I’m all filled up. Not from holiday dining but from reading a total of 68 MG books this year! What better time than now to celebrate my favorites for 2014.
Yes, it’s the second annual Always in the Middle GOLDEN CUP AWARD. Doesn’t the GOLDEN CUP take your breath away? I can’t part with the shiny goblet, but there are two fantastic giveaways explained at the end of this post. But first, on to the award winners…
FAVORITE BOOK with a FEMALE PROTAGONIST: THE PERFECT PLACE by Teresa E. Harris
FAVORITE BOOK with a MALE PROTAGONIST: NICKLE BAY NICK by Dean Pitchford
FAVORITE SETTING: Rural Minnesota in TURN LEFT AT THE COW by Lisa Bullard
FAVORITE CHARACTER NAME: Dennis “Donuts” Murphy in SORRY YOU’RE LOST by Matt Blackstone
FAVORITE OPENING LINE: (tie)I would never have been accused of stealing the koala if Vance Jessup hadn’t made me drop a human arm in the shark tank. (POACHED)
There were so many dead bodies stuffed into Gram’s freezer chest that it was kind of like wandering through a cryonics lab. (TURN LEFT AT THE COW)
FAVORITE PARENTS: Too many to list. But they all did the most important thing for their middle grade children: They provided a chance for them to discover success.
BIGGEST PARENTAL DISAPPOINTMENT: The father in ABSOLUTELY ALMOST by Lisa Graff
BEST COVER: THE PET WAR by Allan Goodrow
FAVORITE ENDING: JACK STRONG TAKES A STAND by Tommy Greenwald
FUNNIEST READ: BIG BOOK OF SUPERHEROES by Bart King
FAVORITE FRIENDSHIP: Andi and Colin in ANDI UNEXPECTED by Amanda Flower
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If you have made it this far, it’s contest time!
Just comment about your own favorites from one of the categories above. Your choice can be any book – MG or otherwise. I’ll leave the comments open until next Saturday, January 3rd (8 pm Eastern). Two winners will be drawn. The first name will receive these four like new hard cover MG books:
Second place will receive these three like new hard cover MG books:
Always in the Middle... 
I love your categories. I’ll be back (in the words of Arnie) with some of my favs later in the week.
Tweeted 🙂
Those are great categories indeed. I’m glad to see that you had so many Favorite Parents, they so often get left out of the story. Thanks for the chance to win either of these great prizes. Among the many great covers of 2014 I’m going with Watch the Sky by Kirsten Hubbard.
I checked out that cover and it is very intriguing. I’ve got it on my must read list for 2015. Good luck in the drawing.
Do you think I used the word great often enough? Excuse – it’s very early here. carlscott(at)prodigy(dot)net(dot)mx
Yes, I’m often guilty of this crime, too.
This was a great way to organize your list of favorites and not so’s. Who couldn’t love that cover? I love the word “great.” It’s great.
Wow – I can see I have to add more books to my reading list! This year I especially enjoyed reading The 14 Fibs of Gregory K by Greg Pincus and Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. There are so many great MGs, though, it’s really hard to say. I like your categories! 🙂
I loved both your choices, too. So many good ones to choose from. Good luck in the drawing.
I really can’t argue with your choice for favorite first line. One thing I love about Stuart’s books is his first line, and there is none to top the one in Poached. I’d say it was my favorite of the ones I read this year as well.
carstairs38 at gmail dot com
Great minds think alike. Good luck in the drawing.
Lots of good books here and quite a few I haven’t read. I’m going with covers here. I do love the cover for Steering Toward Normal, but I think my favorite is Saving Lucas Biggs. It’s magical and, to me, irresistible. I can’t figure out a way to show it here, so maybe you can just look it up. Thanks for a great year of interesting blogs and a chance at a terrific giveaway.
I’ve seen both those covers and loved them, too. I chose THE PET WARS because it stands out in the bookstore and anyone who passes seems to pick it up. Never mind that it’s not really about a war between a dog and a cat. Thanks for stopping by consistently this past year. I’ve also enjoyed your reviews and can’t wait for more. Happy 2015 and good luck in the drawing.
I also loved (and laughed at) the opening line in Poached. What a great book! As for funniest read, I’m going with Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians :).
Yes, I need to add that one to my 2015 list of must reads. Thanks for joining in on the fun. Good luck in the contest.
I read over 100 middle grade books this year, and still managed to miss every title on your list! My favorites will post to my blog in a couple of days – they include The Madman of Piney Woods, Rain Reign, and Greenglass House.
I’m in the middle of Rain Reign but your other two choices are new to me. I’ll be sure to visit your blog. Thanks for entering the contest and good luck.
I see your goal of 75 books for 2015 and I’m like Woah! But it’s definitely doable.
I really like how you did this list because it’s not a typical favorite book of the year post.
Happy New Year! 🙂
Great list with lots of new titles for me. Good luck with your 75 books goal! I’ve just nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger award in case you’d like to participate. More details here: http://www.marciastrykowski.com Happy New Year!
Thank you. I’ll take a look though I’m currently waste deep in rewrites. I may delay nominating anyone else until mid-January. Anyway, congratulations and thanks for being a frequent visitor.
I’ve read a lot of MG fiction this year and it was really hard to choose but I’m going to go with Of Socery and Snow for my favorite book with a female protagonist
Good choice. I haven’t read that one. Good luck in the drawing.