The past year was another special one for middle grade books. 
The big name award groups recognize their favorite books, but my Golden Cup Awards look within the stories to find the best in fifteen unique categories.
Keep reading for a big giveaway detailed at the end of this post.
Without further delay, (drum roll) here are my GOLDEN CUP AWARDS for 2018:
FAVORITE VOICE (FEMALE PROTAGONIST):
Aven in INSIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF A CACTUS
and…
Lucy Callahan in THE MISCALCULATIONS OF LIGHTNING GIRL
FAVORITE VOICE (MALE PROTAGONIST):
Mason in THE TRUTH AS TOLD BY MASON BUTTLE and…
Moose Flanagan in AL CAPONE THROWS ME A CURVE
FAVORITE SETTING:
Arizona in 24 HOURS IN NOWHERE
FAVORITE BOOK WITH DIVERSE CHARACTERS:
YOU DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING JILLY P
FAVORITE CHARACTER NAME:
Mason Buttle
FAVORITE OPENING LINE:
It should come as no surprise that the day I almost got my face clawed off by a vicious monster was a Thursday. (From THE LEGEND OF GREG)
FAVORITE COVER and TITLE: 
FAVORITE ENDING:
CHILDREN OF JUBILEE
FUNNIEST READ:
SPUTNICK’S GUIDE TO LIFE ON EARTH
SADDEST READ:
THE GIRL WITH MORE THAN ONE HEART
FAVORITE READ-ALOUD:
JOURNEY OF THE PALE BEAR
FAVORITE ANIMAL CHARACTER:
Argos in ARGOS
and…
Sputnick in SPUTNICK’S GUIDE TO LIFE ON EARTH
FAVORITE CHARACTERS FROM HISTORICAL FICTION:
Bone in BONE’S GIFT
and
Belle in HARDSCRABBLE
FAVORITE FRIENDSHIP:
Robbie Hart and her Grandfather in JUST LIKE JACKIE
CREEPIEST CHARACTER:
Alastor in THE DREADFUL TALE OF PROSPER REDDING
############################
GIVEAWAY!!!! Comment on one of your own favorites (MG or otherwise) for a chance to win a $50 AMAZON Gift Card. I’ll draw the winner on January 6, 2019 (10 PM EST).
############################
This Friday I kick off 2019 in a special way: An interview with Gregory Funaro, author of the popular Odditorium books. We’ll focus on his newest novel for middle graders called WATCH HOLLOW.
Have a safe and happy 2019 full of reading and writing.
Always in the Middle... 
My favorite boy MC was Tris in The Doughnut Fix.
Great list, Greg. My absolute favorite book of the year is a picture book — We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins, but my favorite middle-grade is One True Way by Shannon Hitchcock. Thanks for a year of great posts. Happy New Year.
Can’t wait to give my students Mark Tatulli’s Short and Skinny. Graphic novel memoir from growing up in the 1970s and heavy on Star Wars references! Have a very happy new year!
My favorite female protagonist also has my favorite name in middle grade this year–The Motification of Fovea Munson–and was the most laugh out loud middle grade book too. Thanks for the awesome year in books, Greg! Happy New Year and best wishes for a healthy and happy one for you and yours.
This was a fun post, Greg! I simply cannot choose one favorite MG read of the year, because I read two equally-compelling historical novels — Lauren Volk’s ‘Beyond the Bright Sea’ and Kirby Larson’s ‘Code Word Courage’. These two books caused me to think about their plots and characters and settings for days after I finished reading them . . . actions I feel a good story should spark in readers. Thanks for the chance to win this generous giveaway. Wishing you the best of years in 2019!
I enjoyed Argos also. Lulu The Broadway Mouse was also a favorite.
Thanks for the list and the giveaway–and I look forward to your 2019 posts.
My favorite MG book with a POC MC this year was Aru Shah and the End of Time. Happy to find your blog! (I was on the prowl for MG book blogs.) Thanks for the chance at this giveaway!
I adored Lucy (and her grandma too). My favorite MG book was probably No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen. Felix was such a fabulous character, and it was a thoughtful look at homelessness.
Loved your list. And your cover pick is really gorgeous.
And I really loved Francisco in An Uninterrupted View of the Sky, a story set in Bolivia in 1999. It’s YA.
No need to enter me in your giveaway. I just wanted to say that I love how you did this list. So fun! And that line opening line from The Legend of Greg is especially fantastic.
What a great way to share a list! I haven’t read many of your shares, so I’ll have fun checking some out.
Favorite read: (MG) Riders of the Realm by Jennifer Alvarez; (YA) Recompense Series by Michelle Isenhoff (favorite character Jaclyn Holloway): (PB) A Sone for Sascha by Aaron Becker and All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold. Favorite MG character: Jimmy in Speechless by Adam P. Schmitt (“How do you give a eulogy when you can’t think of one good thing to say?”)
And, thank you Greg for all that you do to make MMGM such a resounding success! I’ve met some really authors/reviewers here. And, you don’t need to include me in your giveaway, because I won one a few years ago.
Happy 2019!
Fantastic list, gave me some new ideas for us to read this year. From your list- Just Like Jackie, outside of that Lulu the Broadway Mouse and Aru Shah were big faves