

Something Wicked This Way Comes by the great Ray Bradbury
really should be a must. I suppose Wind in the Willows would be a book too far?

pup, Halesowen,

This looks more like what people think boys *ought to* read rather than what they might *want* to read. If the point of this exercise to entice them to read, stop turning up your noses at periodicals and instead provide libraries with subscriptions to sport and auto magazines. My colleague used these extensively with her literacy classes of urban minority high school boys, and it took much better than anything on your list. Once they're in the habit of reading, it's much easier to sneak in books about sport and auto racing and from there it's only a short step to fiction. Classics are not to everyone's taste - I have always read anything in sight, including the backs of breakfast food boxes if that was all that was in the room, but could never get through a chapter of Dickens.
BTW, someone appears to have lost it altogether. WHAT IS CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS DOING ON A LIST FOR ADOLESCENTS?.

Linda, Albany NY ,

Perhaps I could suggest an English dictionary is added to the above list, maybe then our children will stop Americanising the English language, or should that be Americanizing! Then again I suppose I shouldn't be suprised, after all our own government produces official document's with spelling 'mistakes', Microsoft word has a lot to answer for.

Les, Southport, England

No Dickens for English boys?
Mmmmmm...

Tato Dulanci, Vitoria, Spain

Never judge a book by its movie

Toby, Calcutta, India

"Keep up with girls at upper secondary"? In my experience it's much like this: Girl, 17 reads 25 books during a set period of time while Boy, 17 only reads four. Why? Because Boy, 17's books were by Tacitus, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard and Dostoyevsky, which, however, does not show up in statistics.

xf-108, Göteborg, Sweden

Although i feel that it is quite silly to overlook the first few books to a series, this list has a potential to connect with the younger generation. i am 16 and was raised on books so reading for me is second nature, but books are under rated by by modern society by television and computers.

I can understand why J.K was left out of this list. if we gave the "Harry Potter" books even more publisity that would be all children read! philip pullman is an excelent author that people dont give a chance. His new film "The Golden Compass" shall show his creative potential and finnaly open peoples eyes to his work. Although i beleive this list will work, i am dissapointed that certain lower-level reading clasics have been left out such as "Kes."

my advise is not to knock a book till you've tried it.

James Oxley, Aylesbury, england

if you actually read it you'll notice that it's meant to broaden kids views of books. I used only to read harry potter and that was it, now i read from loads of authors that are less well known. the reason there is no J.K or Dickens is that they mean to get less famous but equally good authors with many different writing styles to appeal to a wider audience. my only complaint is that there is no Garth Nix or Jonathon Stroud on there.

Alex Harman, Brighton, sussex

Jesus christ, some of this stuff is for 3 year olds. Would anybody not read harry potter but read captain underpants? come on...

jacob simpson, milan,

Vampirates? Are you kidding me? No Harry Potter but you put VAMPIRATES on the list? And honestly, to recommend a book in the middle of a series is absurd. Why would you read Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters without reading Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief first? Reading Ark Angel before Stormbreaker? Physik before Magyk or Flyte? This list feels like someone went into a bookshop and wrote down the first 160 titles they saw.

Melissa, Ardmore, PA, USA

Having read the whole list I have to confess that I am apalled by the quality of some of the books on it and puzzled, as is Kit, that a book in the middle of a series is often chosen.

Have the persons responsible for this list actually read the books?

If this is the product of the cream of contemporary librarianship then I for one wouldn't want them let loose on schools, no matter what some of the comments below seem to espouse.

Kidd Garrett, Bristol, UK

Frankenstein?

That has to be one of the girliest books ever!

I couldn't even read the thing, despite repeated attempts; the whole appeal to the sensorium, the structure, the portrayal of relationships, the character arc, everything, absolutely everything, is as girlie as it gets.

Dracula, on the other hand, is another story...

