FREE books are to be given to schools across England in an attempt to push teenage boys into reading more.

High schools will be able to select 20 books from a Department for Education and Skills list drawn up by librarians, which includes classic novels such as Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and factual books like Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything.

There are also spy and adventure books, as part of efforts to close the reading gap' between boys and girls.

The scheme - Boys into Books - is principally aimed at boys aged between 11 and 14, because research suggests boys enjoy reading at primary school but lose interest after the age of 11.

Education Secretary Alan Johnson said: "We know there is a clear link between reading for pleasure and academic performance - not just in English, but across the whole curriculum.

"Beyond this, of course, reading can enrich their lives by freeing their imagination, inspiring creativity and developing intellectual curiosity.

"Boys tend to read less than girls, and some lose the reading bug completely after they change schools at 11.

"This initiative will help boys re-acquire the reading habit, and try out a wider range of great books."