Among the Hidden (Shadow Children Book 1)

Anyone who has spent time around middle grade books, whether library or book fairs, has probably seen Haddix books. Margaret Peterson Haddix is a prolific author of MG fiction. Among the Hidden is the first book of hers I have read. I selected it particularly because of its premise: due to severe overpopulation, the government has passed laws that allow couples to have only two children. Disobedience is punished by death. Luke is a third child, a shadow child. He can't go outside, have friends, or even sit at the table with his family for dinner. It's not much of a life until he meets another shadow child.

I enjoyed Haddix's first novel in this series and plan to read the rest. They are short books (this one was 153 pages), so for a reading enthusiast like me, it's almost a short story.

Theology: Government is God

Among the Hidden is a secular novel. As such, there is no mention of God. Like most dystopian fiction, the government plays the role of God, deciding what's best for the population. Of course, like any human endeavor, it is prone to corruption by those who crave power.

Rating: PG

The book is clean - no sex, drugs, rock n' roll. The PG rating is based purely on the somewhat mature content/premise of the book.

Social Issues:

Based on China's One Child policy (I assume), Among the Hidden explores government sanctions and the price of disobeying them. Fear of discovery. Children being hidden away because the alternative is death. An underground movement. Conspiracy. Cover ups. Propaganda.

In the book Among The Hidden its about a 12 year old boy named Luke and is a shadow child. A shadow child is a third child in a family and that's illegal. Luke can never go outside again since they took the woods away and they have filled it up with houses. Luke thinks he sees another shadow child one day out his window. Luke finally gains the confidence to run to the other house, their neighbors, the Talbots and finds another shadow child named Jen who is a girl. Jen teaches Luke all about the outside world since she's been outside. Jen tells Luke about her plan of creating her rally to stop the population police so shadow child's will not be illegal anymore but Luke says no to her plan because he's afraid. Jen goes with out her but Jen and all the other shadow child's get shot at and die. Luke, being so miserable after this decides to get a fake I.D from Mr. Talbot and leaves his family and now Luke's fake I.D's name is Lee Grant and now lives in Hendricks school for boys.

Please understand that all my reviews focus on the interests of my middle school students.

With so many reviews written about this book/series, I hesitated to add another, not knowing how I could be helpful to anyone. So I will skip any plot synopsis, comments on style, or any other grown-up kind of thing. My comments focus on the entire series and reveal what my students over the last six years have had to say.

In my class library, I have the "Top Ten" shelf, where books/series are arranged according to their popularity (based on the number of check-outs) over the last three years. The Shadow Children series has never dropped below fourth. One year, I had an entire Honors class read the first book; the cause was word-of-mouth among the kids. Only one student in that class did not finish the series. Every year, and I mean that literally, it is a joy to see several new kids discover the books. They are genuinely excited to progress through the series. My point is, it is the rare middle school kid who will not like the books.

So, if you are a middle school kid, grab the book. I'm pretty sure you will like it. I'm so sure that I wrote this on Christmas day after I finally wrapped the boxed series for my twelve year old nephew.

"Among the Hidden" is a unique concept for a book aimed at young readers since it contains some pretty mature themes and situations. Yet while it may not be for some younger readers, it is a compelling book that raises some very eerie and serious questions. Reminiscent of other futuristic works that involve a totalitarian American government, "Among the Hidden" paints a very bleak picture of what a possible future could hold.

Luke Garner is not supposed to exist. He is a third child when families are forced to follow the Population Law and not have more than two children. His life has been spent in relative secrecy, with no one knowing of his existence except his immediate family. Yet when the woods around his farm are destroyed to make way for a housing project, Luke finds his existence becoming even more restricted than ever, his days spent cooped up in his attic bedroom. One day he notices the face of a child at a window in one of the new houses when nobody is supposed to be home. Luke eventually builds up his courage to meet this neighbor, knowing that she must be a "shadow child" as well. Jen opens Luke's eyes to what is really going on in the world, but her optimism in changing the Population Law may not be enough to convince Luke.

Margaret Peterson Haddix has crafted a very believable world, populated by the Barons (the rich who have only gotten richer since the Population Law was enacted) and the families, like Luke's, who struggle to make ends meet - especially when they have a shadow child to clothe and feed. Elements of Luke's life in hiding, the rationing of supplies, and the enigmatic control of the government are reminisicent of WWII, and may be too mature for some younger readers. While much of "Among the Hidden" may seem bleak, Haddix does offer hope at the end that perhaps things can change for the shadow children.

Among the Hidden is a book that I've been meaning to read for almost 20 years. And yes, that makes me feel very, very old.

In another classic YA dystopian novel, Haddix does what she does best: creates a world that is similar to our current reality, but with a twist. In this case, Among the Hidden follows Luke, a third child that has spent his entire life in hiding. His parents broke a government population control act to have him, and to keep him safe, he has no identity. He doesn't go to school, and has never seen another human other than his immediate family members.

His farming family lives in constant struggle to survive, as the nation fights to overcome famine and food shortages that necessitated the population cap 15 years ago. Their meager existance is further threatened by a new government-mandated housing development that goes up next to Luke's family farm, putting him at an even higher risk of discovery. He can no longer go outside, go into rooms with windows or even eat meals at the table with his family. However, these new neighbors also unexpectedly open the door to a new view of the world for Luke. Because he soon discovers by watching his neighbors' windows that he is not the only shadow child in town....

I loved this book and can't wait to share it with my kids in a few years. The writing is excellent, building tension at an appropriate age level and insinuating violence rather than making it blatant. At only 150 pages, it's a very fast read that is intended for young adults, but that adult readers of dystopian literature should greatly enjoy. There's a lot of food for thought contained in this slim volume. My only regret is that I waited so long to read it. I look forward to exploring the other four books of the series in the near future.

My daughter asked for this for her 11th birthday, and since she is otherwise into easy historical fiction (as well as rick Riordan, Harry Potter etc) I was surprised, and had to read it myself. Definitely a page turner, words not too complex, kid friendly language and sentence structure, plot fairly simple (no mysteries or subplots here)but grabs you just the same. It is a good book not just because it is a page turner but more importantly because it raises interesting, important issues at exactly the right level for a middle schooler. Other reviewers object to giving their children a book about children who have to live in hiding from a totalitarian government, which will execute them if they are discovered. I say, our kids are probably going to read Diary of Anne Frank in middle school, soon, and Among the Hidden is an excellent, less scarey way to introduce the topic, since it is, after all, fiction. The less-than-happy ending is appropriate for 11 years old and up, and works as a bit of a cliffhanger for the next in the series. I have only read the next two but they are also right on.
I only gave it 4 stars as there are some oversimplifications of human behavior a grownup might notice but not a kid, and the plot is really very simple. Read it anyway.

What would happen if the Government only allowed families no more than two children? What would happen if families found a way around only having two children and had three . . . maybe four? This is the premise of Haddix's first book in her highly popular Shadow Children series.

Luke Garner is a third child. He has two older brothers, Matthew and Mark. Because they were born first and Luke was born illegally, Luke spends his days in hiding. He reads books he's already read a hundred times. He eats supper out of sight from his family for his protection. He's 12 years old and he's only met 4 people in his lifetime. It appears as if his life will never change, wasting away in his family's attic, until the day he makes a startling discovery in his neighborhood. He notices a face in the window of an "empty" house where 4 people already live. Another "third" child!

Haddix tackles some really big issues and raises some interesting questions, as well as creating a very different, yet realistic future. Some of the questions she brings forward, some of them the reader can't help but think. (Why would a family even want a third child if they just have to hide them away and make their life miserable?) She does her best to tackle these issues, however I think her concept may be too "big" for a book like this.

It's a quick read aimed at youths and teens. We see the world through Luke's eyes and since he's the most sheltered individual on the face of the planet, as funny as it can be, the early stages of the book tend to drag on. But once he builds up the courage to finally meet Jen Talbot (just as interesting and amazing as Luke in her own way), the book picks up the pace and doesn't let go.

I read this aloud to my class of 5th graders and they became instantly hooked. It's no wonder these books are as popular as they are. Even though I found myself getting board at times, my class loved it and this eventually added to my overall enjoyment of the book. And while I think Haddix has chosen an audience that will seriously limit the depth she could bring to this topic, I do commend her on creating a very original book and an overall exciting read.

Among the Hidden pulls off a unique trick. It manages to be interesting in spite of the fact that this idea--the forbidden third child in a world overrun by overpopulation under a totalitarian state--has been used numerous times by other authors. Our hero, third child Luke, is very believable, and Haddix wastes very few words in establishing the dreariness of his existence. We're there in the first few pages. Even when it seems like not a lot is happening in the way of story action, there's a growing sense of dread that progressively ratchets up, until Luke sees that shadow in the distance that changes everything ...

This is a great read for those who enjoy the increasingly popular genre of dystopian fiction--and also a worthy recommendation for kids who are reluctant to read. It's short, to-the-point, creative and quietly disturbing.

It's mildly interesting. Not bad in and of itself, but I enjoyed "The Declaration" by Gemma Malley better. It's pretty stereotypical of the "population problem" approach to dystopian literature and the characters aren't terribly exciting. I'm mildly curious to see where she's going with the series and might read the next one to see if it picks up.

AMONG THE HIDDEN (Shadow Children #1) is a very strong start to a series that looks to have tons of potential. Truly a clean and suspenseful book for readers of all ages.

Luke is 12 and a secret child, a 3rd child hidden away from the outside world, because his very existence is forbidden. In this future society where the government has put a limit on families of a two child maximum, the danger of being caught and shot on sight by the Population Police is a very real thing. Luke's quite life, hidden in the attic of his family's farm house suddenly become very exciting, when he discovers another "shadow child" has moved into the newly built neighboring house. Now he must decide to risk it all to have a friend or live out the rest of his day's tucked away, content to just be alive at all.

What a great concept Haddix has come up with here. And although I know this series was written with a much younger reader in mind, I didn't find it to be dumb down at all; on the contrary, the writing, although an "easy" read, was quite mature. AMONG THE HIDDEN is a wonderful thrilling read that is sure to get your blood pumping and your emotions running high.. In fact, it would make for a great movie concept.

My 12 year-old daughter loved it. She asked to write a review for this book and her review is below:

"I heard this series was really good so I bought the entire series. Definitely worth it! The series is amazing. The book goes into the plot so fast. After I read this I quickly went threw the rest. The books in the series are very small and the author could've added more content to it. Perhaps it could be that I'm used to more pages in a book. The entire story has very sad parts but at the same time the story was happy.

This author always has an interesting view on things. Her book "running out of time" was a great story which I read back in grade school. When the suspense/horror film "the Village" came out I wondered if she got any credit for coming up with the idea first.

In this, "Among the Hidden," I felt like the outline of the book was good, but the story itself felt unfinished. The idea of a government creating a law against more than two children is real - in the example of China and the one child law. I wanted to see what this author could do with an idea that isn't science fiction any more.

Luke, a "shadow child" - an illegal third child, is a strange character because we just have to take for granted that he could live for twelve years completely hidden from everyone else outside his family. He lives completely separated from the rest of the world and when houses begin being built close to his home he spends almost a year without ever leaving his home or his attic room. That in itself is hard to believe. Throw in the strange hierarchy of rich "Barons" and poor farmers; the world seems too unbalanced to have lasted so long. After finishing it, I felt that "Among the Hidden" needed more flesh to make the story believable. The whole book felt like it was just the beginning of a good idea.
Luckily, it is just the first in a series of books about these so-called Shadow Children. I have not yet read any others, but I hope they do make the world more believable.
Read this if you are a fan of this author or a fan of YA dystopias.

Interesting near future tale where the government has limited the amount of children that families have to two. Luke is the third of three children who has been "hidden" from birth because if the government finds out that he exists, they will kill him. Luke has never left the farmhouse grounds where he was born. Little by little, the land around the house becomes cleared for building new houses and it reaches a point where Luke can no longer leave the house, for fear of being spotted.

One day Luke is watching the house next door from a vent in his attic and notes that after the family leaves in the morning, there is still someone there. Little by little, Luke figures out that this someone must also be a third child that must remain hidden from society.

Luke ponders this for days until he decides to sneak over there and find out who is there. Luke's hunch is right for there is a girl (Jen) about Luke's age, who must always be in hiding too. Luke befriends the girl and finds out that her family is with the government so she may have ways of avoiding the "population police" and has actually been out on occasion.

Jen is Internet savvy and starts teaching Luke about the world he has never known. Jen and a bunch of her "hidden" friends from the Internet are plotting to be the population law overturned so she can come out into the open and lead a normal life.

The book is reminiscent of The Diary of Anne Frank and other such books where Jewish people were hidden in friends' homes away from the eyes of the murdering Nazis. It is a frightening tale that will make you stop and think because it could happen here.

A very fast read; the book is listed for young adults, however it can be enjoyed by anyone.

I got this my 11th Christmas, and it looked weird so I didn't read it. I love books, and I have to finish without stopping once I start. But this book looked boring. One day I had nothing else to do, so I read it. It was so good! It was a little bit slow at first, but it got better and better. Now that it's been 4 years I've reread it over and over again.

Luke Garner, the main character lives in a place where a population law has been passed - parents can't have any more than 2 children. If the government finds out that you have more than 2 children, there will be a severe punishment. Luke is an illegal third child. So he's had to live in hiding all of his life. His parents disobeyed once by having him and are determined not to do anything unlawful again. The farm they live on is covered by woods, but when it's all cut down for houses, Luke has to live in the attic. One day he sees a face look out of a window of one of the new houses where the family of four has already left for the day. Luke can't decide whether to go and see if another illegal third child lives there. If he stays in the attic, he'll be safe. But does he want to be coopde up in the attic for the rest of his life? I don't want to give away the end, but you relate to the main character really well. The first book is good because it's the start of Luke coming out of his shell. He isn't all of the sudden brave and heroic in the first book, it comes gradually through the books and so it's more realistic. I like how you can't tell where/when it takes place. This author is very creative. There are lots of twists and turns! Lots of suspense!

It is hard to believe Among the Hidden was written in 1998 since tones of this book are politically current. Well written, it is an easy read about a likable 12 year old boy who was born third in his family. The problem is that it is illegal to have more than 2 children in a household. Futuristic yet believable, I am reminded of some of Margaret Atwood's work. The story has adventure, suspense, friendship, trust, and a reason to hope. I am looking forward to reading more of this series.

Among The Hidden
Among The Hidden was one of the best books I have ever read. Luke, the main character, is a third child and is against the population law that has been around for years and years. He meets another third child named Jen. This brave ten- year-old girl is teaching Luke the majority of what she already knows. To find out what happens next, you will have to read the book. Also, this book is probably the only book that I have read twice. Among The Hidden is filled with action and excitement. You should read this book because once you do, you will not even think about regretting it. Adding on, no matter how many times you read it, you will always find something new and interesting in all different parts of the book that you missed the first or second time. You will enjoy reading this fun filled, exciting book over and over again, no matter how many times you may choose to read it. Another reason that you should read this book is because the minute you start to read this book, it is like you are putting yourself right in the middle of the story. It feels so real. The best thing about the book is that you will never know what is going to happen next in the story even if you read it more than once. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars because it is filled with detail and interesting parts that you can't get away from. Another thing is that it is filled with suspense. Also, once you start to read it, you can never seem to be able to put it down, even if you really want to. I hope you enjoy reading this book.
By: Natasha S.

Shadow Child. Population Police. Hidden. Secret. All normal words to Luke, an illegal third child living in secret in the near future.
It has finally happened. The world can not support itself as more and more babies are born everyday, adding to the ever-increasing popluation. So the government made a law: You may only have two children, one of the many ways they control your life.
But what happens if you have MORE? What is life like for these "Shadow Children," hidden in the house, living life in constant fear that they will be discovered . . . and disposed of. Among the Hidden tells the story of Luke, who lives this life, and how his small step to show the world of the unfairness of this law changes his life, and the lives of those around him, forever.
Luke enjoyed spying on the people of the housing deveopment next to his farm. Their coming restricted him from playing outside, so he had watched, first with anger, then with interest, the families moving in. He gave them names, activities, lives. But his spying uncovered a secret. For inside the house of the sports boys, he saw a young girl, peeking out the closed blinds of a darkened room. She was doing as he was. She was like him: a child in hiding. Taking a great risk, Luke went to meet her, and discovered her amazing plan: To hold a rally to bring forth awareness and hopefully acceptance of the Shadow Children. But Luke's strange world soon gets a horrible shock, forcing him to make the hardest decision of his life.

