Several Mind & Media reviewers are currently reading/reviewing the first two books of the Wilderking trilogy, so I thought I’d share some recent news. I found out that Book 1, The Bark of the Bog Owl, has been chosen as one of ten finalists in the Lamplighter Awards. According to the Children’s Crown Awards website:

The mission of the Children’s Gallery, the Children’s Crown, and the Lamplighter Awards is to encourage elementary and junior high students to read wholesome and uplifting books by providing lists each year of the best literature … Books that convey wholesome values, uplifting characters, and edifying themes that inspire children toward positive goals are selected by a committee of readers from participating schools.

Teachers and school librarians encourage students to read books from this list. They’re new books that have all been published within the last two years. When kids read one of these books, they can earn points in the Accelerated Reader program — by taking a specially designed comprehension test. (If you’re not familiar with the AR program, it’s highly competitive for kids throughout the school year. They earn prizes, and teachers display the points up on the wall.) The Lamplighter Award winner and runner-up will be voted on by students this spring, so it will be interesting to see which of these ten books wins.

We caught up with the author, Jonathan Rogers, at CBA Advance in Nashville. He was signing Book 2, The Secret of the Swamp King, and hosting Swampboat Tours around Delta island inside Opryland.

Although I didn’t see them, I heard his wife made feechie costumes for their children to wear, complete with Dobro Turtlebane-approved hairstyles (moss included). The feechies are the tribe of creatures who inhabit the swamps of Corenwald in the Wilderking books — and their way of talkin’ keeps you turning the pages in laughter.

Rogers also showed us an advance copy of his forthcoming Book 3, The Way of the Wilderking, which will be released in May. Rumor has it this book’s the funniest one yet. It’s the final installment in the Wilderking trilogy.

A Mom 2 Mom reader sent me an enthusiastic comment last night after recently reading Book 1 and Book 2:

Great read. I especially love Roger’s insight to David. Book 1…Looking at the whole Goliath situation through the eyes of David gave me fresh ideas for Sunday School. The theme of Book 2 is “grace.” Again, Rogers gives us a good look at what God’s grace truly is. Book 3…I can hardly wait!

So, if you’ve got kids who like fantasy adventure books, you still have time to jump in before the third book comes out in May. They’re published by Broadman & Holman, the same people who give us glorious Beth Moore.