Jaclyn’s Review: Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Among the Hidden (Shadow Children #1)
written by Margaret Peterson Haddix
published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1998

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Did I enjoy this book? My son is reading this book in Language Arts in school this year (5th grade), so I decided to read it as well. I wanted to be able to discuss the story with him and provide relevant feedback on any of his homework assignments. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story! This is a dystopian story in which families are only allowed to have two children, but our main character is an illegal third child. I thought the author did a fantastic job of telling this story at a middle grade reading level while incorporating all the relevant details to show that this isn’t just a “kid’s book.”

Would I recommend it? Honestly, I would not recommend this to an adult to read–it really is a middle grade book. However, if you are looking for a book for a middle grade child, this is a great story! This is the first book in a series (I have not yet read any of the subsequent books), so be prepared to read a series if you start this one!
 

 
About the book – from Goodreads: In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke, an illegal third child, has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family’s farm in this start to the Shadow Children series from Margaret Peterson Haddix.

Luke has never been to school. He’s never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend’s house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend.

Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He’s lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family’s farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside.

Then, one day Luke sees a girl’s face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he’s met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows — does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?
 

 
 

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** This post first appeared on Every Free Chance Books (everyfreechance.com) on January 8, 2021.