The book among the hidden. This book was about a third child named Luke. Since Luke was a third child he head to hide in his attic. One day he looked out this pipe out in his attic. He saw that he had new people moving in to his neighborhood. One day when all the families left to go to school and to go to work he saw someone moving around there house and new it was another a third child. So Luke decided to go over there and check it out. He was scared to go over there because he thought that he was going to get caught. Once he got over there he saw a girl typing on the computer. He found out that her name was Jen. They became good friends. Jen was also a third child, and she wanted to do something about the third child law. She wanted to start a rally so they could be free. When she got it all started up she wanted Luke to go with her, but Luke didn't want to go. It was a couple of days after the rally when Luke went over to her house. He broke into her house and turned of her alarm system. He went running around in the house and couldn't find her. He got on the computer and got into the chat room. And nobody was in there. Then her dad came home and told Luke that she had gotten shot at the rally. And that since he got onto the computer he had to go and get a fake identity, so the population police wouldn't find him.

I liked this book because it was filled with a lot of action. I liked how he had to run across her yard to get to her house, while trying not to get caught.

I didn't like how he didn't go to the rally. I also didn't like hoe Jen died at the rally.

I would recommend this book to someone who like book where people want to take risk. They would really like this book.

This book is one of the best book I have ever read. I recommend this book to kids eight and older. It's kinda harsh for littler kids. Here's what the book is about.

Luke is a third child. O.K.......what's the big deal? Where Luke lives, thirds are illegal. Luke spends 12 year up in his parents attic. Alone.

One day, Luke sees a face. A child's face. In a baron's house. Where two other children live. Two boys. But, Luke was sure the face was a girl's.

He decides to find out who that was. He was risking his life just to run from house to house. He made it. He meets another third child there and becomes friends with her. Her name is Jen. Jen is brave. Braver than Luke. Much stronger. She is going to run a rally. Against the population law.

Read " Among the Hidden (Shadow Children)" to find out
more!
Thanks for reading my review!

12-year-old Luke has spent his entire life hidden from the outside world. He is a third child . . . a "shadow" child. To combat a food shortage problem, the government permits families to have a maximum of two children. If Luke is discovered by the "population police," his family would face severe penalties and who knows what would happen to Luke--perhaps death. When Luke discovers that there are other shadow children, he has to decide whether to risk being seen and join in their fight for freedom or to remain safely hidden.

Fast-moving, easy-read book with some complicated, thought-provoking themes. Recommended for 5th grade and up. Teens and adults will enjoy this too. This would be a great choice for classroom reading as it would lead to some good discussion.
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My daughter and I read this book together. She is 10 and tends to be pretty mature in her thoughts, so I felt it was safe. This book isn't like a regular children's book with small problems that are solved and everything ends happily ever after. It is very thought provoking and it doesn't end on an especially happy note (hopeful, but not happy). My daughter and I really enjoyed the book, but we also spent a lot of time talking about "what ifs" and how we felt about what was going on and how the characters behaved. If your children cannot cope with difficult ideas or issues, this is not a book for them. My daughter picked up on the fact that two of her best friends would be illegal children if the ideas in the book were in place right now. I think that any children reading this book should have guidence from their parents about some of the ideas and events and what is realistic and what is not as likely. It is also a good idea to read it through yourself before deciding if your child is emotionaly ready for a book with this type of dark intensity. That being said, we both really enjoyed the book and the expirence of reading it together. My daughter had a hard time putting it down and is looking forward to finishing all of the books in the series.

We loved the book:crazy interesting awesome book that gives you chills.In among the hidden parents are not aloud to have more than 2 kids.Luke garner is a 12 year old, third child. He is not aloud to go outside,or to see other people.When everyone was gone Luke saw someone in the sports family house.So the next day Luke counted all the people before he could go over there.Our group liked this book because it is a mystery and at the end of a chapter it leaves us at a cliffhanger.It makes us want to read more.
Dani, Landry, Colton, Kyan

I thought Among the Hidden was a good book because it was scary and a very Heart-warming story!
Donovan

This is an incredible story because this is something that could happen but didn't .Even though Luke has to hide he has hope that one day he can go out and play with his brothers.I think Luke wants to figure out why he has to hide. The author left us hanging at the end of chapter to make us want to read more.
Elizabeth,and Jacey

This story is set in the future, in a time when parents are only allowed to have two children. Breaking this law means heavy punishment, possibly even death. Luke's parents had him illegally; he has two older brothers. Their family needs to be extremely careful, but it was never too difficult. They had woods in their backyard, so it was safe for Luke to spend time out there, and he had his bedroom in the windowless attic of their house. During the day his family kept their shades closed so he could wander around the house without being seen, even if someone walked or drove by.

Then one day the woods are cut down and new houses built there, within sight of Luke's house. All of a sudden Luke has to go into serious hiding, spending all of his time up in his attic, looking out of the tilted vent holes at the people in the other houses going about their lives. He is alone much of the time while his parents are both working and his older brothers are both at school. While looking out of his vent one day, he sees the face of a girl in one of his neighbor's windows where he knows two boys live. Luke realizes that he is not alone in hiding, and he risks crossing his yard to meet the illegal girl in this house. She is connected to the internet and is talking to other third children, organizing a rally to win support and recognition from the government. She and Luke become friends, and when the time comes for her rally, Luke has to decide whether to go and leave his safe home or not.

I liked the contrast between Luke and Jen, which showed how children's personalities might be shaped by the ways in which they are raised. I didn't like that there was no explanation about how the country got to the point where there was such strict population regulation, though. I would have liked some background into the chain of events that would cause a society to spin so far out of control that they would kill people who violated such a law.

I love Margaret Peterson Haddix's books for one main reason, she presents topics and situations that really get kids thinking. Her books are well written and provide an excellent springboard for classroom or small group discussions not just about the book but the subject matter. With this book as with the whole series, the topic was population control. It has kids thinking not only is this possible but what would they do in that situation? Excellent discusses were going on across my classroom about the pros and cons of population. To me this (along with her other books) is a must have book for all classroom libraries.

I read this book recently because I thought the subject matter sounded interesting: A young boy, the third child, living in the shadows under the rhelm of a totalitarian government that forbids more than two children.

I found the subject matter of the book very intriguing, about how government has seized control of the citizens and their lives, and how far it will go to maintain control over them. The loss of freedom, the suspicion, the control over every aspect of their lives is a disturbing concept.

The series of books is clearly intended for young people, but very young children may have difficulty understanding the concept of loss of control of citizens' own lives, but older students and adults should find the book very thought provoking. There are some areas that drag a bit, but overall this is a good book that everyone should read.

What if having a third child was illegal? What if you were a third child – living a life hidden inside your own home – with only your parents and siblings to talk to? I had heard about Among the Hidden from the students at my school, where the 6th grade students read it in class. It is easy to see why it gets them so hooked! It is a great tight story, the main character is 12 years old living in fear of the Population Police, the chapters are brief, and each chapter ends with a suspenseful moment that keeps them reading. The simple “what if”s are easy to comprehend… Even after the book is over, students come to the library looking for other books in the series, and I happily supply them! Great for reluctant readers!

when i first read this book, i was hooked onto it right away. the plot was fast-paced and thrilling, my favorite. in fact, i treated the charactors like they were REAL. and that i was there with them. i'd try to catch my breath when luke would run, laughed with them, and even came up with a number of ways to prove that jen had lived.

i'm just upset with the people that say this book shouldn't be for 9 or 10 year olds. i read it when I was 9 and didn't bother me. i get why you're saying that there's some violance, which is true, but saying that a kid that reads Dickens can't hadle it? I DON'T THINK SO!

anyway, it was a great book. you should it no matter what!

Taking place in the future, the government has issued a law that couples can only have two children. But families like Luke's, who is a third child, have decided not to follow the law. Because he is illegal, Luke has hidden all his life. Distant family members don't know he even exists. He has never been to school or met children other than his brothers.

All that changes when a new family moves in next door. Luke notices that when every one in that family leaves, there is a face in the window, and he wonders if they have a hidden child just like him.

I loved this book. It reminds me a little of The Gift by Lois Lowery. It was thrilling, and I never knew what was going to happen next. The way it grabs you and hooks you in by the end, you just have to read the others in the series to see what happens.

Haddix has developed and written a series of books without vampires and wizards. In this series, Luke is the third child in his family. He has two older brother, Matthew and Mark. They are legal because families are only allowed two with the government's strict population laws. Anyway, Luke hides in the shadows and away from society.

This book introduces us to Luke's world where he's protected and hidden from it. If he's found, he will be killed. But when the government clears the farmland and builds houses for the "Barons" who are more privileged but still must follow population laws. He finds out he's not alone. He discovers that there are others out there just like him.

This book introduces Luke to the outside world slowly through Jennifer Talbot, the daughter and fellow shadow child of a Barons family. She's hidden away but not entirely. Her father has connections. Through his relationship with Jennifer, he begins to understand their situation. Jennifer is truly the rebellious one willing to risk it all in the name of freedom and the right to exist as herself.

This book and series is addictive and is worth reading even for adults. It's well-written and easy to read but it's adventurous, challening, and thought-provoking about a society under totaltarian rule. This series reminds me of the Orwellian's novel, 1984, but much better and easier to read and understand. It should be made into a film or a television series!

Among the Hidden is the first book of this series. Luke is a 13 year old boy. Luke does not have an average life. You see, Luke is the third child in his family and at that time three children are illegal so Luke is forced to hide in the attic. One day Luke sees a girl in a window at the neighbor's house. Luke knows that that family already has to kids so she must be another third child. Luke gets involved with the girl and this leads him to a whole new adventure.

What I liked about this book is it had a lot of suspense and it always kept you wondering what would happen to Luke. I think to really enjoy the book you would have to read the whole series. Someone who read the book said that all the books come together to form one book so you can't just read one.

I would recommend this book to boys and girls. It is just an overall good book.

Officially, Luke Garner doesn't exist. Unofficially, he does, but families aren't allowed any more than two children, so the third Garner son is confined mostly to the attic. However, one day he spots a face in the neighbour's window, and Jen Talbot is planning a revolution. Well, at least a rally for Shadow Children to go public with their struggle and challenge the Population Law. Luke hates his lifestyle, yet is resigned to it, but perhaps the charismatic Jen can bring him out of his shell.

Written for middle-grade readers, this is also thought-provoking for adults. The story's quite bland until Jen enters the picture, but then it's all systems go. There are several more books that follow in this series, which may appeal to fans of Gemma Malley's novels.

Twelve-year old Luke Garner spends most of his time in hiding because he is an illegal person. Having given birth to two children, his mother had to be sterilized and was not allowed to have additional children. She becomes pregnant anyway and is happy to welcome another child. But due to the Population Law, Luke has to remain hidden at all times rather than risk the consequences of his mother's defiance. Eventually, he meets another "third." Unwilling to live her life in hiding, she forms a network of Shadow Children and rallies them to make a change. Things go awry and Luke is forced to make a big decision about his future. Among the Hidden is a simple but interesting story about the consequences of big government gone bad. Better: The Giver by Lois Lowery and 1984 by George Orwell.

This is a book about a young boy, Luke, who is a 3rd child. What that means is that he is his parents 3rd kid, in a world where 3rd children are not allowed. He has lived in hiding for his entire life. No one outside of his immediate family even knows that he exists. He's never met any other children besides his 2 older brothers, never been to school, never gone to a store. He's never even watched tv or used a computer, because the government has claimed that they can discover and track 3rd children through phones, tv and computers. Then one day, amazingly enough, Luke meets another 3rd child, and his entire world begins to change.

This is a series that was written for younger readers, but I enjoyed it thoroughly! Luke and his life just seemed to grab my attention, and I just wanted to find out what would happen. They are really quick reads for an adult, but well worth it.

This book was a GREAT read! The plot is unique and refreshing. There are so many ideas that the authors establishes in the book that will get you thinking and question the morals of big government. The scary thing is that there is a reality to this book and you wonder what you would do if this ever did happen.

I'd suggest you'd invest in the entire set. This book leaves you hanging, and you are ready for the next book. I'd also recommend this book for 12+ year olds. Although a 10 year old may be able to read and understand this book, it deals with concepts that should wait until children are more mature. This book makes for wonderful discussion on the concepts. I'd recommend this for a middle school teachers reading assignment.

Great, great book!

Among the Hidden is a great book. Among the Hidden is a book about a kid named Luke. Luke is a shadow kid, a shadow kid is a third kid which your not allowed to have a third child cause its again'st the Population Police. Luke lives in the attic. Luke has vents in his attic which lets hem bearly see outside, one day he counted everyone leave cause he knew how many people lived in his neighboor hood, and he knew he was sure he counted everyone than something moved, "THE CURTAIN" moved Luke knew something had moved in his neighboors house. Then one day Luke went to see what it was that moved, it was a third child. Her name was Jen. When Luke got to know Jen better, a whole new world opened to Luke. Read the book Among the Hidden to find out what happens with Jen & Luke!

Let me just say that YA is not my thing, and I loved this book!

For a quick read this book was very thought provoking. My heart ached this family, but especially for Luke. Luke is a third child in a world where having three children is illegal, punishable by death and fines for the parents. As I read this well written story, I couldn't help thinking about our world today, and everything that is going on all over. Financial chaos, food shortages, natural disasters, gas prices, and rioting all making Haddix world something to think about. Among the Hidden left me wanting to find out more about Luke's new adventures and the dangers that he will be facing. His world turned upside down once again and loosing everything that was familiar to him. I can't wait to read book 2, Among the Imposters!

Hidden his whole life, Luke knows almost nothing of the outside world. All he knows is that he is not supposed to exist, and if he is found, the consequences will be terrible. The truth is that he, like many others, must remain hidden because of the population laws. These rules restrict all households to no more than two children, supposedly in an effort to fix the food crisis and adapt to the constant famine. To make matters worse, the ever-controlling government has made its people believe that the illegal children can be tracked and hunted down any way imaginable, from watching television to touching a keyboard. For some of these shadow children, there is a way to live almost normal lives by escaping the system and taking on another identity. But Luke's family is poor and uneducated, and doesn't know that this option exists.
When the woods surrounding his secluded home are purchased and developed, Luke becomes vulnerable and at risk of discovery. It has become such a threat that Luke is not even permitted to leave his attic bedroom anymore. When he learns that another third child is his new neighbor, he manages to secretly meet her. But Jen is a different kind of shadow child. She is the daughter of a government agent and is exposed to the world that Luke isn't allowed to witness. She believes in something that Luke might not be able to accept. What if there never was a food shortage? What if the government was only seeking domination? But most important of all, what if it could change?
Among the Hidden is a captivating story of decisions and consequences that displays what could happen to any nation. The inward struggles of the characters are moving and believable, and the courage shown in an attempt to triumph over oppression is astounding. Margaret Haddix's first book in this series opens your mind to the possibility of an imperfect world. Appropriate for ages 10-13.

Among the Hidden was an excellent book. It captures the imagination of children and adults everywhere. I must say it starts out kind of slow but eventually becomes exciting. It becomes exciting when the actual plot begins after a few chapters. The back of the book was what caught my intrest in it. I would recommend you read the back of the book for a short summary of it. If you don't have a wild imagination, I recommend you don't read this book. If you are a person with a wild imagination, hold on tight and get ready for the craziest laws you can imagine. One of which is you are not aloud to have more than two children and if you, you must keep them well "Hidden" because if you don't, you will suffer horrible consequences from the government! This was an excellent read and I recommend it for children AND adults with wild imaginations everywhere!

This was an excellent book! It was about a law that said that people could only have two kids. If they had anymore they would be killed and the parents would be punished. This couple had 3 boys. They hid the youngest one in the attic for several years. They lived in a forest like area, but then people came and cut down the forest to build houses. One day when he was looking into one of the new houses he saw a young girl. He knew this family already had 2 kids, so this girl must have been one like him, a third child. Eventually he goes over to the house and meets the girl. They decide to have a rally/protest at the white house. They go on the internet and find other third children to help. The boy doesn't go with, and thats a good thing because all the rest were killed. This is a great book. The sequel Among the Imposters is just as good. I reccommend this book to teens and some adults. 5 stars * * * * *!