Kidd Garrett, Bristol, UK

The poor quality of Philip Pullman's work? Maybe I'm biased hailing from Oxofrd, but even from an objective point of view this seems a harsh comment in the extreme. And to accuse controversiality as being a qualification to be on the list, it does not seem that any other texts fulfil this criteria. To have no Dickens seems ludicrous though, and no Potter seems silly too. However, all are entitled to their opinion of course, if we all thought the same the world would be a dull place!

Alasdair MacDonald, Southampton,

Unless I've missed it, (very possibly!), no one seems to have mentioned audio books. There are now audio books, including Ipods etc, of just about all the popular boys books (Alex Rider, Cherubs, Young JB etc etc) and they are brilliant both for introducing the series 'painlessly' to reluctant readers, plus for enabling stories in non-reading environments (car journeys, theme park queues etc), plus, as my son does, listening to while playing the PS/Xbox etc etc. Audio books are also great for getting them to sleep at night in bed.... :) Jane

Jane, London, UK

No J.K? Its a travesty that one of the most popular books of our time is ignored. In my opinion, Phillip Pullman doesn't deserve to be on the list, due to the poor quality of his work. I wonder if he only made it because his work is controversial and Harry Potter is not, at least in this county

Gareth, Portsmouth, UK

No Dickens?
?!?!??!?!

Leticia, Cambridge, MA, US

I know no list can be perfect but, still, I am surprised by some of the gaps in this Top 160. How about Star Seeker by Tim Bowler, for example? An obvious choice, I would have thought.

Catriona, London, UK

as a 15 year old i have read most of these books and think that whilst they may not appeal to the older generation among us i can certainly relate to several key social issues in these books.

joe, buckingham,

Seems to be a pretty shoddy list of recommendations. Being a heavy reader myself and recognizing next to none of these books/authors I have to wonder if you're actually trying to encourage reading. The absence of Potter will only alienate any casual viewer who is interested in seeing if this list is worth bothering with. The Gaiman, Prachett, and Dahl selections are hardly their best work (or most interesting reads). And where is The Count of Monte Cristo, if revenge doesn't appeal to boys I don't know what does

The apperently complete absence of science fiction is inexplicable. How about Ender's Game (Card), Startide Rising (Brin), Snow Crash (Stephenson, Neil), and most of Heinlein's early work including a decent anthology of his short stories.

And as a rule of thumb I'd drop everything written in English before 1950 (translations tend to update readability), since the language itself becomes a barrier to reading after a while.

Michael, Medford,

I'm eighteen and male and have loved reading my whole life. I think this kind of thing is pointless because only people like me, people who *already* read a lot, are likely to notice it. Give it a few months, then go to the nearest school and do a survey - see how many rudeboys and chavs spend more time reading than they did before.

Also, to parents: if you throw your son's playstation out the window then he may never experience Final Fantasy VII, which is as tragic as never experiencing The Hobbit, His Dark Materials, or any other book on this list.

Alex Brown, London,

All children like adults are influenced by the media so to miss out one of the most widely read childrens author's of this generation is absurd. My sons love the Potter books and it has made them realise that just watching the films is not enough because so much has to be left out.

I also think many boys stop reading because they see mothers reading and not fathers. Therefore they see it as a female thing not a male thing - men play sport etc in their eyes.

Free book schemes don't work frankly if the interest isn't there in the first place.

Also the biggest problem with failing "working class" boys is more likely to do with the postcode lottery system we now have dictating the standard of education they receive rather than the books they do not read.

rachel, Gloucester, England

My son, 12, has always been a reader. But the secret to getting him to read voraciously - moving to a country where we don't yet speak the language and therefore don't watch TV!

In the last 6 months he has devoured everything with a boyish theme from Pratchett, Durrell, O'Brian to Shan and Snickett. He gets through about 3 books a week, sometimes flitting between books!

