Guys Read

Guys Read is a web-based literacy program for boys founded by author Jon Scieszka in 2001. It's mission is ‘to help boys become self-motivated, lifelong readers’ by bringing attention to the issue, promoting the expansion of what we call ‘reading’ to include materials like comic books, and encouraging grown men to be literacy role models. Scieszka says, “It kind of came out of my experience both as growing up a guy, for starters, and then going into elementary school teaching, where I found that the guy sensibility isn't really appreciated there, mostly that the world of elementary school is probably like 85% women -- teachers and librarians.” As for how exactly to motivate boys to read more, Scieszka says. “I think the best way to do it is to give them things they like to read... What we haven't done with boys is we haven't really given them a broad range of reading. In schools, what's seen as reading is so narrow: it's literary, realistic fiction.”

The Guys Read website includes a large list of “books that guys read”, instructions as to how to start your own Guys Read “field office” (or book club), a blog, and links to many boy-loved authors’ websites.

Guys Write for Guys Read, the first book to come out of the program, is a compilation that features over eighty stories and illustrations from noted male authors and illustrators who shared stories from their own childhoods.

In 2010 Scieszka started the "Guys Read Library of Great Reading" – collections of original short stories by male and female authors who boys enjoy reading, grouped by genre . The first volume is humor "Guys Read: Funny Business", the second is mystery "Guys Read: Thriller". Collections of Sports, Fantasy/SciFi, Non-Fiction and more are scheduled for future publication.