Among the Hidden created a feeling of what it was like to be hidden from society and all other people beyond your immediate family. Many of the feelings of Luke Garner, the illegal third child, are portrayed vividly in response to the events that occur to him. Emotions of a person that has hidden from everyone besides a few people for all his life are depicted very accurately. Plot in this story is finely detailed and very intriguing. However, some of the events are predictable and not surprising. Nevertheless, those events are only exceptions, and most of the story is not the case. Much suspense is existent in this story, with the excitement of how Luke manages to stay hidden from the government even with the dangers and risks that he takes. Overall, this book is very good.

The book, "Among the Hidden", written by Margaret Peterson Haddix is a very well-written and suspenseful book. It's a mystery and dystopian book as well. The book is about a kid named Luke Garner who's about 12 years old, but he can't leave his house. He's a "shadow child" or the 3rd child in a family. This is strictly forbidden by the Population Police, who had the law in place before Luke was even born. Luke seems like a nice kid, he lives on a farm and could play outside with his two brothers, Matthew and Mark. But then, the government decides to build new houses for the "Barons" or the rich people, cutting down the woods around the Garners' farm. To Luke, it seems like his world is over, now that he can't go outside or even interact with anyone besides his own brothers and parents. Little did Luke know, his world was still there, and his adventure was just beginning.

Among the Hidden is a great book. It is about a boy and girl who have to remain hidden because the population law says they can only have two kids. Luke is a third child. One day everything changes for Luke when he sees a girl in the window of another house. Was he not alone? It helps you understand what it is like in China, (the population law).
Not only does it keep your mind racing, but it also makes you not want to stop until the very end. This is a great book for ages 10 to even 20!
Whether you are an action book reader or a romance book reader this book has both, a love story and action. It is the perfect book! Whether you read it as a family or on your own it will make you want to keep reading.
I encourage you to read this book and experience the thrill that I did when I read it. Don’t hold back and miss all the fun! Read this book and find out about what Luke and Jen are going through.

Don’t hide from this book!! Among The Hidden is an adventurous, mind washing book. Luke is a third child that can’t stand hiding and once he see’s a face in the neighbor's window when everyone is already gone he’s eager to find out who it is. And once he does there's no turning back. You definitely need to read this book to find out what happens. Don’t miss such a book that will keep you on your toes and waiting for more!!!!

Recently, I have read Among the Hidden as an assignment I received in my 7th grade honors English class, and let me tell you, I wasn't very excited about it since its not the normal genre of book I would read but, I actually liked it. While it was very enjoyable to read, you should still keep in mind those parts were its seems to drag on. But first, lets take a look at the good sides.

The good parts:

The book is an easy read and not to long. Whenever you think the plot will be going one way, it goes in the complete opposite direction. This makes the book very exciting. The ending is really good but very sad; that's the most i can say about the ending with out giving it away.

The not so good parts:

Honestly, i feel that the book took a little long to get going. The first few chapters really dragged on. The part that was towards the end of the middle seemed to follow the same trend. It also seemed to have a little bit of repetition in the main characters life's days . I don't know if that's how the author wanted it to be or if it happened unsuspectingly; it wasn't obvious either way. Some parts seem very detailed and at a perfect length, but then some are very long and not detailed at all; it didn't really seem to be balanced. Another point i feel the need to bring up is the lack of imagery; i found it hard to picture/ imagine the setting, but only at some parts, at others the imagery technique was flawless.

Recommendations and Ratings:

If you like to see versions of what the future could be like, you should definitely read this novel. If you like short, easy reads, this is a book you should consider. If you don't like repetition, dull imagery, or sad endings this isn't really the book for you. I didn't have to buy the book but even so, i think that the book is priced appropriately. If I had to rate this book out of a 5 star rating scale, I would rate it three out of five stars. I think that it deserves a three out of five because even though it was enjoyable, easy to read, and an amazing story plot, but it dragged on at parts and it was strangely formatted. I personally feel that it was a great book and that no matter who you are, you should read it because I think that you could find something you like in it because I sure did!

Others have detailed the plot, so I won't comment on that in this review. I just wanted to add my perspective as a mom. This is a great book for children who enjoy reading about societies that are different from ours (whether futuristic or contemporary). Read it before your children do, and then talk about how this society may not be so different after all. Discuss countries which have governments that control many aspects of day-to-day life, population control, etc. Hopefully reading this book together will result in interesting discussions with your children! If your children enjoyed this, they may also enjoy The Giver, by Lois Lowry (recommended for grades 8 and up due to content).

Among the hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix , is an over all fantastic book. I highly suggest anyone to read it. My 6th grade teacher read it to our class and I fell in love with the book. My favorite part was when he finds another third child and they can actually understand each other. My least favorite part was when many of the "third children" were killed. I enjoyed this book because I really just latched on to it and always complained for my teacher to go on and not wait for the next day. I would recommend this book to a friend just to show them that Facebook and social media isn't the only interesting things out there. In the beginning it's really peaceful but slowly through out the chapters there is more and more suspense building up if they will catch the child or not. Towards the end is really sad but then a bit happy. Overall a great book. Must read.

This has to be one of the best books i have ever read. its right up there with harry potter-luke is a 3rd child.ok this book is in the feature where the US population is now being monetered by the goverment .You are not allowed to have more then 2 childen or the 3rd faces death.One day luke discovers another 3rd child named Jen.Jen is defferent then luke shes not afred of the goverment,she plans a rally infront of the presendents house. Will luke go or not.--This book has happy moments but a sad moment as well .Take my word for it you might as well buy this book because you well want to read it over and over agine .And if you want to see what happens next then buy the sequal to AMONG THE HIDDEN/-------- AMONG THE IMPOSTERS.WELL SEE U ALL

Ditto other comments that this is the new children's version of "1984" - I'm an advocate of teaching that it's OK to question authority, to question government, to ask for reasons. This book combines a story that does have basis in truth in some cultures in the world now with "what ifs" that could happen if no one asks for reasons. It shows that technology is now a link to be reckoned with in our daily lives. Read it with your 8-10 year olds --- some 10-12 year olds can do it on their own! And recommend it to your friends and co-workers. Also read "The Indigo Child" (Lee Carroll and Jan Tober)for insight about the "new" children.

Wow, I cannot believe I've finally re-found this book! We read it in 5th grade and this story has always stuck with me as impactful. I didn't even know there were more in the series!

As I've said, this book has always lingered in the back of my mind, so it's got something going for it. The story is tragic, and could be a very real possibility in the future. We've definitely something to learn from it.

On an aside, for any teachers out there: when we read this book way back when, we did an activity where we pretended to be "The Hidden" and the principle would come bang on the classroom door "looking for us" and we'd have to hide. As creepy as it sounds, it was a good way for the overall message to sink in (I wonder if schools would even be allowed to do this these days..."

I think this is a good book. It is easy to follow and understand. The author does an amazing job with the details within the book. This book isn't too long so it is easy to stay focused for it. It was a fun book to read. I think Margaret is an amazing author and knows what she is doing with being an author so I don't complain about her work. When reading this book I realized she made the book come to life as it were which is hard to do for sure. This is an amazing book and I recommend it for sure.

Among the Hidden is an incredible fantasy work about a futuristic era. The government has regulated population and families are only allowed two children. The rest are known as "Shadow Children" and live a hidden life. Luke, a shadow child, lives comparatively peacefully on his family's farm. But a new housing development is going up around them and Luke's life is turned upside down when he sees a girl's face in the window of a home that already has two boys. The discovery of another shadow child whisks Luke into a dangerous plan that I wouldn't dare to give away! This book offers a shocking look at a future society.

It offers many topics for exploration and investigation. Different policies and procedures examind in the book parallel realistic events. I have used this book in my sixth grade classroom and have yet to have a student that didn't devour every page.

Among the Hidden is especially effective for reluctant readers. It is not intimidating in length, becomes interesting quickly, and has several books in the series to continue the reading experience.

Science fiction author Orson Scott Card spoke well of this adolescent series on his website, hatrack.com. I have read the first three books and am not overly impressed. Other authors have explored overpopulation and population control themes much more convincingly. In fact, parts of Haddix's series are very reminiscent of Card's popular novel Ender's Game.

The protagonist of Among the Hidden is Luke Garner, the illegal third child in his family. His older brothers are named Matthew and Mark. Despite their children's names there is no indication that the Garner parents had been motivated by religious concerns to disobey the population laws. One of the gaping holes in the novel is the absence of any religious objections to (or support of) the population laws. Regardless about how one feels concerning these matters, it is just not realistic to think that a stringent law against having more than two children could be implemented without provoking any reaction either pro or con from spiritual leaders and their followers.

Neither is it credible that a government could engage in the public mass execution of dozens of "illegal" children without inciting any outcry. The most that any of Haddix's characters can do is to try to work around the population laws in secrecy; the concept of public resistance or protest, even by the adults, seems totally foreign to everyone. This just does not ring true.

The series is often called futuristic or science fiction, but as many readers have noticed, it actually contains no futuristic elements other than the population laws themselves. The series may best be read as an allegory of today, just as 1984 was designed to be read as an allegory of 1948. The draconian population laws Haddix depicts may seem unrealistic to Western readers, but contemporary China has a strictly enforced one couple, one child policy that is of course even more restrictive than Haddix's limitation of two children per couple.

Luke is adequately drawn, but it is the character of Jen Talbot who most captures the reader's attention. But one of the miscues in the series is that although Jen becomes publicly known by her full name, nobody in authority ever makes the connection between her and the Talbot family.

As is too common in juvenilia, the adults are basically ineffectual, and it is left to the adolescents to try to save the day and themselves.

In addition to being similar to Card's writing, the series seems to have been influenced by A.E. van Vogt's Slan, which raises a possibility regarding Jen.

Considering that Haddix pulls no punches regarding the fate meted out to illegal thirds, she certainly could have gone into much more depth regarding the specifics of Malthusian predictions of overpopulation than she does. The reader wondering about just how severe a problem overpopulation actually is or will be in the near future is left completely unenlightened. All that Haddix can do within the series is issue a caution that neither the official government prophecies of starvation doom nor the resistance's counter-propaganda can be entirely trusted.

The writing itself is very pedestrian. The plot offers little true suspense to any reader experienced enough to realize that Luke will probably not, for instance, die one third of the way through the book. Haddix, unfortunately, writes down to what she thinks the intellectual level of her target audience is.

The book is by no means too intense even for children at the lower end of the recommended age range (8-12). In fact, younger readers would be less likely to detect the series' graver flaws than a bright 11 year-old would be. If the series has an ideal audience, it is undiscriminating third and fourth graders. For middle schoolers, any of Robert Heinlein's teen books or Card's Ender's Game would be superior choices. Adult fans of juvenilia won't be losing anything by giving Haddix a miss.

Among the Hidden
By: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Reviewed by: J. Yeh
Period: P.1
Among the Hidden is about a young boy named Luke. During those times, shadow children, third children that weren't allowed because they didn't have enough food to feed them. Luke was one of those shadow children forbidden by the Population Police. He has hidden in his house and has never gone out to see the world. He had to sit by the stairs so that no one would see him in the kitchen. One day, Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house close by where there are already two children living there. Luke goes to check it out, and meets a shadow child, Jen, just like him. They become close friends, and Luke meets more shadow children online. One day, Jen and the other shadow children decide to go to the government so that shadow children would be able to live. Luke refused, and Jen went with the others. She was killed with all the other shadow children, and their blood was cleaned before tourists came. Luke meets Jen's father who is one of the Population Police, but turns out that he helps shadow children. Luke wants to go to school, so Jen's father helps him. He gives him a fake I.D. and enters him to a school for boys.
I liked this book because it was very interesting with the relationship between Luke and Jen. One quote in this book was,"Want something to eat or drink? I was so surprised, I forgot to be a good hostess the last itme. What'll it be? Soda? Potato chips?" This quote was when Jen first met Luke and offered him something to eat or drink which the food is illegal. Another quote is "You're crazy. I can't go, and neither should you. It's too dangerous." This quote shows how much Luke doesn't want somebody hurt.
My favorite part of the book was when Luke ran out of his house and into Jen's. That part was interesting because doing that seemed dangerous especially with Population Police hanging around. Meeting Jen was also interesting because Luke found out that she was one of the shadow children.

Among the Hidden
By Margaret Peterson Haddix

Among the Hidden is about a boy named Luke who is the third child in his family. He is living in a time where there are too many people and not enough food, so the government decides each family can only have 2 children. If the government found out about Luke they would kill him. So, while his older brothers get to go to school and play outside, Luke is stuck in his house for the rest of his life. That is until he dares to look out a window in his room in the attic. When he looks out he sees a girl about his age staring out a window in another house. He begins risking his life to sneak out and spend time with her. He learns about what the government is doing from her, but he has to be careful because the Population Police could be watching.

This book is amazing; I enjoyed every second that I was reading it. The author did a great job telling the story. The characters were developed enough that you could have feelings for them, and you can imagine yourselves living in their shoes. I think that the author did a great job writing the book and would definitely recommend this book to anyone. I really enjoyed reading this book. I look forward to ready the other books in this series.

Along time ago, somewhat of a decade, I started this series from my middle school library selection. I was able to reach the third or fourth book before I inevitably was forced to move on to high school and all of its "recommended" lists. I remembered the storyline and the series name for all those years and finally able to find it for my Kindle Fire. I remember being so enthralled by the book back then and I couldn't put it down once again.The description of what Luke must feel all those days alone brought his feelings to life for me; my heart was racing with his. Margaret Peterson Haddix is pure genius at understanding the mind and wishes of this little farm boy who knows barely a thing about the world, and portraying his life on every page. I recommend this book for anyone, child or adult, that likes suspense and the age old theme, "i have to find my inner courage and fight for my freedom and what's right". You won't be disappointed just like I wasn't.

Among the hidden was a good book.
It was about this boy named Luke and he wasn't aloud to exist because if you had a third child in your house you had to give him away. So Luke has been hiding all of his life. He went outside a couple of times, but now that they were taking the trees down around his house he has to stay inside. He wants to go to school and meet people but he can't. He is in his bedroom when he sees this girl and he thinks she is a shadow child. He sneaks over to her house and sees her. He finds out that she is a shadow child and that her father works for the government. He is undercover, he has a shadow child and he doesn't tell anyone. Jen, is the girls name and she has a fake identity so she can go places and be like a normal girl and not have to hide like Luke does. There is a chatting site that she goes on to talk to other shadow children. She wants to go up to the government and say that "We want to be free and to be able to live with our family". They take the challenge and go up to them but, sadly Jen dies in a shooting and Luke feels bad that he didn't go with her. He misses her. So Luke meets Jens dad and he gives Luke a fake identity. His new name was Lee Grant.

