The word “toxic” is often paired with masculine. Is it okay for boys to have manly heroes? Frank Miniter says, “yes,” and his new book explores stories about great men
“Cool Heroes for Boys: 20 True Tales of Adventure” isn’t just a book for boys, it’s also for men. Why is this book important? In 2026 the United States is still sitting in the shadow of political correctness. There’s a need to undo the whitewashing of our history books and men like Miniter are stepping up to the plate to share stories about great men from history. It was my full intention to do a complete review of this book after finishing it — which I still will — but, as I’m turning the pages, I’m already compelled to recommend that you snag it.
Who’s this book for? As the title implies, boys. In actuality, the 40+ something-year-old man-child that I am will say this is a great book for anyone interested in history. Miniter openly discussed the book and how his son was the inspiration for writing it. Frankly speaking, it was important to him to share stories that his sub-teenage son would find interesting.
“When the woke mob was tearing down statues of George Washington, Christopher Columbus, and more in 2020, like so many, I was quickly appalled by the so-called online lessons his teachers were submitting his then eight-year-old intellect to, so I started searching for things for him to read,” Miniter wrote over at our companion site PJ Media. “I looked on my local library’s shelves for the good guys with six-shooters and laser guns I had grown up with, but could not find any such heroes in the youth section—a few of the titles were upstairs among the adult fiction.”
What piqued Miniter’s son’s interest? When he started to tell his son the story of Paul Revere, he was slightly dismissive. “He just rode some horse and shouted the ‘British are coming!’” his son said. That’s when Miniter explained to him there was so much more to the story; the British were marching out of Boston to confiscate people’s firearms.
The collection of 20 stories is designed, as Miniter explains, to be able to be read in one sitting. These are perfect snippets to not only tell the story, but also get the message across in a digestible length. You don’t have to read this book cover to cover in order, you can bounce around if you like.
When I first opened “Cool Heroes for Boys,” I jumped right to the chapter on Orson Welles and his radio rendition of “The War of the Worlds.” Why’d I do that? I guess I gravitated right to a New Jersey story. It was enough to suck me in. I may have bounced around, reading a page here or there, just to get a feel for the book, but ultimately it brought me to chapter one.
What I love about what Miniter has done with these stories is that they’re a perfect mix of descriptive writing, historical fact, and imparting the lessons — wins and losses — of great figures from history. While the book is what I’d consider a great form of edutainment, Miniter cites his sources. We’re not talking about some fluffy bedtime story, but a well researched and beautifully written collection. His prose is some-what lyrical and has a very natural cadence.
Some of the historical figures that Miniter writes about include: George Washington, Thomas Edison, Orson Welles, Sam Walker, Paul Revere, and many more!
I haven’t gotten a chance to finish “Cool Heroes for Boys: 20 True Tales of Adventure” yet, but I’ve read enough to say: it’s worth buying and reading. I’m looking forward to sitting down with my son and reading this with him as soon as we’re ready for the next book to read together.
With summer upon us across the U.S. and the nation at the heels of celebrating 250 years of liberty — add “Cool Heroes for Boys” by Frank Miniter to your child’s summer reading list. You won’t regret it.
“Cool Heroes for Boys” can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Books-A-Million. This book is available in paperback and e-book.
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