Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell

Karana is a young native girl who lives on an island off the coast of California.  Her people have a peaceful existence in their little fishing community, at least until a traveling group of Russian fur hunters engage the tribe in battle.  After her depleted tribe flees for the mainland, Karana becomes the sole occupant of her little island.  Her story is one of self-sufficiency, although over the years she is always plagued by one burning question:  will her people ever return for her?

Yes, I’m aware that the main character of this tribe is a girl, but I’m still willing to recommend it as a perfect read for young men.  It’s an adventure story first and foremost, sort of like another generation’s Robinson Crusoe.  For any boys who’ve ever daydreamed about how peaceful it would be to get stranded by themselves on a remote island, this book might be all it takes to change their mind…

Moby Dick, by Herman Melville

The narrator of this story is Ishmael, an outcast from society.  While he never really explains much of his own personal circumstances, “Moby Dick” begins with Ishmael taking to the sea in the hopes of changing his life.  He signs on board a Nantucket whaler called the Pequod, which is run by an iron-fisted tyrant named Captain Ahab.  Once on the open seas, it becomes apparent to the crew that this sailing is not driven by the huge profits that come from harvesting whale oil, but rather so that their driven Captain can seek revenge on the whale that disfigured him.  The Pequod’s crew travels the high seas, searching for any sign of that cursed white whale…Moby Dick!

I’ve read “Moby Dick” several times in my life, and it’s important to know that there are many different versions of this book.  The original text by Mr. Melville is 600 pages long and steeped in detail—it’s still a fantastic read today, although younger readers might be perfectly happy with an abridged version or even an Illustrated Classics format.  Whatever version you choose, be sure to add “Moby Dick” to your reading bucket list.  Adventure awaits you on the high seas!

The Pigman, by Paul Zindel

John Conlan and Lorraine Jensen are two high school sophomores with a knack for getting into trouble.  Their favorite hobby involves making prank phone calls and seeing how long they can keep their victim on the line, an activity which leads them to meet Mr. Angelo Pignati.  After a visit to “The Pigman’s” house, John and Lorraine become fast friends with this elderly widower.  When Mr. Pignati suffers an unexpected heart attack, however, John and Lorraine volunteer to keep a close eye on his house.  Unfortunately, they end up doing more a lot more harm than good…

Without giving away any of this awesome story, it’s important to know in advance that “The Pigman” is a very sad, realistic book.  Many libraries still keep it on their list of “banned” books due to its depictions of underage drinking, drug use and sexuality.  It’s kind of remarkable that this book was actually published back in 1968 since its themes are way ahead of its time, but I think that “The Pigman” will quickly become a favorite to any young men in search of a haunting, mature read.