This is a great book with a problem to solve. In this book, a boy named Luke is a third child and third children are illegal due to food shortage. Luke wants to fix that and let third children be free and live like normal people. I am a 10 year old who has read this book and I think it is a great book for children 10 and up because there are some scary parts and children 9 and under might get scared. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and I'm hoping that Luke will have his wish come true. This book is great for people who like problem-solving books. Hope you guys like the book too!!!!! :)

Among the Hidden
By: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Reviewed by: A. Chin
Period 5
Among the Hidden is about Luke, a shadow child. A shadow child is the third child in a family that already has two children. During that time, the society only allowed two children maximum in each family. If you were a third child in a family, you could never be seen. If the Population Police caught you, your parents could be fined 5 million dollars are you might even be executed. You would always be hiding. This is the life which Luke lived all his life. Luke finds his two older brothers very lucky. Mark and Matthew always got to go to school or even ride in a car. Luke never was able to do these things, and only had model cars to imagine with. The person he felt closest to the most in his family was his mother. His mother was always there to comfort him. Luke has learned to hide as well. Hiding has taken a big part in Luke's life. One day, Luke sees a face in the Sports' family's house. The Sport Family already has two children and they have both left for the day. Luke cannot believe that he has just seen another face. To make sure that what he saw was true, Luke observes the house for about two weeks. He notices that when all the members of the family leave, he sees slight, quick movements which only a human was able to do. Now Luke is pretty sure that there is a third child living in the Sports' families' house. Luke decides to go and visit the child one day. When he does, he finds that she's a girl and so different from himself. Her name is Jen, short for Jennifer. Jen is also a Baron. Later on, Luke gets a fake I.D. and pretends to be Lee Grant. Luke will miss his parents and family very much.
I liked this book because it has lots of page-turners in it. For example, the author writes, "Before he had time to think again, he pushed himself off into a sprint, recklessly streaking across the grass. He didn't even stop to hide at any trees. He ran right to thr Sports Family's door and tugged at the screen. It was locked." These are one of my reasons of why i liked this book.
My second reason of why I liked this book is because I like the plot of the story. The story plot is very interesting and creative. This is shpwn in this quote, "No one had ever told him exactly what would happen if anyone saw him. Death? Death was what happened to the runt pigs who get stepped on by their stronger brothers and sisters. death was a fly that stopped buzzing when the swatter hit it. He had a hard time thinking about himself in connection with the smashed fly or the dead pig, gone stiff in the sun. It made his stomach feel funny even trying." This is my I think the plot of the story is interesting. i have not read a book with the same plot. I have read plots with similar plots for the stoey, but not as interesting as this one.
My favorite part of the book is when Luke goes and meets Jen at her house. Luke takes a high risk of being scene, but since he is so anxious to meet another third child he just goes there anyways. When he gets to her house, he finds the screen door locked. Luke starts to break through the screen fencing and soon finds himself picking at the lock. When Luke goes inside he finds a girl typing away at a computer. Her name is Jen, short for Jennifer. This is my favorite part of the book because it makes you want to read more and more of what is going on in the story. It is a page-turner throughout the scene. This is why it is my favorite part of the book.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix is about this third child name Luke. He never had a birthday, he never had a sleep-over, in fact he never had any friends. The problem was that he was a shadow child, a third child. There is one big law the whole world must follow, you can only have up to two kids.
Before Luke could play all he wanted outside, untill the government tore down the forset in the back yard to build houses. Luke is forced to hid in the attic so the construction workers or anyone else accidently sees Luke.
One day while Luke looks through a vent in the attic, he spots someone in a house, in the middle of the day. Luke knows that that house already has two kids and they are at school, and none of the parents are there either. At first he thinks it's just a burgeler. But Luke's curiosity gets the best of him and he decides to investigate the house.
When he get their he learns that a shadow child lives there to. Her name is Jen. But she is different compared to Luke. Jen even started her own chatroom where all the shadow kids from around the world join and talk to each other. He later learns that Jen and the rest of the shadow kids plan to march up to the White House and protest so that the government would change the law. When Jen asks Luke if he wants to join? Something inside him told him not to go. A month passes and still no sign of Jen, Luke starts to worry. What happened to Jen? Is she alright?
I liked this book a lot. It is a futuristic book with kind of a present time peroid twist. The twist is that in China, there is a similar law, but it only allows familys to have one child. The difference of China's law and the book's law, is that in the book, the government made this law so there wouldn't be a food shortage in the future. But China's resoning for this law is that thier population is huge. I think the main reson of this book was to make people see the world in the "other people's" way. And also for us to regonize what's going on in China.
I recommend this book for ages 7-15, and people that like realistic fiction. I recommend it for ages 7 to 15 since kids should start to learn what's going on in the world, and older kids should read these books because they make you think a lot. And it's interesting even for a 15 year old.

I thought this book was amazing. I love adult novels that deal with a corrupt government, and this young adult book fit right into the mix. It was interesting how even after Luke read many books and articles put out by the government or rebels, he still did not know the truth. I think it is a great way to teach kids that the government may telling us one thing, and be doing something else. Among the Hidden keeps you wondering. It is a sad, heroic tale. It is one that, although it isn't real, it sure could be. It is all together a good book.

Along time ago, somewhat of a decade, I started this series from my middle school library selection. I was able to reach the third or fourth book before I inevitably was forced to move on to high school and all of its "recommended" lists. I remembered the storyline and the series name for all those years and finally able to find it for my Kindle Fire. I remember being so enthralled by the book back then and I couldn't put it down once again.The description of what Luke must feel all those days alone brought his feelings to life for me; my heart was racing with his. Margaret Peterson Haddix is pure genius at understanding the mind and wishes of this little farm boy who knows barely a thing about the world, and portraying his life on every page. I recommend this book for anyone, child or adult, that likes suspense and the age old theme, "i have to find my inner courage and fight for my freedom and what's right". You won't be disappointed just like I wasn't.

Among the hidden was a good book.
It was about this boy named Luke and he wasn't aloud to exist because if you had a third child in your house you had to give him away. So Luke has been hiding all of his life. He went outside a couple of times, but now that they were taking the trees down around his house he has to stay inside. He wants to go to school and meet people but he can't. He is in his bedroom when he sees this girl and he thinks she is a shadow child. He sneaks over to her house and sees her. He finds out that she is a shadow child and that her father works for the government. He is undercover, he has a shadow child and he doesn't tell anyone. Jen, is the girls name and she has a fake identity so she can go places and be like a normal girl and not have to hide like Luke does. There is a chatting site that she goes on to talk to other shadow children. She wants to go up to the government and say that "We want to be free and to be able to live with our family". They take the challenge and go up to them but, sadly Jen dies in a shooting and Luke feels bad that he didn't go with her. He misses her. So Luke meets Jens dad and he gives Luke a fake identity. His new name was Lee Grant.

This is a great book with a problem to solve. In this book, a boy named Luke is a third child and third children are illegal due to food shortage. Luke wants to fix that and let third children be free and live like normal people. I am a 10 year old who has read this book and I think it is a great book for children 10 and up because there are some scary parts and children 9 and under might get scared. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and I'm hoping that Luke will have his wish come true. This book is great for people who like problem-solving books. Hope you guys like the book too!!!!! :)

Among the Hidden
By: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Reviewed by: A. Chin
Period 5
Among the Hidden is about Luke, a shadow child. A shadow child is the third child in a family that already has two children. During that time, the society only allowed two children maximum in each family. If you were a third child in a family, you could never be seen. If the Population Police caught you, your parents could be fined 5 million dollars are you might even be executed. You would always be hiding. This is the life which Luke lived all his life. Luke finds his two older brothers very lucky. Mark and Matthew always got to go to school or even ride in a car. Luke never was able to do these things, and only had model cars to imagine with. The person he felt closest to the most in his family was his mother. His mother was always there to comfort him. Luke has learned to hide as well. Hiding has taken a big part in Luke's life. One day, Luke sees a face in the Sports' family's house. The Sport Family already has two children and they have both left for the day. Luke cannot believe that he has just seen another face. To make sure that what he saw was true, Luke observes the house for about two weeks. He notices that when all the members of the family leave, he sees slight, quick movements which only a human was able to do. Now Luke is pretty sure that there is a third child living in the Sports' families' house. Luke decides to go and visit the child one day. When he does, he finds that she's a girl and so different from himself. Her name is Jen, short for Jennifer. Jen is also a Baron. Later on, Luke gets a fake I.D. and pretends to be Lee Grant. Luke will miss his parents and family very much.
I liked this book because it has lots of page-turners in it. For example, the author writes, "Before he had time to think again, he pushed himself off into a sprint, recklessly streaking across the grass. He didn't even stop to hide at any trees. He ran right to thr Sports Family's door and tugged at the screen. It was locked." These are one of my reasons of why i liked this book.
My second reason of why I liked this book is because I like the plot of the story. The story plot is very interesting and creative. This is shpwn in this quote, "No one had ever told him exactly what would happen if anyone saw him. Death? Death was what happened to the runt pigs who get stepped on by their stronger brothers and sisters. death was a fly that stopped buzzing when the swatter hit it. He had a hard time thinking about himself in connection with the smashed fly or the dead pig, gone stiff in the sun. It made his stomach feel funny even trying." This is my I think the plot of the story is interesting. i have not read a book with the same plot. I have read plots with similar plots for the stoey, but not as interesting as this one.
My favorite part of the book is when Luke goes and meets Jen at her house. Luke takes a high risk of being scene, but since he is so anxious to meet another third child he just goes there anyways. When he gets to her house, he finds the screen door locked. Luke starts to break through the screen fencing and soon finds himself picking at the lock. When Luke goes inside he finds a girl typing away at a computer. Her name is Jen, short for Jennifer. This is my favorite part of the book because it makes you want to read more and more of what is going on in the story. It is a page-turner throughout the scene. This is why it is my favorite part of the book.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix is about this third child name Luke. He never had a birthday, he never had a sleep-over, in fact he never had any friends. The problem was that he was a shadow child, a third child. There is one big law the whole world must follow, you can only have up to two kids.
Before Luke could play all he wanted outside, untill the government tore down the forset in the back yard to build houses. Luke is forced to hid in the attic so the construction workers or anyone else accidently sees Luke.
One day while Luke looks through a vent in the attic, he spots someone in a house, in the middle of the day. Luke knows that that house already has two kids and they are at school, and none of the parents are there either. At first he thinks it's just a burgeler. But Luke's curiosity gets the best of him and he decides to investigate the house.
When he get their he learns that a shadow child lives there to. Her name is Jen. But she is different compared to Luke. Jen even started her own chatroom where all the shadow kids from around the world join and talk to each other. He later learns that Jen and the rest of the shadow kids plan to march up to the White House and protest so that the government would change the law. When Jen asks Luke if he wants to join? Something inside him told him not to go. A month passes and still no sign of Jen, Luke starts to worry. What happened to Jen? Is she alright?
I liked this book a lot. It is a futuristic book with kind of a present time peroid twist. The twist is that in China, there is a similar law, but it only allows familys to have one child. The difference of China's law and the book's law, is that in the book, the government made this law so there wouldn't be a food shortage in the future. But China's resoning for this law is that thier population is huge. I think the main reson of this book was to make people see the world in the "other people's" way. And also for us to regonize what's going on in China.
I recommend this book for ages 7-15, and people that like realistic fiction. I recommend it for ages 7 to 15 since kids should start to learn what's going on in the world, and older kids should read these books because they make you think a lot. And it's interesting even for a 15 year old.

I thought this book was amazing. I love adult novels that deal with a corrupt government, and this young adult book fit right into the mix. It was interesting how even after Luke read many books and articles put out by the government or rebels, he still did not know the truth. I think it is a great way to teach kids that the government may telling us one thing, and be doing something else. Among the Hidden keeps you wondering. It is a sad, heroic tale. It is one that, although it isn't real, it sure could be. It is all together a good book.

ISBN #:0-43912397-6

Among the Hidden by Margret Peterson Haddix

" Then he heard his mother call out the kitchen window: "Luke! Inside. Now."" In the book Among the Hidden Luke and his family live in a totalitarian society were the government enforces parents to only have two children. 12-year old Luke Garner is the third child and is considered a shadow child who faces many troubles with the government.
Luke's troubles began when the government made his family sell their land and cut down the forest to build a housing development for the privileged, therefore it was to dangerous for Luke to step foot outside. The government sent the Garners a tax bill and had them auction the hogs off, so Mrs. Garner had to get a factory job, which left Luke at home all day alone. Luke then meets Jen, another shadow child; Jen introduces Luke to a chat room for shadow children. Jen starts a rally with a group of shadow children to protest the government; the rally turns into a blood bath, with the population police killing a bunch of innocent children. Luke is faced with a decision that may change his life.
I thought that this book was very good because it kept me reading, out of five stars I would give this novel a five because at the end it left me wondering what would happen next and pretty much make you read it. I don't really enjoy this genre but I might have second thoughts about science-fiction. I don't think this book was very boring because it always left you thinking what might happen next. I would recommend this book to ages 10-14 and even adults because the book gets you excited to predict was going to happen next and who's going to do this.
Among the Hidden (Shadow Children #1)

I read the book Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The story is about a boy named Luke and a girl named Jen. They had a problem, because there was a very unfair law that a family was only able to have two children. That law was so that their country wouldn't run out of food. Jen and Luke were third children. At first Luke could help his father in the back of his dad's farm, because there was a forest. Unfortunately, they knocked down the woods where Luke's house was, so if he went outside he'd be seen and killed. Luke was very upset because the only reason they knocked down the trees was for houses for rich people. Then, one day Luke saw another third child's face and went to her new house! He wanted to meet her! It was Jen!
I could relate to Jen in the story, because sometimes when I'm sick I stay home alone, because my mom and dad both have to go to work. I feel cooped up and I watch T.V, and go on the computer. I love it when visitors come, but like Jen I don't really know who's coming, so I get scared. I don't get defensive, because there is no way that anybody outside my family can get into my house.
I thought Among the Hidden was exciting, sad, and calm all in one. This book is so exciting therefore it keeps you on the edge of your seat, such as when Luke and home alone and heard, "All he could hear of the population police and Jen's father were mutterings. Then the one officer rang out, " your lying George!" the story is also joyful because Luke and Jen will sit and talk about any thing like one day Luke asked Jen, "Have you ever been out in the real world?" and they spent hours talking about where Jen has been. Books that make me cry are my favorite books, because they're dramatic. This one made me cry. My favorite part of the book is when Jen cuts herself, so Luke isn't found. I think this book is good for people that are ages 10 to 14, because it has some violent and sad issues in it. In conclusion, I'd like to state that I loved this book.
I would definitely recommend this book to a friend because it is so action packed, suspenseful, touching, and just a fun book to read .

I won't reiterate the basic plot as plenty of other reviewers have done that very well, so instead I'll comment on the themes in the book and some problems I see with it.
The issue faced by the characters in the book, that of overpopulation and what to do about it, is an important one, and deserves to have a children's book written about it. The possibility that we will one day be limited to two children or fewer per family, and people will undergo forced sterilization, is not so unlikely. China already has strict population control laws (one child) with heavy fines for violators.
However the author simplifies the issue to a simple black and white set of extremes. She fails to fully examine the issue of overpopulation. In the book, the need for population levelling is solely due to food shortages. The characters assert that it's mostly due to mismanagement by the government that the famine happened at all. In fact, everything bad appears to be the fault of the controlling, fascist, yet inept government. Even in the end, the author doesn't appear to grasp the reality of the effect of our population explosion: Food is not the only issue. Others include, "Where will we put all the waste from these people? How will there be enough drinking water? How will we have enough energy to run the machines we need to support our society? Where will resources come from to create things like clothes, furniture, houses, cars? How do we deal with all the pollution this manufacturing brings with that many more people? And how will we survive when we've cut down all the trees and there is no oxygen being produced?
The simple answer given in the book seems to be "we could police ourselves--some people could have more kids if others had fewer". And who does that policing? We certainly aren't doing it now. What are realistic ways we can address this population issue?
The author also appears to be showing how fascist and evil the government is by showing how they outlawed junk food and even meat. Vegetarians are truly the evil of the future. ;) This is an interesting absurdity in that more calories are contained in fat than in anything else, so if food was scarce, it would make more sense to make food very high in fat.
One excellent point the author does assert is that those who make the laws often don't follow them. Exceptions are made when it is convenient for those in power. This is an excellent point and I would have liked this to be expanded a bit more. Especially since those in power (the U.S. right now) currently use up many times more resources per person than the non-powerful (3rd world countries). The barons in the book, by excepting themselves from the rules, are causing even greater harm. Yet, even that point isn't explained, just inferred.
Perhaps the simplicity is necessary for a children's story, and yet, the heaviness of the topic and the tragedy of the plot, are all mature enough themes that any reader of the book should be able to handle the additional complexity. The author also only shows one side of the story: that of the victims of an extremist, totalitarian government who dealt inappropriately with a very real disaster.
What I would have liked to have seen would have been an afterword that addressed some of these issues on a level kids could understand. Just presenting the ideas in a fictional context may be too confusing. Other award-winning children's books that either deal with confusing, heavy issues, or take place in other mystifying eras, have afterwards for more information. I think such a beast would help this book tremendously. As it is, I am curious to know what children reading this book come away with thinking: Is overpopulation bad? Or os the government bad and we don't really need to worry about overpopulation? Because I fear the latter is the message children will walk away with after reading this novel, I have to be very wary about recommending this book.

If you want to start reading a good book series, you may want to grab this book. This is the first of several books. In this one, you get all of the background information.

Luke is a third child in a futuristic society, where families are only allowed to have two children. His parents hide him away and he knows a quiet family life, one in which he is made to hide a lot and keep quiet, so that the population police will not know that he exists. It is a lonely life for Luke, who wishes he could go outside and play, like his brothers do, and also go to school, to leave the house and go anywhere.

