Blogiversary Bone 2017: Middle Grade

Today we kick off the Blogiversary Bone Awards with the Middle Grade Fiction category. These books are geared toward young teens/pre-teens and are typically fast, easy reads written at a lower grade level than what I normally review. Due to their different target audience than most of the books I review, they receive their own category to even out the competition. Books in this category can be found in any speculative genre (fantasy, dystopian, steampunk, etc.).

These books can be found by entering "Middle Grade" into the search bar at the top of the page. For rules on qualifications for the Blogiversary Bone, check out yesterday's post.

Ready? Here we go!

Third Place: Fire Prophet, by Jerel Law

Children of the Nephilim have been granted special powers by their angel blood. But when they and all the other angel descendants are under attack, will they be able to defend themselves from the oncoming tide of demons? And what about those whose faith is still new? 

This is the second book in the Son of Angels series, but it stands alone nicely by itself. The Christian message may be a little heavy-handed at times, but some unique worldbuilding and fast-paced spiritual warfare make up for it. 

Second Place: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, by Andrew Peterson

Janner Igiby leads a normal, peaceful life. Except for the reptilian invaders that have overtaken his homeland, the odd expectations placed upon him by his grandfather, and the dangerous toothy cows that live in the forest outside his home. Will he and his family find a way to stay together in spite of the odds?

This book is just about bursting at the binding with wit and humor. It's utterly over the top and totally ridiculous at times, but it's a fun read for young and old alike. Fantasy creatures and a well-paced plot add to the fun. 

Winner of the 2017 Blogiversary Bone for Middle Grade Books: 

The Book of the King, by Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry.

Owen Reeder leads an unexciting life. The only child of a widowed bookstore owner, his only adventures are found in the imaginary worlds he finds within the pages of books. But when a stranger comes to town with a mysterious, magical book and his father reveals a terrible secret, his life will change forever.

This book won the category for its unique narrative voice, fast pace, and ability to balance a Christian allegorical message with a good story. Older readers will find this book as easy to pick up as younger readers will. Recommended to fantasy fans. 

Honorable Mention:

-Leviathan, by Scott Westerfield. This clean steampunk novel didn't qualify for the Blogiversary Bone, but it's still worth a read!

Let's give a big round of applause to all these authors for their great work! Tomorrow we'll be looking at the top sci-fi books from the past year.