Isle of Swords and The Lost Campers

Ok, if yesterday was the day for girls, today will be the day for boys!

Now, the girls books were both very character focused. These boy books are very event focused.

#1 - Isle of Swords by Wayne Thomas Batson 2007, Thomas Nelson Publishing

 

Genre: Adventure

Target Audience: Boys 16+

Subject: Greed, Treasure, Sacrifice

Summary: Pirates, swords, a boy who wakes up on an island unsure of who he is, a girl who wants to be a pirate, a father who doesn’t, an ancient treasure and a curse, all of this makes up Isle of Swords, a pirate story full of excitement and adventure for boys. Along the way, there are lessons about greed and the value of real treasure.

Notes: Isle of Swords is a very thick book (341 pages) and a very intense book. The descriptions of the violence are pretty vivid. This is why I recommend it more for older teens.

#2 - The Lost Campers by Paul Hutchens, 1941, Moody Press

Genre: Adventure

Target Audience: Boys 10-14

Subject: The importance of our salvation

Summary: Swept away in a flood, nearly drowning in a lake, a strength contest between a boy and a giant fish, a camper in the woods, a note in a bottle, rescue of a pet, all of this makes up The Lost Campers, 4^th in the Sugar Creek Gang series. The Sugar Creek Gang is a group of young boys living near Sugar Creek. They receive an opportunity to go on a camping trip with a boy scout expert and experience quite a few adventures along the way, as well as get a few glimpses of why it’s important to make a decision to trust Christ for your salvation.

Notes: The Sugar Creek Gang book move from one adventure to the next. None are written as overly intense, even when a character is facing death. All the stories are narrated by a member of the gang as he looks back on the story, making it obvious that everyone ended up ok. The fun of the adventure is figuring out how, not if. The books are short, but have relatively long chapters for a beginning reader. They would definitely make great read-alouds.