When the land behind their farm is developed into a neighborhood, Luke is shocked to meet another child like him, Jen. She tells him all about other "shadow children" who live hidden away from the rest of society. When Jen tells him about a big rally that she's organizing to support the hidden children, will Luke risk his life by going to it? Does he trust his new friend with his life? Read this book and you'll find out. It will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat (and you'll want to have the 2nd book in the series, "Among the Impostors" ready and waiting to read when you're done with this one).

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix relates to the views of futuristic life. It is based on how a young boy name Luke cannot be talked about, seen about, and has to hide from every one. This is a rule enforced by the population police, where couples can only have 2 children. Any other children are called "shadows" One day the unexpected happens, Lukes sees a young girl through a window across the street when everyone else is at work... he finally found another shadow. Jen. Who will do anything to escape being just a lonely shadow. Will Luke help and follow in her footsteps? I think that Haddix wrote this book because she was expressing that fact that she wants everyone to appreciate the fact that life is so good right now. People don't appreciate what they have...and they should. In the future things could turn out something like this book where people can only ahve 2 children. Is that really what everyone wants? Do people want to be hidden and called shadows? I think that this book is for anyone. I think that this is deffiently a "thumbs up" book. It keeps you hanging on the edge through out the entire book. Don�t take your eye off this book for a second.

Among the Hidden is a suspenseful and surprising book. Luke must hide from the outside world because he is a third child. He meets Jen, another third child who doesn't follow the third child hiding rule. To escape he must break free of the rules, but can he?
Luke is a relateable character to some because he's lonely and yearning for more out of life.
Among the Hidden is a fantastic book that really makes you feel all kinds of emotions. People who love mystery and adventure and who love to take risks should definitely read this book!

5th/6th grade at Hodgkins School

What would you do I f you weren't allowed outside, to a friends house, to the mall, or anywhere at all? Well that was how life was for Luke Garner, the main character in the great novel, Among the Hidden.
This was a very fun-to-read book. It was full of fun and surprises. It was a definite page-turner. I really enjoyed reading this book! Well he is what the book is about.
It's about boy named Luke Garner having to hide his whole life because of the population law that doesn't allow a family to have more then 2 children. Well lucky for Luke he happened to be the third child so he had to go into hiding. Luke and his family lived on a farm in the forest. Since they lived in the forest Luke would sometimes go outside to play a little or help out at the farm. But when his family is forced to sell their wood so that the government can build new houses Luke is no longer allowed outside or even at the dinner table.
So Luke spends most of his time in the attic, which is his room, and reads, day dreams, or does nothing at all. But one day, while Luke was looking out his vents, he swear he saw a face peer from the window of the house next door, when every one from that house had left and he knew there was already four people living there. So he decided to go investigate him self. So your going to have to read the book to find out what Luke does and what happens.
I would have to say that my favorite character would have to be Luke for sure because Luke is a very brave boy and a very honest because he has to deal with hiding from the population police and having nothing to do at all and nothing to look forward to and he is honest because he doesn't tell a lie when he meets Jen or to his parents. My favorite part was when Luke decides to sneak over to the house and find out if there is another third child besides him.
I recommend this book to any one who like adventure books. It will keep you turning pages and you won't want to put it down, trust me you won't want to. So I hope you read and enjoy this great novel!

I just read a book that kept you on your toes since the first words, "Luke! Inside. Now." Never did it let you feel like you knew what was next, it was always changing. I am describing the book Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson. This book is set in the future when the government controls everything. Even how many kids you have.
Luke Garner is the main character, he is a third child. Also known as a "Shadow Child." In this book a third child is not allowed. Luke is a good boy, he doesn't go out in public, stays in his room in the attic all day, until he meats Jen. Jen Talbot, is a supporting character, and also a Shadow Child. She is opposite of Luke. She is outspoken, tells it like it is, and is fighting for Shadow Children. Also in Luke's family there is his mother, father, and Matthew and Mark who are his two old brothers.
It starts with Luke enjoying the outside for the last time. The forest where they live and have a farm is going to be turned into a street full of houses for Barons-rich people unlike the Garners. Luke is told he can't even go into the kitchen anymore, because there are to many people that could see even his shadow. Luke is forced to stay in his room in the attic. He finds a vent that he can look out of and one day he counts how many people leave each day, till one day he sees a figure in the window. He gets curious and after many months of not going even into the kitchen, he goes to the figures house. He finds out a girl lives there. She is his age and also a shadow child. Look and Jen (the figure) become good friends, and every change Luke can sneak out he goes to her house. Jen is planning a rally for thousands of Shadow Children to go to the White House and protest. That is where the suspense really picks up. Does Luke go and risk his life, or does he stay home and be afraid something might happen to Jen?
This has been one of the best books I have read in awhile. You think one thing is going to happen or be said, but the author didn't write the book as to what you would think would come next. I am not big on mystery or big suspense like this book, but I really liked it. With how the book ends you want to read the sequel. I hope to have the sequel Among the Impostors in my hands soon!

Among the Hidden is a great new book by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Its well written and you can really understand Lukes veiw point. Its about a boy called Luke. He is one of the shadow children, a third child who really shoud not exist. Living a life full of fear, scared of the Population Police, who, if they ever find out he's alive will kill him. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new house been build next door he is no longer even allowed to go outside.
Until one day, he sees a girls face in the window, of a house that already has two boys..another third child like himself! Risking it all he sneaks out to meet her.
This book is wonderful, I cannot wait to read the next two. The ending really shocked me as it was so sad.

Among The Hidden is a book that once you start reading it, you don't want to put down. It takes place in Luke's house, and in Jen's house. The time is set some time in the future; I know this because they have population police, that I will tell you about later. The author, Margaret Peterson Haddix, made this book suspenseful, and it was a great book that kept you on the edge of your seat, once it got going. Another thing that she did to make me like this book was that she introduced the characters in the beginning, or when the time was right, to make you wonder about them, and want to read on. She was descriptive when telling about the characters, and vague when whe wanted you to read some more about the characters. My opinion on this book is that it was awesome!
In this setting, the government doesn't allow families to have over 2 kids, thus controlling the population. This law is kept by having police called the population police, and they threaten families about having 3 or 4 kids, saying they will come and take away the kids and kill them. some families break this law by having 3 or sometimes 4 children. One of these families is the Garner family. Luke Garner, the third child, has two older brothers;Mark and Matthew. One day luke sees a person in the new subdivision window nex door. Knowing that that family already has 2 children who had already left, Luke was immediately interested. At first glance, the person looked like a girl. Luke convinces himself to sneak out one day and go see if his suspicion was true. He snuck over and saw this girl, Jen, and she tells him about a secret plan. Will Luke carry out the plan, or think she is crazy and go home? Read to find out!
Other books that Margaret Haddix wrote are: Running Out of Time, Leaving Fishers,and Don't You Dare Read This Mr. Dunphry. I would recommend this book to kids or adults. This probably wouldn't be a good book for some people as young as 8, because they wouldn't get some parts of it. So I would recommend this book to people ages 9 on up. In conclusion, I think anyone who would like a suspenseful and touching book that also has happiness and sadness mixed in would like this book.

It was against the law to have more than two children. Luke Garner, the main character in AMONG THE HIDDEN, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, is a third child. He had to hide all his life. He couldn't go to school ride in cars, watch TV or even use the computer. At least Luke could go outside because the woods were protecting his backyard from sight. That is, before the woods came down. The barons(rich people) built their houses where the woods used to be. Luke could never set a foot outside again, he couldn't even look out a window. One day, after everyone had left, Luke saw a child's face in one of the new neighbor's houses. The only thing was, two children already had left that house. Luke starts watching more carefully and realizes another child luves where two children already live. Could it possibly be another third child? Does he dare venture over there, through the exposed farm, where anybody could see him? I liked this book, like Running Out of Time(another book by Margaret Peterson Haddix),because it was exciting. It starts slow but gets better as it goes on. Each event led to another, and kept you on the edge. Margaret Peterson Haddix did a good job of making the book suspenseful and it makes you want to keep reading.

ISBN 0-689-82475-0
What would you do if you were just born and had already broken the law? This fantasy-adventure type book is all about Luke and his life as a 3rd child. In this book, each family is only allowed to have two kids per family because of food, money, etc. Luke has 2 brothers that help his dad work on the farm a couple of acres from the house. At the begginning of the book, Luke's mom has no job, she stays home and makes sure Luke is not seen by the population police. Later in the book, his farm loses their pigs that, made most of their food, so Luke's mom had to get a job, leaving Luke all alone at the house. While all this is going on at Luke's house, in the middle of forests, a neighborhood is being built, causing Luke to be extra careful around windows or and spot of sunlight. One day when his mom was gone, Luke counted 28 people leave the new neighborhood (28 people made up the whole neighborhood), he looked around to make sure no one at all was there so he can go outside and play when he spots a face looking out a window. He panics. He's thinking is this another third child like me? Or is it a robber? Which is it? Read the book to find out what that face was and how much it affects Luke's life.
This book was excellent. To be honest, I would recommend this book to just about any kid around the age of 11-15. Anyone that enjoys reading, read it for fun. Anyone who has a book report, read this book. This book was a real page turner. I am not a very fast pace reader, but this book only took my like 5 days and like 40 minutes a day, not even that much time to finish a good book like this one. I really could not put the book down because every time I was like "Oh, I'll stop at this chapter," but I could not because the end of the chapters just left you hanging thinking what's going to happen, I gotta find out.

The title is Among The Hidden.And the author is Margaret Peterson Haddix.In the beginning Luke could hide outside in the woods. But the government made them sell the woods to build houses on. SoLuke had to hide inside.The government had made a law that people could only have two children because they were afraid of running out of food. Which was STUPID!!! Therefore Luke was athird child. So Luke had to hid all of his life. He was very bored because he had to stay away from windows and anything that someone could see through. Because if someone caught him he would be killed. His dad was very srict and was a farmer. Luke's mom was caring. Luke also had two older named Mathew and Mark. Luke couldn't even go to school and his family didn't even know about him. That's just some of the things that happened to Luke.So you can imagine how hard his life was.
I think this book is very adventurous. It made me want to sit there and keep reading to find out what happens next. I also think it was thrilling & had tons of bravery in it. Like Luke had to be brave about being a third child. And Luke was willing to take chances. There wasn't any time in this book where I wanted to stop reading. When the people built houses Luke had to be very sneaky. In some spots I wondered if I was right there & it made a good image in my head. After I read this book it was like I knew the characters were in real life.
When someone else reads this book they will be just as speechless as I was. They might even be a little sad. It was an awesome book. Because is so brave and willing to accept being a third child(a shadow child). It will definitely entertain the reader. Sometimes in the story it might amaze you and surprise you at the same time. That's why I think everybody should read this book.
READ THIS BOOK

Luke is a third child. To control population growth, the Government has mandated that each family may have two children, and only two children. Luke's mother had two boys, Matthew and Mark, then gave birth to Luke. She couldn't bear to turn him over to the Government, so she kept him hidden. Luke cannot go to school. Luke cannot talk to anyone outside his family. And now that a housing development has sprung up behind the family farm, Luke cannot go outside even at night. His life depends on it: if he's found out, he will be executed.
He thinks he's alone in the world until one day, peeking out the attic window, he sees a little girl in the house behind him. A little girl, in a house where two little boys already live. Excited, he rushes over to the house and she lets him in. Her name is Jen, and yes, she is a third child. Jen does not want to stay hidden forever. Jen is determined to change things somehow.
It was a good concept but the writing ruined it. The book was overall very weak, especially the ending. And the characters, especially Jen, taste like flat, dry cardboard. The only ones that felt remotely real to me were Luke's parents. Among the Hidden is part of a trilogy but based on this first novel I don't think I'll read the other two.

Have you ever heard of a shadow child? Well this book is pretty much about them. The book is called "Among the Hidden." It is written by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The author of this book is very good at telling all of the information that you need to know about the characters and including all of the details in the plot and setting and just what is going on. Luke is one of the main characters he is about twelve or thirteen. He is one of the shadow children. A shadow child is the third child in every family.The population poloce do not allow a family to have a third child. So that is why they are called shadow childern because they hide so the population police do not find them. If the population police find them something awful will happen to them.Luke has two older brothers. Jenny is also another main character. For me to explain her in two words the two words would be "strong willed". She is willing to do anything to have the shadow children freed, so that they can go out in the day and have a fun like a normal child. Jenny is a third child also. One day Luke sees a girl in the window. It just happened to be Jenny but Luke didn't know her then. He was curious so he went over to Jennys house one day and that is how they met. Like I said Jenny is strong willed and she has planned a rally to free the shadow chirldren but it does not go too well. But Luke desides not to go with her. My personal opinion on this book is that it was kind of slow at first but later on in the book it get better.At first I didn't like the book. It got more interesting at the end. The reason I feel this way about the book is because I like books that have more of a catch in the beginning and not all the way in the end of the story. But otherwise the book was OK.

Shadow Children starts out a little slow. Luke, the main character is a forbidden third child. The Population Police, controlled by the government, have limited each family to have only two children. This is due to food shortages that left many starving and angry in previous years.

Luke's family lives out in the country, and survives by managing a farm located on their plot of land. One day, the government forces the family to get rid of their pigs, which happen to be their main source of income. The family then struggles to get by.

All the while, Luke is kept secret from all extended family, and especially the government. He can't go to school, or out in public. He spends most of his time in his bedroom, converted from the attic.

The story sort of drones on about Luke and his family, but then the plot is thrown a curveball when the family is informed by the government that their surrounding lad will be turned into a rural area for 'barons', or rich people. This leaves the family no choice but to conceal Luke even further, to the point where he can't even sit at the dinner table. He is forced to spends almost all of his time in his bedroom.

Eventually, Luke gets tired of doing the same thing over and over, so he decides to watch the construction of the new neighborhood. While watching, he gets to see the houses finally completed, and gets to know the families that live there, and their schedules.

One day though, something out of the ordinary happens. He sees a face in the window of a house with a family of four. He knows that all of the family members are gone, so he gets suspicious. he continues to look until he sees the face again a few days later. He infers that it is another third child like himself, and decides to investigate.

He sneaks out of the house, and breaks into the neighbors' glass door. He finds the third child, and they get to know each other better. It's a girl like himself, a shadow child. She leads a more progressive life than he. She has found other Shadow children, and they decide to go to the White House to try to demand equal opportunities for Shadow children.

Luke is apprehensive, and doesn't go. He finds out through her father, that she and forty others were killed while protesting. The father gets Luke a fake i.d., and he leaves his family to become a new person, and try to better the world.

The ending was a little disappointing, and the story was slow at times, but overall it was an "okay" book. It's not something I would choose to read myself.

I like all kinds of books. They have to grab my attenton. The book "Among The Hidden" grabbed my attention. When I read the first couple pages I knew I would like it a lot. I couldn't put it down.
In the book "Among the Hidden" the main character is Luke. He is a third child and he lives on a farm. The government madde a law that says any third child born must be killed because the world is over populated and there isn't enough food to feed everybody. Luke's mom and dad have Luke after having his two older brothers. Now Luke has to hide when the population police come too look for any third children. Outside Luke's houde a forest. Luke is only alloweda few minutes a day to go out in the forest where the population police or anyone else can't see him. The government decided to cut down the forest to build more houses. Now Luke can't go outside anymore.Luke needs to stay in his house with the shades pulled down so the new neighbors don't see him. Luke gets the courage to go explore the neighbors houses while there kids are at school and the parents are at work. Luke timed it perfectly and when he goes to one of the neighbors houses and he finds another third child.
There are a lot of other books Margaret wrote. She wrote two sequels to the book "Among The Hidden". They are called "Among The Imposters" and "Among The Betrayed". I read those two books also and I couldn't put them down either. T am now looking for more books by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Idefinitely rate this book 5 stars out of 5. This book is Amazing!!!

Luke Garner has never left his house. It's not that he didn't want to. He would have loved to go out and meet people or go to school but he had to stay home because in this novel, AMONG THE HIDDEN, written by Margret Petterson Haddix, Luke lives in a world of hiding. When the woods surrounding Lukes house are cut down he is forced to hide all the time. Luke is the youngest of three children, which in this case is horrible. Before he was born the government passed a law that o family could have more than two children, which makes Luke and illegal third child. He stays up in his attic room all day watching the neighborhood through his tiny window. The story is set in what I think is just a few years ahead of the present in a new neighborhood filled with rich houses. Luke's family is poor so his ricktey old house sticks out on the otherwise-elegant street. On day after Luke has counted all 28 people in the neighborhood leave to go to school or work he sees a face. It is a child's face in the house next to his. The rest of the book is of Lukes curiosity to meet the face next door. I really liked this book for a lot of reasons. I liked the surprise ending and how the suspense held me through to the very end. I think it would be weird if there really was a Population Law and if children really had to hide. I would recommen this book to people who like RUNNING OUT OF TIME or LEAVING FISHERS, both written be Margret Peterson Haddix. Overall I thought this was a wonderful book and can't wait to read the sequel comming out in June.