Alyson Long, Firenze, Italy

Osei K., London - perhaps you should restrict your children's time on an Xbox and "encourage" them to read Sherlock Holmes, or anything else for that matter, just to use their own imagination.

HUBBLE, France,

I only started reading after graduating from high school because it never interested me before. I cheated on every book report for all languages I had: Dutch, German, French and English. And why? Noone ever motivated me to read, the compulsory books in school were not to my taste at all, so I copied book reports from others. Now in the last 6 years I started reading the Wordsworth Classics of literature and devoured many a volume of Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Darwin, Austen, Fitzgerald and many others. The low price of these books definitively plays a part in it, I usually paid about 1 or 1.5 pounds for them. I agree that Dostoevsky isn't meant to be read by young boys because most of them can't understand the books, but once you get a little bit older and have your own views, life experience and morality and beliefs, reading such works can be an enrichment in my opinion.

YJ, Netherlands,

Have to agree that there has been a feminisation of childrens literature, as well as everything a
else: it is just a sign of the times.
But,most interesting is the refusal of an increasing number of parents to allow their chidren (talking about boys!) to have 'war' toys, despite the fact that we, as a country, are almost continually involved in 'peacekeeping' somewhere. When we were at war, or on the brink of war, and a continual citizen army was, it seems, needed, the country could always rely on the Education Corps to fill the literacy gap. Would more local, State School based, CCF's help with what is obviously a problem of motivation, and selective need.

B. Fitzpatrick, London, UK

The whole point of this list is to entice boys into reading. Most school libraries and English Departments will have a stock of 'Classics', this initiative is a chance to bring new titles to a new generation. The fact that people are so 'elitist' about reading is the reason we are in this mess in the first place. Stop making academic judgements and let boys, (and girls), get on with finding out what fun reading can be!

Kate, Salisbury, UK

What the devil does the comment "Enid Blyton doesn"t deserve a place on the list" mean?. Ms Blyton£s works way have been racist, sexist, class-divisionist and so forth, but, hey, wha"s the problem, these works simply epitomised a bygone era when all these traits were normal and accepted as such. Enid Blyton should be on this list. Are we going to ban museum pieces from displays because they evoke earlier ages or epochs?. Only a moron could suggest a writer like Blyton causes harm, though I have no doubt our educational system etc is full of such dim and lifeless academic dinosaurs.

Piggy Kruger, Bridgwater, UK

Books for boys! Great. I'd like to see added Jennings books by Buckeridge, Jeeves and Wooster, Nick Hornby, Ben Elton, James Bond books by Fleming, and some Sci-Fi from Asimov, Clarke and Dick. But this list is till a good idea.

John, Edinburgh,

Shawn Bakker, Bremerton, Wa., USA - Terry Pratchett is on the list, but only just - see 103, A Hat Full of Sky. Good story, lovely characters, but wouldn't have grabbed my two boys the way that Reaper Man, Men at Arms and Guards, Guards did!

Gill, Southampton, UK

Oh come on, some of the greatest books of all time are missing from that list. I mean you have the occassional beauty like Pratchett...although "A hat full of sky" is hardly one of the best out there, theres much better to be enjoyed from that area. However all in all some good stuff in there thats bound to engage anyones interest. Have to say that some of the titles on there are a little disappointing, but certainly not terrible.

Good intuitive though, get those boys reading. Its a whole new world out there.

Caela, Northans,

My son, 12, likes to read. The secret to getting him to read voraciously and eclecticly, moving to a country where he doesn't, yet, understand the language so exposure to TV is minimal! We have been in Italy 6 months and he goes through 2 to 3 novels a week. Anything from Pratchett, O'Brian, Durrell to Shan and Snickett. He really doesn't care too much, but very girly books are a no-no!

Alyson Long, Firenze, Italy

The second greatest discovery in my reading experience was the discovery of the dictionary. The first, of course, was the introduction to "pleasure" reading by my parents. It seems silly to mention the point; however, many times I've heard, "...don't like to read because don't understand the words...". Educators and parents should also include a short "introduction to the dictionary" experience along with books to read for pleasure. I've also been known to peruse a dictionary for fun and enjoyment. If one is inarticulate, one cannot define life, even to one's self.

