Why Boys Need Faith-Filled Adventure Stories
When my son Andrew hit middle school, his reading list was almost entirely made up of sports books and statistics. He loved numbers, teams, and games—but fiction? Not interested.
As a dad, I longed for him to have the same kind of stories that shaped me because when I was his age, fiction was my lifeline. It sparked my imagination and gave me a passion for reading that eventually grew into writing.
But when I went looking for Christian books for boys, I found almost nothing written specifically for middle-grade readers. The shelves were full of options for girls (which my daughter loved), but for boys? Empty. That’s when the idea hit me: if I couldn’t find a faith-based adventure story for my son, maybe I needed to write one.
The Heart Behind The BUG Boys
It took me longer than I thought it would. Homeschooling through the high school years filled my days, and writing often had to wait. But the idea never left me. I wanted to create a story filled with the kind of adventure middle-grade boys crave—while also pointing them to the truth of who Jesus is.
This age group stands at a crossroads between childhood and the teenage years. They’re starting to figure out who they are, and at the same time, they’re faced with new ideas and influences—some healthy, some not so much. I know how confusing that season can be. I grew up in a home where church was always part of life, but it wasn’t until I was eighteen, when my uncle explained the gospel in a way that finally clicked, that I realized faith wasn’t just about showing up to church. It was about a real relationship with Jesus. That’s the truth I want to share with boys through The BUG Boys.
Where the Name “BUG Boys” Came From
At first, I thought about how much some boys love actual bugs. But then it grew into something deeper. As I created the characters, I drew from one of my favorite genres—biblical historical fiction—and decided to name them after three of the good kings of the Old Testament: David, Hezekiah, and Josiah.
Then came the “aha” moment: BUG could stand for Brothers Under God. The three boys are best friends, like brothers, and their names remind us of men who followed God faithfully.
The BUG Boys may be fictional, but their struggles are real. They mess up. They question things. They don’t always have it figured out. But at the heart of their story is the truth that God is real, He cares about them, and He can use even their adventures to draw them closer to Him.
My Hope for Young Readers
My hope is that these stories will give boys what Andrew didn’t have at the time—Christian adventure books that are exciting, relatable, and rooted in faith. And I pray that as they turn the pages, boys won’t just see themselves in the BUG Boys… they’ll also see the God who made them, loves them, and calls them His own.
📚 If you’re a parent, teacher, or ministry leader looking for faith-based fiction for middle-grade boys, I’d love for you to follow along as I share more about the journey of creating The BUG Boys and what’s ahead.