I am an adult and I read Among the Hidden out of curiosity. A book about population control targeted to children sounded odd to me. I found the book pretty boring. If I were ten years old I would have hated it.

The setting for Among the Hidden is a futuristic dystopia. There was a famine, food rationing, rioting, government collapse, the rise of a military dictatorship, and the imposition of the oppressive Population Laws. According to the Population Laws no family may have more than two children. Third children are punished with death.

Luke, the book's protagonist, is the "hidden" third child of the Garner family. He lives in the attic, has never left the family farm, and has never met anyone outside his own family. The book is about Luke and his encounter with another hidden child in the house next door.

This book is definitely written for a young audience. The words are simple, the chapters are short, and the total length is barely 150 pages.

I'll describe what the book does well. The idea of being an illegal child, entirely cut off from the world, is a suitable theme for a children's book. Young readers will probably empathize with Luke's plight as they try to imagine themselves in his circumstances.

An interesting aspect of the book is that Luke is exposed to propaganda both for and against the population laws. I was kept guessing as to whether the population laws were a draconian necessity or a tyrannical overreach. As an illegal third child Luke wonders whether he is a criminal or a victim.

A nice touch that makes the book's dystopian setting believable is that even the "rich" barons are merely middle class by today's standards. Junk food is a luxury and there is not even enough food for families to keep pets.

Unfortunately, the book has many flaws. For one, Luke is a wimpy scaredy-cat. He is not brave, he is not smart, he rises to no challenge, he has no skills, no talents, does not excel at anything at all. Luke is a boring vanilla character.

Among the Hidden is boring for another reason as well. It has no villains. Instead it has boogey-men, the nameless faceless Population Police, which make a single brief appearance at the book's conclusion while Luke hides in a closet.

What I found strange was that the Population Laws are less strict than the real-life one-child policy of China. I simply cannot understand what Haddix was thinking in choosing a two-child law. In my mind this diminished the realism of her story. However, young readers will probably not notice.

I think the subject matter is too mature for 8-12 year olds. Children do not understand population control or reproductive freedom or government overreach. These themes will go over the heads of young readers. I cannot understand what Haddix was thinking in writing this book for such a young audience.

I have read the sequel, Among the Impostors. The events of Among the Hidden have no impact on the next book except for providing Luke with a reason to run away from home. I can assure you that Among the Hidden does not develop into a more satisfying story arc in the next book.

In conclusion, we have here a good idea that was executed poorly. I do not recommend Among the Hidden.

Among the hidden is one of the best books i've ever read, i could read it again, and again, and never get bored. The way Margaret P. Haddix leaves you hanging is amazing, and you won't want to put it down. Actually, i take that back, you won't be able to put it down. Like when Luke... well i'll let you read the book to find out. See Luke, a shadow child, is not even supposed to exist, because the population police say he's illegal. Familes can only have two children in the family, and that's it. But many people break the law. Luke used to be able to run around and play outside, before the barrons moved in across the way, now he's forced to stay inside. But one day when he's looking out the window, a definant NO, he sees a girl in a house where 2 boys already live. My favorite quote from the book is when Jen, (the girl luke saw and decided to investigate on) is talking on Instant Messanger with other shadow children, and luke asks;
"What's the password?" And Jen answers,
"Free. The password is free"

Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, is a book about a boy named Luke who has to hide from the Population Police because he is the third child in the family. It is illegal for families to have more than two children. Luke meets a friend named Jen who wants Luke to come out of his hiding space. It was a very sad book. I also felt nervous that Luke would caught by the Population Police. I rate this book four and a half stars which is pretty good in my opinion. I am a student who would recommend this book to people who like suspenseful books.

"I`ll never be allowed outside again.Maybe never as long as I live."These are some of the sentences that Luke Garner says.This book is called Among the Hidden.
Luke is a shadow child, a third child. That means he`s in a family that already has two children.It`s a population law. They band third children.This is because the goverment claimed, that there wasn`t enough food.The goverement also band: Junkfoods and family pets.
Luke has to stay up in his attic all day. This is because the woods came down.He used to be able to sit at the dinner table. But now dad says, that it would be better if he didn`t.So now Luke has to sit on the bottom step of the staircase.
On day Luke was looking out his vents in the attic room and seen another shadow child. One day Luke decided to go over to the sports family house. Hedid. He got into the house and SHE tackled him. They meet a couple times, and that turns into a couple months.Jen and Luke start to plan. They planned and planned for months.This book: Among the Hidden is by Margret Peterson HAddix. Among the Hidden took place in a farm house then the woods came down and Jen`s house went up.This story takes place sometime in the near future.
I really loved this book. It was tender and juicy. I love books that have ,mystery and this book does. I love books like this.You got to read this book. But i don`t think the sequal will be as great as this one.

A long time ago, couples can only have 2 children. Luke, a third child, lives with his two older brothers and his parents, somewhere hidden in the woods. Luke's parents made him think that he is special. He wanted to go to school and learn or to see and talk to other people but instead, he has to hide from all of them just for a reason he does not know and understands. They supposedly live there because of Luke. Luke has disadvantages compared to his older brothers, Matthew and Mark. Basically, Luke does not get to be exposed in public or cannot go out and his brothers could. He could go outside to play but he may not go in public. Now that houses are being built near his family's farm he wasn't eligible to go outside anymore. At first, he was curious about why cant he go out. It's been a struggle for his mom to tell him but she managed to. Luke's family lived far away from other people. The next house closest to his is about 3 miles apart. Luke is an intolerable child to the population police, people who make sure that families are a family of four and not five like Luke's... This is only the beginning. Ever wonder what will happen to Luke if he gets caught? Personally, I would recommend this book for a person who has concerns for everyone and is very considerate of others. I gave this book 4 stars for its topic that made me think about respect and consideration.

This book is very fascinating. It has a lot of events that trigger even more events. The main character Luke has had to live in hiding for all of his life and when he finds out that there are other third children he starts to not believe what the Population police are doing is right. The author does an excellent job on finding ways to keep the reader involved in the book and want to keep reading. Her techniques are very good. How she writes parts of the books to where you would have to read more because you want to know what happens. It is a great on the edge of your seat book because of all the events that take place in this book. This book makes you also think about the future more and makes you think, "Could this really happen?" You just never know. Margaret Peterson Haddix is a very great author who writes books that will keep you interested until the end and makes the story very enjoyable. Margaret Peterson Haddix uses a lot of description in the book to really bring out the scenes of the book. She describes all of the house and the area around Luke's house and just everything that is going on. The main character Luke was a boy that was faced with a lot of problems. I just don't think that I could really put up with the stuff that he had to do in this book to stay out of trouble. I couldn't stay in a house that long. This book is very good and I recommend it to anyone that would like to read a book that you will stay interested in until the end.

This book is awesome!!! Margaret Peterson Haddix did an excellent job once again. Among the Hidden is a young adult novel about a third child named Luke Garner. He has to hide from the world because he is illegal; you can't have as third child in this world. One day he meets another shadow child, as the world calls them, and his life is changed forever by this shadow child named Jen. This book reminds me of The Giver. The societies and lives these people lead are a lot alike. Ms. Haddix did a wonderful job on this book and ever since I first read this, I have always remembered it. "Luke Garner", she announced solemnly, "you have come to the right place. Forget that hiding-like-a-mole stuff. I'm your ticket out." pg. 65 This book was incredible. It put you into the place of this lonely shadow child and you felt his emotions as he felt them. The message in this book is to never give up and to fight for what you believe in. Jen and Luke fought for what they believed in until the end. This is a book for young adults, but probably not for younger kids just because this book deals with things that younger kids might not understand. The only problem with this book is that it's not for everyone. I highly recommend this book to young adults and to older ones too. It's a great book and I give it two thumbs up!

We have all been to school. But Luke has never been to school. We have all been to a birthday party or have a friend. Luke has never been to a birthday party or have a friend. He hasn't been outside for years. It's all because he is a third child. Luke is one of the shadow children in AMONG THE HIDDEN written by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Luke has been hiding all is life from the Population Police. A third child is forbidden by the Popuation Police. Luke can't go outside right now because there building a housing development near their farm in the woods. Luke as been curious about the house next door because he saw a face in the window that looked like a girl, and the only children they have are just two boys. So Luke plans to go over there. He goes over there and meets the girl. It turns out that she's a third child, her name is Jen. The story takes place in the near future, because right now we don't have Population Police and they don't forbid a third child. It mainly takes place on a farm where Luke lives near the woods. The woods are getting destroyed because a new housing development is being built. AMONG THE HIDDEN was a great novel with a lot of suspense and action. You should purchase this book and you won't regret it. It has a surprising ending that will leave you breathe less.

Among the Hidden is about a boy, named Luke, who lives where it is againts the law two have more than two children. The only problem is he's the third child. He spends the First eleven years of his life hiding in the attic(his bedroom). When he's at home while his parents work all he can do is sit in his room and read books that he's read hundreds of times. His parents won't let him watch TV or get on the computer because they're afraid that the police would him. One day Luke is looking out of a little peek hole in the side of his wall when he see's the neighbor's behind there house light's going on and off. He thinks that there must be another third child there. Finally he gets the courage to go over to the house. When luke gets inside sure enough there's a girl, named Jennifer, in there. Luke and Jennifer become great friends. Then Jennifer tells luke about all the third children the meets in an online chat room. All the children Jennifer meets decide to go rally up at the town hall. Finally the day comes for the rally and Luke decides he just can't go. He waits and waits to hear from Jennifer and finally he goes over to her house. When he gets there Jennifer's dad is in the house. Luke asks where Jennifer is and her dad tells him that Jennifer and the other 40 kids (which was supposed to be 800) were shot at the rally. Jennifer's dad tells Luke that he is in great danger and a couple of day later Jennifer's dad comes to pick Luke up to take him to a boarding school.

I didn't like this book because it had a bad ending. The girll dies and then Luke leaves. I was afraid to read the next books because I didn't want them to end the same way. I do think the book teaches us a good lesson though. I wouldn't recomend this book but it's deffinantly not a waste of time to read either.

Among the Hidden Cliff Nielsen, 2000,153pp., $4.99
Margaret Peterson Haddix ISBN: 0689824750
"How old do I have to be before people can see me?" A six-year-old luck asked. He unfortunately is a third child that lives in a country that forbids having third Childs. Among the Hidden is an incredible book that is about the future were the government forbids people to have a third child. Luck by being born third child in his family is forced to hide in this family's farmhouse. No body can see or know of him only his family, other wise he would be reported to the government or be killed. After some time his life changes and he can finally go out to see the world.
As I read this book I hade a feeling of hiding as he did, because some how I was just like him being forced to hide form the world and never be seen. Reading this book is somehow like reading my life and mostly my past. This book fascinated me; it just sucks you in and doesn't let go till you've finished reading it.
I highly recommend this book to everyone from kid to adult, especially those who enjoy reading science fiction mixed with adventure. This book is remarkable and won't be forgotten easily. It will be the best book you will ever read I guarantee it.
-Neisa C.Ramirez

After reading this book I felt as if I understand the world more.Among the Hidden is about how two opposites can be so much alike. Luke Garner is a third child, also knowen as a shadow child.Luke is not allowed to to be in his home due to the population law.Each home may only have two children. Luke quickly realizes he is not alone. Luke sees Jen in a window one day. When he suddenly realizes that family already has two children. Could she be another shadow child? Or is he alone in the world? Margret Peterson Haddix did a wonderful job on this bokk. Some outhers she has written are, Running out of Time, Don't YOu Dare Read this Mrs.Dunphry, and Leaving Fishers. All four have great reviews. This story is set in the future. It takes place on lukes farm, and in the new Subdision. I think that children 12 to 20 would injoy this book. Anyone younger might not understand the problems in the story. I think this book was very well written. I loved every moment of it. She told dome very amizing tales in this story. They were very descriptive and precise. So I think that you should read this book. But if you don't like surpises,fights for freedom, or tragedy. This book is not for you. Therefor I think that this is the best of her collection, and that should injoy reading it.

This series is not an original idea, but the general writing style and the way the plot developes is.

Basically, the world is overpopulated and the food supply is low. So the government creates a new law; each family can only have three children. Now there are children hiding. They are 'illegal third children'.

This book is very musterious and full of twists and turns that leave the reader begging for more...and fortunatly, the author has more to offer.

Among the Hidden is a first ya novel in "Among" series. Maybe it will be more interesting to younger reader. To me it lacked depth. very card-board stereotyped. i prefer books with a lot more depth to characters, so recommend reading Unwind by Neal Shusterman. Hidden is very similar to this much better book

Can you imagine hiding from civilization because you aren't supposed to be alive? Well, that is what Luke Garner the main character in Among the Hidden has to do. None of the families in this book are supposed to have more then two children. That is why Luke Garner, a third child, has to hide from the Population Police. Luke's "room" is the attic and that is where he is usually sent to hide. Luke has never rode in a car, gone to a store, or even been outside his own property. The Garners had a lot of land so Luke used to be able to play outside. But ever since rich Barons built houses around his, he has to stay up in the attic. One day, Luke is hiding in his room after everyone had left their houses. He sees a face in the window of his new neighbor's house. Luke finally gets the courage, after a lot of thought, to leave his house and go check if there really is someone that is in that supposedly empty house. Once inside the house he meets another third child named Jen. If you want to know what happens with Luke and Jen buy Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. You won't regret it! This book starts out slow in the beginning but then gets really good. Among the Hidden keeps you reading because you want to know what happens. It is kind of an adventure, sad, unbelievable, unfair, and happy book all mixed together. I enjoyed it very much. It was a very good book, anyone would like it! There is also a sequel to Among the Hidden called Among the Impostors.

ISBN 0-689-82475-0
What would you do if you were just born and had already broken the law? This fantasy-adventure type book is all about Luke's life as a third child. He is forbidden by the law. Luke has to spend his whole life hiding from windows, open doors or anything like that. Until one day when both his brothers and parents are gone, he sees a girl in a house that has two brothers already. Could this be Luke's new and first friend? Or is it a burglar and he will get caught by the Population Police? Read the book to find out what decision Luke makes and how much it affects his life.
This book was excellent. To be honest, I would recommend this book to just about and kid thats around my age (11-15). Anyone that enjoys reading would really like this book. This book was a real page turner. I finished it in about 5-6 days. I just could not put the book down because it had such good parts to it and the end of the chapters just kept you hanging and you had to go on. I really like this genre because my favorite kind of genre is fantasy. I also enjoy adventure and war-like kind of books. Like I said anyone would enjoy this book that is in Middle School.

I thought that Among the Hidden was an exciting and interesting book. Margaret Peterson Hadddix, the author of Running Out of Time, has come up with a new idea. Among the hidden is unlike any other book I have ever read.I especially liked how discreipted the book was when it talked about the setting. And how you could picture what his house looked like. Luke Garner is a shadow child. He has never been allowed to see anyone except his immediate family. His grandparents don't even know that he exists. He has been hiding all of his life from the Population Police, the poeple who would kill him. "Stay inside".That was what his family told hm all the time.Luke wass illegal because he was a third child.His family already had two other children.But when the trees around his house are taken down, Luke can't even go into the living room for fear that someone might see him throught the window.He is forced to stay upstairs in his tiny attic bedroom.His only way to see the outside world is a small vent leading outside. But one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house that he knows two boys already live at.Luke knows that he is seeing another shadow child.But Jen, the girl next door, is willing to give her life to get out of the shadows.Should Luke join her plan for freedom?Can he afford to? I think that Among the Hidden is a very unique and interesting book.It is full of suspense.