DanO, Mt. Vernon, USA

A small point I know but i wander if Mr Johnson actually thinks the lack of books in his house when growing up was because his father wasn't there.
I dont see why people have to bring out the same old stereotypes i.e. "black" or "single parent" when they are not relevant to what's being discussed.
I grew up in a single parent family and was alsways read to and encouraged to read. Maybe the lack of books in Mr Johnsons house was due to his mother not liking reading and not, as he seems to suggest, because his father wasn't there.

Tom, Sheffield, England

Why even mention the absence of J.k. Rowling ? Dickens i can understand but Rowling ... She deserves a place on this list about as much as Enid Blyton ...

I would have to agree with Neil about books/authors that perhaps should be on the list (particularly Conan Doyle) and maybe add a pinch Tolkien to the mix .

Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,

Before the movies were made, Tolkien's followers were predominantly male. Where is his name? For those looking for a more modern author, Terry Goodkind is excellent, as well.

As a lifelong bookworm and now a teacher myself, I have to agree with Piggy Kruger; although I have loved to read for pleasure since I was old enough to know how, I barely managed to force myself through some of the dreck on the required reading list as I grew up. I can only imagine what it would be like trying to teach some of those novels that I hated to today's youth. I'd feel too much the hypocrite trying to force them down the throats of another generation just because they were forced on me. I'm glad to see the lists being revised.

Aaron Matthews is right, too; the performance gap between boys and girls is even more pronounced here in the States, especially in inner city schools. The US would do well to follow this example. If they want boys to read, allow them something that isn't a chore to read.

Drahkk, Vicksburg, MS, USA

To A.Wiggin from California -

Wales actually has two more vowels than England (w and y), so you don't know what you are talking about!

I was probably one of a minority at school - I remember my friends pleading with my (male) English teacher to read a book with some female characters for a change. But as a teacher, I'm never going to say "No" to free books... so come on Assembly, where are the books for Welsh boys?!

Rebecca Daives, Prestatyn, North Wales

O.k. I missed the Hobbit on that list :/ , thought it was remarkable to have no Tolkien ...

Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,

To G Ward, Sudbury, ENGLAND: Stop being so petty. The important thing is to encourage all boys (indeed all children) across the UK to read more and hopefully improve their academic performance. This will be beneficial to the entire UK. Getting into primitive territorial disputes is not going to help.

Chantel, UK,

I commend the originators of this concept for their effort; but I disagree with other commentators that the list is somewhat inadequate because it does not contain classics.

After all, what makes a book a classic??? Is humankind stuck forever with the same tired "classics"? The object is to get young people (especially boys) reading again and the way to get that is to offer something they can relate to. Afterall, the average young person (my children included) would find Tom Clancy's games on the xbox more fun than any Sherlock Holmes "classic" ...

Let's get them interested in reading before force-feeding them classics.

Osei K., London,

This is a great initiative, but I agree with other commentatorsthat one or two of the classics should be there.
Plus Terry Pratchett

Steve, Perth, Australia

As a child from the 1960s and early 70s era, I read for personal pleasure and because the reading matter enthralled and transported me to magic places and distant lands. The stuff we were required to read, on the school curriculum, was mostly dreary Alan Sillitoe or Harper Lee sort of stuff, and one presumes we were told to read it because of nefarious Masonic handshake or Old Boy Network stuff between the authors and the Education Secretary. This shgould not be taken to infer either mentioned author was in league with this scheming, though no doubt, on the required reading list, they enjoyed terrific sales figures.

Piggy Kruger, Bridgwater, UK

It's great to see Benjamin Zephaniah on the list. Hopefully more schools will choose his work over the Guinness Book of Records...

