Guys Write for Guys Read

Guys Write for Guys Read, presented by Jon Scieszka

Founder of the Guys Read program, Jon Scieszka (The Stinky Cheese Man) compiles a variable collection of works where “boys’ favorite authors write about being boys.” In an effort to encourage boys to read, this anthology has short stories, essays and even illustrations that are proven to keep a boy’s interest long enough to hopefully keep him reading for a lifetime.

Authors like Avi, Jack Gantos, Anthony Horowitz, James Howe, Brian Jacques, Stephen King and Gary Paulsen have all contributed to this 70+ piece collection. Rick Reilly’s “Funny You Should Ask” from The Life of Reilly might be my favorite. While sitting outside with his son, after a deep question, Reilly tries to explain to his son why they are on earth. “We’re here to nail a yield sign with an apple core from half a block away. We’re here to make our dog bite on the same lame fake throw for the gazillionth time. We’re here to win the stuffed bear or go broke trying.” After finishing his long list, readers learn that the son was actually asking why they were at the park when they were supposed to have picked up mommy a while ago. Esquire magazine shares some helpful “rules” to follow, while Jack Gantos teaches you what not to do through experience in “The Follower.” There are some great shared experiences, such as Anthony Horowitz’s “My French Teacher Tried to Kill Me” and Daniel Pinkwater’s “Lone (star) Ranger.” From peeing on the electric fence to collecting comic books to making the big sports play (or not), this book has something for at least every boy.

While some pieces are obviously better than most, what attracts me is the variety of the collection. Yes, there are the stereotypical essays on how to be a guy, but there are also the essays about how you don’t have to fit those macho standards to truly be a man. There is a number of Jon Scieszka pieces, but I guess you earn the right when it’s your anthology and your program. Some pieces were truly wonderful like the ones above, while others where just thrown in to catch attention. I’m sure some young boys have never read anything truly outrageous, so seeing at least two pieces that include multiple characters barfing would definitely liven up their reading list, even though I thought it was disgusting. There was a large majority of pieces devoted to sports, but there were also others about completely different topics that were refreshing. The variety tried to capture as many types of boy readers as possible, which, of course, is the entire goal of Guys Read. I could have done without some of the illustrations and the commentary written by the artists; isn’t this Guys WRITE for Guys READ? One extremely valuable piece of information included is at the end of each piece. If you find that you liked a piece of work, there at the bottom was the author’s short biography, a fun fact and a selected list of other books by the author the reader might like. It’s just the little spark that might lead boys to read something longer by choice.

A valiant effort, Guys Read has put together an impressive collection. If I were to recommend it, though, I would probably just refer you to some of the better pieces and kept a few others out of your knowledge. The good pieces are worth it while the lesser ones upset you when they just do not compare. But I can promise that no matter what your interest, there is something in here for you.

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few are to be chewed and digested.” - Francis Bacon

For more information on the Guys Read program, visit www.guysread.com.