Brian H.
Among the Hidden
By: Margret Peterson Haddix
ISBN: 0-689-82475-0
�Open up population police�! That's from one part of Among The Hidden. In Among The Hidden the main Character is a boy named Luke that has to hide in his house because he is a third child and that is illegal in the book so if any of the population police find him they will get big rewards and he will probably be killed. Luke mainly hides in his attic but he dose go to Jen�s house which is another third child. This book takes place in the future but not way in the future like lots of things in the future.
I found this book very good and exciting. It seemed like there was always something that there was a reason that made me keep wanting to read. I would say this is a definite page turner and I would recommend this book to any one that likes sci-fi of any age. It is not very hard to read but I wouldn't recommend it to little kids unless they are good readers because it will be hard for them to read. The author made it very easy to connect with Luke because she told so much about him and you found out even more through out the book. I found this a great book.

Before I begin, I will say that this WAS a good book.

The basic plot is that Luke Garner lives in a world where he, along with a few other children, are unwelcomed. It takes place in a future where humans are sucking the life out of the planet, and it is too overpopulated. This leads to a ban of all children born after the second.

That is the VERY basic plot. Read to find out the rest.

Upsides -

The plot is fresh and new.

Interesting and believeable characters.

Good "what if" picture.

Downsides -

Some plot elements overused.

Second half seems rushed.

First few chapters are rather depressing.

There you have it. The best and worst of Among the Hidden. Will I read the next book in the series? Oh yes. Let's pray that the next installment was tweaked for the better.

I first read this book when I was in the third grade. Now 20 years old, I gave myself the chance to enjoy this book again. It's been so long since reading it at school but I've always had a love for this book. Thank you, Margaret and the store for allowimg me to relive part of my childhood. Now that I'm older and can grasp the context more, the imagery is outstanding!

I had to read this futuristic novel for an ACR assignment and i liked the book. Here is my review. The story is about a 12-13 year old boy, who after a government ban that only alows 2 children to a family called the population laws, is born and how he spends his days happy until, a large home building company decides to cut down the trees to build homes next to their farm. Now he has to stay inside and stay out of sight so the population police do not find him. If found he will not be able to live with his family.
One day he decides to look out the vent of the attic to see the neighbor hood being bulit next to his farm, he counts the people and since the population law prohibits more than 2 children per family finds that there are only 28 people in the neighbor hood thinks he is able to moves around the house instead of staying in the attic all day. One day upon looking out the vent counting the people see's another face in the house next to his farm wich already has 4 people, could it be another 3rd child like him? Could there be a whole world full of 3rd children like him? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Set in a time where people can only have up to two children. It shows a possible future that third and fourth children have to hide or be killed. Luke is one of these children but is allowed out for a time since they had lived in the woods. But soon that is changed. The government has cleared away the trees and made the surrounding land into a place of many houses. Luke is now confined to the house, away from the windows. He longs to go out and soon he finds a way to see outside without any risk. He soon notices a place where there might be another third child. That other third child pulls him into a risky plan against the government. The book is a good adventure story that keeps part of the feeling of real life.

If you like suspenseful but also exciting books then you will defiantly like among the hidden. The author of this book is margaret peterson haddix. You might have read another one of her books befor. One of the books she has written besides among the hidden is called runing out of time. Among the hidden is about a young boy named luke . He is the youngest of the three children. You might thank that a third child is perfectly normal because you might have a brother or a sister that is a third child or you might be one yourself.In the county that luke lives in having a third child in totally unexceptable to have,according the population police. the population police are cops that control the population. when luke was up in his room looking out of the vients he saw some one in his neighbors house. At that time he realized that he wasnt the only showdow child. He went over to the neighbors house very quilty not even lettting his dad know he wasnt in the house any more and went to see who was in the house. there was a young girl like as jen. luke and le become vary good friends. im the story some thing happensto one of them. read the bod for more details on both jen and luke. you can find out wast happens to both of them of them this is a short novel and a great one to.

This is an excellent book about a time of government control supposedly brought on by population problems and Food Wars. Luke is a forbidden third child, whose existence is sheltered by his family's rural life. Then the government seizes part of their land to build luxury houses for the "Barons." These people of privilege have many things ordinary folks don't. One of the "Barons" also seems to have something Luke's family has, a third child.

I found the book Among the Hidden very interesting. It is definitely one I would recommend. I liked it because even though it was a fictional story, there were things you could learn, such as how propaganda was used in so many ways in history and how much longer it will be used in the future. I, being 13 years old, found the topic somewhat confusing, but only at first. As you read on, the setting and characters and plot all come together into a great story. In the most part, I liked the book. The book Found, also by Margaret Peterson Haddix, was another one I had read that had a similar topic. In Among the Hidden, Luke is a third child. In the time period of this story, being a third child means you must live in hiding. Having a third child in a family is illegal. The plot of Found is kind of like that, but in a different way. It is also a book I would recommend. Both of these two stories are the types of books I like, kind of an adventure/ mystery. Among the Hidden was definitely a better story than I thought it would be.

Salam Zebian A.K.A. Crazysam, 14 years of age, 4/5/06

Characters- Luke Garner, His parents and Brothers, Jen, other illegal third children.

Conflict- In the future, the population of the planet has grown too much and we are unable to have more than 2 children. There are Population Police which are meant to enforce this law, but many people still have illegal 3rd children, and the 3rd children have to stay in hiding much of their lives.

Details-

* Beginning-

* Luke thinks he is one of only a few 3rd children

* Luke finds out that his woods are being cut down, meaning he can never go outside as much as before

* He regrets his brothers

* Middle-

* Luke finds out about many more 3rd children and then becomes good friends with Jen, another 3rd child who's father works for the Population Police

* Luke learns all about the network of illegal 3rd children and their plans for the future

* End-

* Jen wants to go to a big rally where many of the illegal 3rd children are petitioning against the law about not being able to have more than 2 children

* Luke ends up not going to the rally

Setting-

Where- Luke's House, Jen's house, outside of Luke's house and in front of a government building. (where rally took place)

When-

Sometime within the near future, doesn't show exactly, but sounds maybe 20-35 years from today.

My opinion-

I think that this is a very good story that I have read over and over again, and I have been so interested with the story, that I read all of the rest of the Shadow Children Series Books, and many other books by Margaret Peterson Haddix, my second favorite author.

Details-

1- People are only allowed to have 2 children legally

Importance- This is important because it causes a big problem for the main character, Luke, and creates a good story.

2- The illegal 3rd children rebel and create their own way of fighting back

Importance- This is important because this creates something very bad to happen, which you have to find out by reading the story, you don't want me to ruin the ending, do you?

Quotes-

In the book- "Lee Grant settled into the car that would take him away from the farm where he'd find refuge, after running away from home."

Luke talking to himself- "I will never be allowed outside again. Maybe never again as long as I live."

Among the Hidden is about a boy named Luke. Luke is a third child. In this book a third child is illegal. Luke is not allowed to do anything except read or take a nap in his room, which is in his attic. Luke has to hide all the time. One day, when he looked outside, he saw a face in a house where he knew two kids already lived. Luke goes to meet this person. Now he has to make a decision to follow this person's plan or to not follow.
I think this book is super. All the time I was reading Among the Hidden it kept me thinking. When Luke was in dangermy heart kept pounding and I felt worried for him. What was going to happen next in the story? For instance, could Luke make it to a third child's house?
This book is great for people who don't like a lot of action. When I was reading this book I was really fascinated. Because of all the desperate measures he takes all the time. For instance, he was taking all the precautions to make bread and clean up the entire kitchen.
So if you read Among the Hidden you will really like it.

Luke lives in a futuristic society where the government has decided that each family may have only two children. Unfortunately, Luke is a thrid child and must remain hidden all the time. Then one day, he meets another third child, Jen. She is organizing a rally to have the two child law repealed. Will Luke participate? Will Jen be successful? My 7th graders who read this book in their lit circle loved it and went on to read the rest of the series. What more could a teacher ask for?

This book was very well written and keeps you hooked. However, I was totally appalled at the subject matter in this book that was assigned to my 10 year old to read for school. They warn us continually to watch what we allow our children to watch on TV and see in other media, yet they turned around and assigned a book that at first looked innocent enough. The way it ended however left my son crying for over an hour until he fell asleep, worried that he may be taken from his family or killed. It is NOT the kind of book I ever would have allowed him to read had I known ahead of time how violent and callous it was. It has members of the government literally shooting children in cold blood, simply because their parents broke the 2 child limit law. It is subject matter appropriate for discussion at a high school level. It is NOT appropriate for younger children. It was presented to us as being part of a science fiction unit for the 5th grade literature class. In my opinion it has nothing to do with science fiction, it is a pure horror book and too violent for sensitive 10 year olds.

I thought this was a great book. It's about a boy named Luke. He is an illegal third child in a community where you are only allowed to have two or less children. Instead of normal police, they have population police. If a third child like Luke gets caught, they have to take them away from their family, and kill them, then pretend like it never happened. So luke's goal is to stay away from the population police and everyone else except his family. Then he finds out that his neighbors who have been there for a while, also have a third child. Then secretly he sneaks over to her house during the day because everyone is at work. They eventually become meet and become friends.His barrier to stay hidden is his parents. They feel bad that he has to stay hidden so they do something about it.
This book is character driver. I know this because most book is based on Luke hiding. About his goal of not being found. The other part is him trying to find out who the other child is, because he has never seen anyone but his family.
I really enjoyed reading this book, I wouldn't even mind reading it again. It is different because it has a strange goal. Instead of Luke trying to find or get something. He is trying to not be seen to keep his goal. I thought it was very well written.

Among the Hidden was a suspenseful, interesting, fun book to read. The main character's name is Luke Garner. Luke is a third child. The population law states that third children aren't allowed because of a shortage of food. If Luke is seen outside or anywhere in public, he will be killed. So, Luke can't go to school, church, have friends or go to birthday parties. He has never been outside of his house since the woods were destroyed. Replacing the woods were rich houses. In one of the rich houses lived a girl named Jen Talbot. Jen was a third child too. Luke accidentally met her. Every day he could, Luke would sneak to her house through the grass. Jen taught Luke what was in the real world, about soda, chips and ice cream. Jen plans on having a rally against the population police so third children don't have to be hidden. Since you can only have two children, and some families have three, they don't know what to do. This is a big problem. The only way to solve it is by having the rally.

This book is the beginning of a series based on the premise that the Government has made it illegal to have more than two children. Luke is one of these Shadow Children, forced to live in his parents' attic. One day, he sees what looks like another child- and it is- another Shadow Child. But, she belongs to a Baron, one of the upper class.

This is a powerful novel, hard to put down!

This book reminds me of "1984" thought it has been twenty-some years since I read that classic. In any event, this is brought up-to-date with its inclusion of the Internet, suburbia, and farmland encroachment. Some might argue that it is overly simplistic and I had to agree and knock off one star. But how can you cover overpopulation, famine, gun control, class systems, and government fascism adequately in 1000 pages, let alone 150? This book begs to be the centerpoint of discussion in classes at the junior and senior high levels.

Luke is the star of the wonderful book Among the Hidden. And acording to the goverment, Luke doesn't excist. Thats because Luke is a third child in his family. And because of the population law, He's not aloud to live. His mother loves him very much, but he was an accident to the family, so he has to live in his attic. He is not aloud to turn on anything loud, go outside, go infront of a window, or anything like that, of fear the population law will see him and, well, behead him. At a time he once was aloud to go outside, with his house, the barn they had, and the forest behind his house. But, when the forest is cut down and houses are built, he will live the rest of his life in the attic. But peeking though one of the vents in his attic, while his parents are at work and his brothers at school, he sees one house where two boys left for school. But he sees another face though the window...

And so of course Luke is intersted, and finds out this face was going to change his life, forever.

Back in my early years in college, my Language Arts colllege instructor had us read this book as a literacy circle assignment. I just couldn't believe how engaging this book was. From then on, I recommended it to my dear son who loves literature. He's a fourth grader now and is about to start the third book from this series. He absolutely loves it!!!

I'm including a review of this book in a handbook for parents and teachers I'm writing about Young Adult literature so I decided to reread it for the review. I was impressed with this novel the first time, and I loved it even more the second time. This time I picked up more on the foreshadowing I had missed or forgotten the first time in my haste to catch the storyline. Bravo to the author for this well-crafted YA novel!

An interesting set of ideas. Here you have a hero that is an unwanted third child and whose life is in constant danger as a result. Remarkably, this is the first in a series of books about the life and adventures of Luke. The writing here is fine. I won't praise it endlessly, but it has a nice set of ideas that are created in a set order. This world is well thought out and the people believable. I enjoyed one character's assessment of government and subversive propaganda, and how intelligent people find the truth somewhere in the middle. Unfortunately the narrator is a fan of heavy foreshadowing. There's enough of it in this book to make one feel as if the climactic occurrences that appear throughout the story have already occurred. In the canon of sci-fi futuristic utopias in children's literature this will not make the top ten. But it's worth reading and well thought out.

Among the hidden is such a great book!!!! The plot that the author writes is so unimaginable that it really makes you want to read the book!
The plot goes as there is a boy, named Luke, who is a shadow child. He must live in the attic because there is population police who will take him away if they found out about him. He soon finds out that the Government thinks that if people have more than 2 children then alll the food in the world will soon be gone. He gets this info from a fellow shadow friend who lies next door to him. She is very spunkful and adventurous, and schemes up ideas on how to stop the population police. Her ideas are so witful that Luke is having to make the biggest decision of his life.
"Very suspensful, the best book ive read in a long time." "intriging plots, twisting ends, makes u think" "I gave it 4 stars and i believe it earns them. Haddix writes a best seller by far"

Margaret Peterson Haddix who is this author of Among the Hidden is also the author of Running out of Time. Margaret's stories are based on the government having control on the town and the people. I think they are good books about that subject. It has a good point that freedom is important and that you shouldn't have to worry about being seen by other people besides your own family. The book is about a boy who is a third child. Where this family of five lives families are only allowed to have two kids. The boy's name is Luke. Luke is what is called a shadow child. He lives out in the farmland. The farm becomes a neighborhood. Luke has to watch out now for the population police and other neighbors seeing him. If Luke gets caught there could be a severe consiquince. When Luke was up in his room looking out the vents, he saw somebody in his neighbor's house. At that time he relized that he wasn't the only shadow child. He went over to the neighbor's house very quietly not even letting his dad know he wasn't in the house anymore. There was a young girl like him. Her name was Jen. Luke and Jen became good friends. In the story something happens to one of them. Read the book for more details on both Luke and Jen. You can find out what happen to both of them. This is a short novel and a great story!

I first read this book in 2010 when I was 9 years old. It was the first book to have made me cry. This book is deep and develops meaningful relationships that mean something and could easily rip your heart out.

How would you like it if you didn't get to go out side or have any friends well thats what happened to Luke in the book Among the Hidden. Among the Hidden By Margaet Peterson Haddix. I have not read any other book about this author. The thing he did good was about him explaining about the book really good. For an example is when Luke has never went to school or went to a birthday party or a bunch of other things that normal people do. The story takes place at night in the woods. The main charteris Luke and he doesn't have any friends. One day Luke looked through the window and saw a girl in the next house over so he went over to the girls house to meet here and make friends. I though the book was very good and Interesting because all of the adventures and danger Luke has got into. This story is very cool. If you end up reading this book it will end up being your favorite book because it was for me.

This book’s theme is curiosity compels people to do things. The main character, Luke a third child has to hide from the government and learn to live among the hidden. He has to hide because there is a population law that prohibits more then two children per family. If they find him he will be killed.
In the beginning of the book Luke is forced to stay hidden indoors because the government is building new houses. Soon after curiosity gets the better of Luke, he sneaks out only to see houses surrounding him! In one of the buildings something catches his eye, in the Talbot’s house he sees a girl’s face in a window he knows two boys already live… During the middle of the book Luke’s curiosity is too much and he sneaks out to go investigate. Luke breaks into the Talbot’s house and he was right, he finds a girl, Jen. Jen and Luke become friends and Luke finds that she has contact with other third children! Jen has a plan but it’s a risk to take… Find out more by reading this exciting book!

I thought this book was very thought provoking and proved to be an eye-opener for me. Although it is fictional, how many of these things are hitting close to home right now? The part when Luke went to Jen's and ate food that had been outlawed sounds familiar to what is happening now. A young child's home lunch was taken from her at her school just the other day because she did not want a vegetable in it, so her mother didn't send one. They have a person who inspects their food who took her lunch away and made her buy a school lunch. Think of the land being used or taken from us if the government wants it for something. This is happening now. There's more to this book than just fiction. It makes you take a hard look at what freedoms now are being taken right out from under our noses, and many of us will just sit back and let it happen. Some countries already limit families. Will ours be next?

