My previous article, “Stories About Real Heroes Can Help Make Heroic Boys,” drew readers’ attention to the good that comes through exposing boys to literature and history featuring flesh-and-blood heroes. Superheroes have a place in the imagination of the young, but sooner or later, boys realize that the only superpowers in real life are those derived from the human heart and soul.

Pointing to the often-quoted portion of Theodore Roosevelt’s 1910 “Man in the Arena” speech as an excellent definition of heroism, I drew this conclusion: “Instill this ‘man in the arena’ heroism in our sons by way of example and by stories, and they’ll become better students, better workers, better husbands, and better fathers. In short, they’ll become better men.”

With this thought in mind, it’s time to add some nuts and bolts to that thesis. Below are some books about heroes, real and fictional, whose lives and character are worthy of emulation. Many of these works also offer boys some tools for living that are sorely neglected by today’s culture, namely, a sensible optimism that views life as a grand adventure.

The Good Old Stuff

First Classics is a California outfit that has republished many of the titles in the Classics Illustrated series, those literary gems like “Moby Dick” and “A Tale of Two Cities,” in comic book form. Once found in the spinner racks of bookshops and pharmacies across the country, these books are finding a new generation of readers. Recently, for $100 including shipping, I received 25 titles, which will soon find their way into the hands of my grandchildren.

“The Childhood of Famous Americans” series was also a favorite of mine. Here are the stories of men and women in their childhood and youth who left their mark on American history, with the last chapter or two of each book segueing into their adulthood and accomplishments. Some of the few old copies on my shelves list a couple of hundred titles available in those days. Many have now disappeared from the series, with more modern famous figures added, like astronaut John Glenn. Simon & Schuster still publishes over 70, however, which can be found online.

I missed the G. A. Henty (1832-1902) adventure books for boys in my younger days – they were no longer popular, and the library where I lived was a weekly bookmobile – and because of my ignorance, my sons missed them as well. A good friend, however, was more astute, and his four sons read dozens of the more than 100 stories Henty wrote and published. They’re old-fashioned, yes, but contain an invaluable code of manhood. Go to Robinson Books, and you’ll find Henty in abundance.

Like Henty, Louis L’Amour’s Westerns and other novels also give us heroes who follow a code of manly virtue. In addition, L’Amour’s Sackett series traces the history of America from the earliest years of exploration to the late 19th century. Most of L’Amour’s books are age-appropriate for middle-schoolers and up. Thanks to their popularity and to the efforts of his son Beau, all of L’Amour’s books remain in print and are readily available online, in libraries, or in secondhand bookshops. 

A Newer Series

Christian publisher YWAM (Youth With a Mission) puts out 32 biographies aimed at adolescents, a mix of older historic heroes like John Adams and Abraham Lincoln with 20th-century figures like Ronald Reagan, Billy Graham, and the chocolatier Milton Hershey. The publisher’s website includes reviews for each book. Aimed at students between ages 10 and 14, a bracket I would alter to ages nine to 12, these biographies can be purchased as a set or individually, and are also available in audio.

Individual Lit Picks

Here you’ll have to do some tracking, but because one good book often leads to another, the hunt is worthwhile. Some books I’ve read or heard others recommend that offer adolescent males adventure mixed with character builders are Rudyard Kipling’s “Kidnapped,” Gary Paulsen’s “Hatchet,” Lois Lowry’s “The Giver,” Jack Schaefer’s “Shane,” Ray Bradbury’s “Something Wicked this Way Comes,” and several of his other novels and short stories. Tolkien’s novels, the “Redwall” series, and so many old and new classics are out there.

We’ve neglected many other resources here: characters from the Bible, heroes of the ancient world of Greece and Rome, men and women from all of Western civilization. Cruise the biographies in the children’s section of your local library or bookshop, and you’re sure to come across some treasures.

These stories of heroes are the sunshine and water we should give our boys while young. Begin early, and they will grow into good men.

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This article was made possible by The Fred & Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal. 

Image credit: Public Domain Pictures