Hey guys! Welcome back to Blonde Girl Writing!
Today I wanted to talk about some of my favorite Christian fiction books for ages ten and up. As many Christians know, it can be so hard to find good books with Christian elements. Some are preachy. Others are hard to understand. And many are annoying and cheesy.
But this is my list of books in the Christian fiction genre that I have read and enjoyed. So let’s jump right in so you can start reading!
~ Fawkes, Nadine Brandes ~ Recommended for 14+
I have to start with Fawkes because it’s my favorite Christian fiction stand-alone book that I have ever read to date. The way that Nadine Brandes wrote White Light (a.k.a God) was amazing and at the same time hilarious.
Fawkes is about the son of Guy Fawkes, Thomas, and his involvement in the Gunpowder Plot to rid England of the Igniter King. It’s based on real historical events but with a magical twist and some of Nadine’s own characters and elements.
People in this version of England can bond with colors through special masks to use color-powers. These include colors of the rainbow and brown, grey, and black. People can also bond with white, but Igniters find it tempting and dangerous since it encourages bonding with all colors instead of one. Most Keepers bond with white because they believe all people can bond with any color they’d like, rather than just one for the rest of their lives.
There’s also a plague that literally turns people to stone. Thomas, the main character, has the stone plague, and most of the story revolves around his want to rid himself of it.
I would highly recommend Fawkes if you enjoy fantasy, romance, truth, God, and justice prevailing over wrong.
~ A Time To Die, Nadine Brandes ~ Recommended for 14+
I promise this whole list won’t be Nadine Brandes! Just that two of my favorite Christian Fiction books happen to be written by her : )
A Time To Die really resonated with me because the main character, Parvin, struggles with bringing meaning into her life when she only has a year left to live. I want my life to have meaning, so A Time To Die challenged me to go out there and do something while I still have time.
This story is more of a dystopian book, in the United States of the East where every inhabitant is linked to a clock at conception that counts down the amount of time you have to live. Those who don’t have clocks are named “unregistered radicals” and are forced to the West side of the wall, where most die.
Parvin illegally shares a clock with her twin brother, and when she is found out, claims the clock is her brother’s so she’ll be sent over the wall instead of him. She believes she can make a difference with the short time she has left.
On the other side of the wall, though, she finds something more than certain death—danger, yes, but also purpose, love, hope, and a quest for shalom that defines her whole life.
This book is intense and action-packed, and many of the deaths literally left me crying, but it’s so worth it!
~ The Sunlit Lands Trilogy by Matt Mikalatos ~ Recommended 12+
I have a feeling not a lot of people have read this trilogy, or even heard of it, but I bought it from my church’s bookstore and haven’t looked back since.
The Sunlit Lands challenged me, at least in one way, because as a middle-class white girl, I have no idea what those of other ethnicities (such as Black, Islander, Chinese, or Native American) go through. I don’t understand their history and what challenges they face today. So being confronted with an honest view by Matt Mikalatos was tough, but needed.
Although this trilogy isn’t blatantly Christian, its allegorical elements were beautiful. I wasn’t really sure about them at first, but I grew to love them because it means you have to dig a little and not just surface-read the books.
As for what the books are about, basically, two kids, Madeline and Jason (a.k.a. Wu Song) are brought to the Sunlit Lands, which are run by the Elenils, and decide to serve the Elenils for one year in exchange for something they need. Madeline was dying from a lung disease, so she needed breath, whereas Jason just wanted a chocolate pudding cup each morning for the rest of his life.
As Madeline and Jason explore the Sunlit Lands and meet other humans in service to the Elenils like them, they discover that pretty much nothing is as it seems, and that the Sunlit Lands are not as utopian as they were led to believe.
Obviously, I can’t tell you much about the other two books, but this is the basic gist of the whole series. The only thing you can do to figure out what happens is to read them on your own! (Or look them up on Goodreads, I guess.)
Anyway, if you like magic, adventure, surprises, and allegorical Christian elements, The Sunlit Lands is for you!
~ The Wingfeather Saga, by Andrew Peterson ~ Recommended 10+ with adult, 12+ without
This series is seriously my favorite Christian fiction one ever! Andrew Peterson is amazing at creating complex characters, unique worlds, and plot twists that you’ll never see coming.
The Wingfeather Saga follows the Igiby family as they are chased down by the Fangs of Dang for hiding the Jewels of Anniera from the maniacal villain Gnag the Nameless. There’s Janner, the oldest, gifted in writing; Tink, the middle child, gifting in drawing with a thirst for adventure; and Leeli, the youngest, gifting in song and crippled by a twisted leg.
I love this story because even among the darkest spots, hope is always there. Familial love is a big theme, as is protecting those you love and forgiving even when it’s hard.
Although I can’t say much without giving things away, I will say that The Wingfeather Saga is well-written, funny, deep, and thoughtful as it spins a story of hope, love, forgiveness, healing, and adventure.
I also highly recommend Wingfeather Tales, Pembrick’s Creaturepedia, and A Ranger’s Guide to Glipwood Forest by the same author.
~ The Prince Warriors Series, by Priscilla Shirer ~ Recommended 10+
Although this series is for a bit younger readers, I enjoy how Priscilla Shirer writes the world of Ahoratos to mirror Earth and yet showcase spiritual elements that we can’t readily see on Earth.
The Prince Warriors has a few different main characters: Xavier and Evan, brothers; Manuel; Ivy; and Brianna and Levi, who are good friends. The books are in the third-person and switch between all of their different perspectives, and is quite well done.
The world of Ahoratos has the light side—Ruwach, the Source, and the Sparks—and the dark side—Poneros, the Forgers, and the Ents. This mirrors, of course, Heaven with Jesus, God, and His angels; and hell, with satan and his demons. The Prince Warriors are trained to trust in Ruwach and the power of their armor (modeled after the Armor of God) to fight off evil and all of his lies.
The Prince Warriors (and the fourth book under the title of The Winter War) is a fantastic adventure series for those ten and up, and one I highly recommend if you’re willing to overlook a bit of simplicity to see the larger story and theme beyond.
~ The Eternity Gate, by Katherine Briggs ~ Recommended 14+
Katherine Briggs is a lesser-known Christian author, but her book The Eternity Gate is such a gem! I can’t wait for the second book (which you can preorder now on Amazon)!
The main character, Seyo, felt so relatable because she was human—unsure of herself, feels worthless sometimes, things like that. Her wrestling with the idea of the Eternity Gate (should I open it and possibly bring judgment upon my people, or destroy the key and any hopes of saving the world from war?) was a big part of the story and shows how she struggles with making the right choice. The other characters were also fantastic!
The world-building was unique, and this fantasy adventure was placed in a fictional world with several different peoples, all with their unique gifts from God (most of whom twisted it or gave it away) and languages. This diversity was beautiful!
Finally, the portrayal of God was right on the dot and honestly showed how many sects of people “believed” in Him but also had their preconceptions and beliefs about Him that weren’t true.
The Eternity Gate brings fantastical worldbuilding, true characters, the theme of making the right choice and battling worthlessness, and adventure into a story that will have you turning pages late into the night.
Well, here’s my list of Christian fiction gems for kids ten and up! I hope you enjoyed and found your next read : )
Don’t forget to look these books up on Goodreads if you’d like more information and reviews from other readers!
Best wishes,
Jonah
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