James, Beijing, China

No Sherlock Holmes? I might be female but these books should be on everyone's reading list. Sherlock Holmes certainly, c'mon the Sherlock Holmes Society needs more young blood!

Steph, London,

Some of the books listed are classics and anyone reading them (not just boys) will derive much pleasure from them. I applaud the effort to get boys engaged with books again and it seems rather unfair to criticise the choices, but some glaring omissions have been made. Due to this being a list for boys and presumably for British boys, the following should be encouraged:
1. The Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
2. The Murders in the Rue Mourge by Edgar Allen Poe
3. Jeeves and Wooster by P. G. Woodehouse
4. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

How can you leave out Sherlock Holmes!

Neil, Wirral, UK

As a child from the 1960s and early 70s era, I read for personal pleasure and because the reading matter enthralled and transported me to magic places and distant lands. The fiction we were required to read, on the school curriculum, was mostly dreary Alan Sillitoe or Harper Lee sort of stuff, and one presumes we were told to read it because of nefarious Masonic handshake or Old Boy Network skullduggery between the authors and the Education Secretary. This should not be taken to infer either mentioned author was in league with this scheming, though no doubt, on the required reading list, they enjoyed terrific sales figures.

Piggy Kruger, Bridgwater, UK

My mother read me bedtime stories and my father taught me to spell. The two of them together made it clear that reading was a pleasure. No further effort required, especially once I found the library. I will admit to reading boy stuff like biographies of Jean Lafitte and George Westinghouse, detective stories and adventure stories. But along with that came wonderfully illustrated Grimm, Milne, Potter, and a range of things that Johnson's meddlers would proscribe as not worthy of a boy's attention.

Lesley has it right: make sure there are adults around to foster the existing interest. School libraries, public libraries, reading groups.

David, Birmingham,

Once the severe shortage of vowels in Wales is addressed, perhaps their boys' need for free books can then be addressed.

A. Wiggin, San Diego, California

Jenny , ENGLAND getting free things !! Oh no,this will never do will it .Have a look at what wales gets free before you bleat .Why not get YOUR "government" to do something about it ? .

G Ward, Sudbury, ENGLAND

Terry Pratchett is NOT on that list. He probably should be, but he isn't.

Shawn Bakker, Bremerton, WA, USA

In the US, most of the schools are so feminized only one or two of these books would be taught, and many aren't allowed for independent book reports.

I applaud the effort to even look at boy's reading scores and how to rectify the gap.

We spend more money on a more girl's science scores, even though the gap isn't as drastic, because they are girls.

Aaron Matthews, St. Louis, US

While I'm all in favour of this it will have a short term effect. If the government wants to show its committment to the fact that there is "a clear link ... between reading for pleasure and academic performance, not just in English, but across the whole curriculum." they should make professionally staffed school libraries statutory in all secondary and primary schools.

Lesley Martin, Bury St Edmunds,

What about free books for WALES? Welsh lads need encouraging too.

Jenny Forsyth, BARRY , Wales

This is a wonderful opportunity for School Librarians everywhere to complement their collections, so long as we are given the choice of which books come to our Schools, it would be a tremendous waste of money if we were to recive duplicate copies of books we already have in stock.

Kathryn Wells, Wallingford, Oxfordshire

Enders Game should, without a doubt, be on this list.

Strobel, Dallas,

A minor point I know but I wonder why Mr Johnson thinks that the lack of a father in his home, rather than a lack of books, was a major factor in him not reading.
Why do people feel the need to mention the same old stereotypes i.e. "black" "single parent" completely out of context.
I was raised in a single parent family and was constantly surronded by and encouraged to read books.The fact Mr Johnson didn't have any books in his house was probably because his mother didn't like reading and not, as he seems to suggest, because his father wasn't there.

Tom, Sheffield, England

how do i claim my free 20 books for our school for boys to read.

debbie wilkinson, salford, england