(Juvenile Fiction)

The Wingfeather Saga series is one of my favorite series. It is a bit on the younger side, yes, but it’s enjoyable for all ages! The Wingfeather Saga is by Andrew Peterson for kids in elementary school, and any age above that!

In book one, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby, their grandpa (Podo) and their mother (Nia Igiby) are living their life comfortably (except for the monstrous Fangs controlling their town, of course,) in the country of Skree under the rein of cruel Gnag. When the Fangs begin searching for mysterious Jewels of Anniera, the family must flee their home to safety. This leads to book two, North! Or Be Eaten.

The family is searching for a safe-haven without Fangs hunting them down, and they find their goal: the Northern Ice Prairies. Traveling through the country of Skree, the five of them run into Stranders, toothy cows, trolls, Fangs, and more on their journey. When at last they seem to be on the right track, Janner and Tink (or Kalmar, as he discovers his true name in the end of book 1,) get separated from their family and each other. North! Or Be Eaten is full of suspense, and some of the unsolved mysteries come together to make one big story. After making it to the Northern Ice Prairies, the family makes yet another decision to travel to somewhere safer.

In the third book, The Monster in the Hollows, the Igiby/Wingfeather family sails to the Green Hollows, where Nia grew up as a child. The Hollowsfolk are wary of the refugees, worried that they will lure the Fangs of Dang straight to their currently-clean-of-Fang home. Kalmar experiences hate, confusion, and fear from the Hollowsfolk and feels regret and guilt about choices he made.

Finally, in book four, The Warden and the Wolf King, the Fangs of Dang attack the Green Hollows. Janner and Kalmar sneak into the castle where Gnag rules. They attempt to place the rightful king on the throne, and in the process lose some of the people that they love most.

The book series is good for kids 8+. There is a teeny bit of romance, but in a sweet sense, and it’s very spare. The whole series is about the family running from monsters called Fangs and they often fight too, but it’s not dark or gruesome (since it was written for kids in elementary/early middle school. The books are full of humor and jokes that anybody will laugh at.

Similar to the Chronicles of Narnia, the series is based on Christianity. The characters refer to somebody as “the Maker”, who is a depiction of God. In The Warden and the Wolf King, Kalmar attempts to sacrifice himself for his kingdom, similar to Jesus sacrificing Himself for His kingdom and people (us, ;)). Overall, the books are fantastic for anybody who loves action, humor, and lighthearted books.

(And, here’s a plus: there is a show based on the Wingfeather Saga series! You can watch it on Angel Studios.)