Haddix takes the plain concept of outlawing three or more children per family and uncovers discussion topics that would get anyone talking about the book for hours. The story is engrossing in its simplistic approach to portraying a terrifying future of mankind, lorded over by a cold and heartless government. Even nonreaders would find it difficult to put this one down (as I did).

I teach this book to middle school students and always get thought provoking questions and ideas. They get very caught up in the story and care about Luke and Jen. With this book I can teach about propaganda and current events. (What is happening in our world now? Could this happen to us? Look at China.) Everytime we finish this book they ask to read the next one. We are all awaiting the next book in the series.

This series is not for readers that are easily scared of twists and turns, ie scary movies or mystery novels. "Hidden" has tender moments such as a touching friendship between the protagonist and another character, but most of the series, particularly the first book, has an edge-of-your-seat suspense feeling. Enough for preteens, but not enough for high schoolers. I enjoyed reading this book, and it did make me want to buy the rest of the series.

This book is very engaging and beautifully written, with an important message about personal freedom vs. government intervention, and above all, the value of life. I highly recommend this for mature 4th graders--6th grade. A+

I am a 13 year-old, and to tell you the truth, I am not really into sci-fi type books. I had heard about this book, so I decided to read it. I finished the day I got it. Margaret Peterson Haddix descibes the setting wonderfully. In a world were youu are only allowed to have to children, Luke lives with his family, stuck inside all day. Then he meets Jen, who tells him about all the other third children that are connected by an internet chatroom. Jen tells him how she is planning a rally against the Government, to make third children legal. This book is wonderfully written. I had read Just Ella and Running Out of Time by the same author, so I knew this would be great!

Among the hidden is an excellent story. It is about a boy named "luke" who is a 3rd child, and 3rd children are forbidden by the "population police". Ever since birth he had to hide,he was alowed to play in the yard because the grass was really tall, untill one day the government desideds to cut down all the trees to build houses.SO now luke cant play outside anymore.
One day he lookes outside throught a vent in the attic and he sees a face he relizes there are already 2 kids living there so he dicides to go over there he is reall scard so he waits a long time the finnally he gets the nerve to go............ Well i dont want to ruin it for you but this book is a must read for any age. I would also recommed Among the Imposters and Among the betrayed they are all practically about "Shadow children"

A disgusting portrayal of the United States being overtaken by a madman and his abscene population limitation laws, after a series of impossible yet disasterous events. Anyone who has a strain of patriotism will be at least slightly annoyed. Book follows the life of a twelve year old boy who is "hidden" by his parents so that the population police, who enforce the law that demands only two children per family. I read it in under an hour. What a bad a novel.********Here is my theory: if you are reading this, you like this sort of book and were looking to find a favorable review about it. People only listen to what they like to hear; thus the amount of people who found this review helpful.

Among the Hidden is a very sad book. Luke plays outside and hears crashing. He saw trees from the woods crashing down. The government was making room for rich families houses. Luke was a third child, and third children were against the law. He ran inside. He had to hide in the attick for a long time. He found a vent that he looked through and saw a third child in a window. One day Luke counted people leaving and everyone was gone. He dared to sneak over to the house and he found the third child. They talked about having a ralley against the government with other third children. Does he dare go to the ralley, will he risk his life to be free. On the ralley day, something terrible happens. If you like books that make your heart race and make you cry, Among the hidden is the book for you!

I love this series of books. They are very interesting. Their in a world were there are so many famines that third children are outlawed from excistence and if they are found they will be killed. It shows how these third children get fake identities and try to change the goverments mind . As they are trying to fix there world, the goverment gets worse and worse.........

Margaret Peterson Haddix's Among the hidden has truly amazing conflicts and characters. In a futureistic life Luke's family is extreemly different. At this time, families were allowed only two children. Luke's family is different beecause his family has three. Luke is the third child. If somebody were to find out this Luke could be sent to a children's home, taken away from his parents, or even killed. So Luke and his family need to make sure that nobody finds out. Other than that, a various amount of things happen in this book, which make ti so exciteing. This is one of those books that you would call an attention grabber. Over all this book is wonderful, it gives great details, and has and imaginative style. This book is reccomended for ages 12 and up.

For the young, this book could create a few nightmares, but the concept is too good to be ignored. It stimulates wonder about the government, our privacy, agriculture and many more topics relevant to our kids. I do hope as the characters grow up, the writing and depth of the characters grow as well, but it's a good read for its audience.

I thought it was the my favorite book because-well its so good I can't even explane it.Atfirst when I started reaing it I thought it would be boring,but when I got farther ito the book and finished it turNed out to be my favorite book.

Like Lois Lowry's The Giver, Among the Hidden reads like Orwell's 1984 for middle school readers. The difference is that, unlike The Giver or 1984, Among the Hidden leaves its protagonist (and its readers) with hope for a better future. With books like Among the Hidden, Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey!, and Leaving Fishers, Margaret Peterson Haddix is establishing herself as one of the best and most versatile writers for YA's today.

This is an outstanding book by Haddix. It shows the reality of the United States government, with its slowly changing state to toatalitarianism. Society has showed a great drop in conviction, or standing up for what they believe in, and this book shows the reality of it all. A population law was past, allowing only two children to be born for each family. The Population Police is started, which enforces the population law with great interest, because for every child captured...is a great reward for them. The whole resoning for this population law was because of a food famine in the U.S. which started riots and havock in cities throughout the country. This is a heart touching novel about a lonely boy who finds hope in a brave girl.

this book was on the list for required reading for my school. i found it to be a little childish for me. i was at first excited about the detail that could have been put into the subject matter, and i thought maybe the book would be like the giver, a favorite of mine. i did not think luke, the third child forbidden by law, had a strong enough personality. the ending was quite boring, and i found the book to be without many details that could have made it more exciting.

I enjoyed parts of this book. I liked the ideas behind the dystopia but the book had lots of boring parts. I wanted to find out more about Luke's story, but I couldn't force myself to continue the series, though I tried.

This is an enjoyable series that I purchased for my grandchildren. Would recommend it for kids 10 and up. I whipped through the whole set. Each story can be a stand alone, but reading them in order rounds everything out real well.

Among the hidden is a very interesting and heart-pounding book.Among the hidden is about a boy named Luke he is shy. In their neighborhood they have a law that is the population law which every family is to have only 2 kids but luke is a 3rd (which is called a "shadow child") Luke always has to hide and can never talk to people outside the family. That all changes when he sneaks over to the sports family house and meets a girl named Jennifer(Jen) which she is also a shadow child. I would have gave this a 5 star but I gave this a 4 star because something unexpectantly happens to Jen.

Luke is no ordinary kid. He's been hiding since he could remember. He can't go out in the front yard, play, and he has no friends at all. No one except his family knows that he exists, because if someone found out HE WOULD BE KILLED!!! Luke is a third child. Before he was born the government made "THE POPULATION LAW" which stated that families could only have two kids. If they got pregnant a third time they were to report it to the population police and get rid of it! However Luke's parents didn't.

This was a very thrilling and wonderful book. It had me on the edge of my seat with it's suspense and mystery. It was so good I couldn't put it down. I loved it very much and I hope you do too! goodbye!

My title seems in itself an oxymoron, but Haddix presents the story of a third-child prohibited by the government that only always a maximum of two children as realistic and chilling. In today's world it seems as though such a situation could arise in the not-so-distant future. I recommend this book along with the companion books for parents to read along with their children to explore the topics of familial love, polital truth and lies, patriotism, and bigotry. It explores all of these topics very well and isn't too long of a read.

...Margaret Peterson Haddix has also written running out of time.She is a very talented author. The book among the hidden is a very suspensful book.Luke is a 12 year old boy who has had to hide his whole life because he is a third child and in the future it is agenst the law to have 3 kids .One day luke is looking out of a vent in his room and sees a kids face in the window of a near by house and Luke knows that the family already has 2 other kids living there.Awile later luke finds the courage to go over to her house and meet her.Her name is jen and she has a big plan to save all third children,but somthing gos terably wrong and he has no disision but to get a fake i.d. and go to a diffrent house and live as a first child.

Imagine you are living in a law that doesn't allowed a third child. Well, Luke Garner was a third child in a family of five. A third child like Luke is called a shadow child. He never went to school, had no birthday party, and had no friends. Luke only came out of the house to his backyard, it wasn't easy because he had to be very careful. If a population police saw him, they would take him away and maybe kill him. Also he spend his whole life hidding in an attic at home. When he grew older, he find out that there was a law, that a family only can have two children. So, will he continue to be hidden from the world or will he step outside to the dangerous world?

Among the hidden is a very interesting and heart-pounding book.Among the hidden is about a boy named Luke he is shy. In their neighborhood they have a law that is the population law which every family is to have only 2 kids but luke is a 3rd (which is called a "shadow child") Luke always has to hide and can never talk to people outside the family. That all changes when he sneaks over to the sports family house and meets a girl named Jennifer(Jen) which she is also a shadow child. I would have gave this a 5 star but I gave this a 4 star because something unexpectantly happens to Jen.

Luke is no ordinary kid. He's been hiding since he could remember. He can't go out in the front yard, play, and he has no friends at all. No one except his family knows that he exists, because if someone found out HE WOULD BE KILLED!!! Luke is a third child. Before he was born the government made "THE POPULATION LAW" which stated that families could only have two kids. If they got pregnant a third time they were to report it to the population police and get rid of it! However Luke's parents didn't.

This was a very thrilling and wonderful book. It had me on the edge of my seat with it's suspense and mystery. It was so good I couldn't put it down. I loved it very much and I hope you do too! goodbye!

My title seems in itself an oxymoron, but Haddix presents the story of a third-child prohibited by the government that only always a maximum of two children as realistic and chilling. In today's world it seems as though such a situation could arise in the not-so-distant future. I recommend this book along with the companion books for parents to read along with their children to explore the topics of familial love, polital truth and lies, patriotism, and bigotry. It explores all of these topics very well and isn't too long of a read.

...Margaret Peterson Haddix has also written running out of time.She is a very talented author. The book among the hidden is a very suspensful book.Luke is a 12 year old boy who has had to hide his whole life because he is a third child and in the future it is agenst the law to have 3 kids .One day luke is looking out of a vent in his room and sees a kids face in the window of a near by house and Luke knows that the family already has 2 other kids living there.Awile later luke finds the courage to go over to her house and meet her.Her name is jen and she has a big plan to save all third children,but somthing gos terably wrong and he has no disision but to get a fake i.d. and go to a diffrent house and live as a first child.

Imagine you are living in a law that doesn't allowed a third child. Well, Luke Garner was a third child in a family of five. A third child like Luke is called a shadow child. He never went to school, had no birthday party, and had no friends. Luke only came out of the house to his backyard, it wasn't easy because he had to be very careful. If a population police saw him, they would take him away and maybe kill him. Also he spend his whole life hidding in an attic at home. When he grew older, he find out that there was a law, that a family only can have two children. So, will he continue to be hidden from the world or will he step outside to the dangerous world?

Among the Hidden was a great book and an absoulute page turner! I loved the book and was unable to put it down for 2 days. I don't know how to explain the book.With Luke's farm and very few appliences you think you are looking at a hard life from the past but when he meets Jen it is like a whole new world opens for him. Being hidden seems hopeless for Luke until he sees Jen's view. She may not be allowed to be 'FREE' but she still knows a way to make a good life out of captivity. Luke gets a daring chance to make history with Jen, but will he go? Or will he stay at home like a coward, safe, but coward? You have to read the book to find out, but once you do, trust me, you won't regret it. I am now searching for another novel by Haddix, and praying it is as good! :)

I teach 4th grade and read this book aloud to my kids every year. They beg me not to put the book down, and we end up finishing it in just a couple of weeks! There are reviews on here that suggest that the content is not suitable for the age group that I read to, but I completely disagree. They learn in school what fiction and non-fiction is and they understand that the story is not true or real. I can also guarantee that far worse damage is done by children watching t.v. and playing video games. Reading books as well written and as exciting as this one is what will keep children interested in reading, which is something we definitely need in this day and age that we live in!!!

The characters are a little shallow but at the same time you do get the feeling, as you read, that you are in the mind of this little boy who has to hide his whole life and they did "flesh out" some by the end. I would have liked a little more description of the setting and the characters themselves as some of it was hard to picture but overall I liked this book. It had potential and I look forward to reading the next in the series.

I liked this book. It was an extremely quick and easy read with an interesting plot and characters.

I probably won't read the rest in the series beacuse although the subject matter is interesting, I'm 21 and feel these books are just too young for me.

Among The Hidden is a suspenful and exciting book. Im from OR, United States and I have read Among The Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I think the author did a good job on the part where Luke sneaks over to Jens house and finds out that there are more third childs a lot of them. It takes place on a farm and his brothers mathew and mark get to go outside like he did but not after they cut all trees down. Now he cant go outside because of the goverment. As Luke looks out of his air vent in the attic in his bedroom he sees a head. He wonders who it is and sneaks over there. He finds a girl named Jen I fill that this book is really cool. I think Luke sounds like me and he does the things that I would do.

This book is the best book for teens! Myself, not being a big reader, loved this book! Out of all the books I have ever read this book is a little behind my favorite, "Number the Stars." This book intrigued me from the first to the last word! Every page held me in great suspense that made me wish that it went on forever(no matter how many pages)! I enjoyed this book so much that I am excited to read the sequel(which is nearly unheard of for me)! "Among the Hidden" is filled with mixed emotions and never-ending interest! This book is perfect for both genders and teens! I loved this book! Try this book, I bet you will like it!

I read this book at the reccomendation of our school librarian. Although it is a bit too old for my students (3rd graders) I would love to use this book with students in say 5/6th grade. It brings up issues like government control, propaganda and human rights in an interesting and though provoking manner.

I didn't like how Luke and his family have to suffer because of their secret, and yet the other girl basically lives a normal life. It seems like she fits into a separate category and is hardly able to relate to his experience.

Im 13 and i think when i read this book it was OK. I would recommend it because it was interesting in the most part.I recommend it because i read it in school and most of the time when children read books in school that mean the English teacher recommends it or thinks its a good book.in the other reviews that i read most of them are not negative because among the hidden is a good book. Some good reasons that the book is good is that it gets you exited and hooked in reading more.The reasons why its not perfect because there is some boring parts were theres not much exitment in those parts.

I love this book! It is thought-provoking and kind of frightening at points. The characters are great, I especially liked this one character named Jen. Anyone who likes THE HUNGER GAMES or anything of which someone has to keep secret, I would recommend this book! I would also recommend this to people who love the MATCHED trilogy.

I am 17, almost 18 years old. When I was 10 years old I read this book and it really kick started my joy of reading. Everyone should love reading. Kids these days act like reading is only for loosers, but i have news for them. I love reading and i am not a looser. I was prom king at my high school, I love snowboarding, biking, hiking, offroading, and partying. I am in an awesome band, I have a small acting career, and people love to be with me. I love reading more than anything else in the world though and in my oppinion its cooler than anything else I do. Help kids understand that reading is cool. I cant imagine what my life would be without it. This is an amazing book to help your kids (or you) learn to love reading too. :}

This frightening book is a good way to introduce gifted students to the questions about government control in our lives. It's a bit stark and terrifying for my fifth graders, but I still love it, and would suggest that you read it with your kids.

This book was a real page turner. I loved the way she writes all her books, in a manner that keeps you engaged into the book. Of course though, it does have some sad parts in it, and pretty much the whole plot is scary and sad. All in all though, I loved this book so much.

i would recommended this book for a read aloud for a teacher it hs cliff hangers frequently so you can stop there and end up with kids shouting dont stop it does have killing but it was a great book

Among the Impostors is an exceptional book that tickles the adventure, suspense, and drama side of people. I think one of the best aspects about this book is that you are there with the main character the whole book, and if you sit down and take the time to get into it, you really immerse yourself in the reading, and you are there with the character. Haddix has really pulled this one off nicely.

I just learned that my child in 4th grade had this read to their class. He said it was a good book, except he wasn't happy with the shooting. I'm displeased the school chose to expose the young children to this without letting the parents know. In a similar vein, the book THE GIVER was a depressing book for me as an adult. I feel that parents should be offered a choice on reading materials in school. Obviously it bothered my son enough to bring it up, long after the school year was over. Well written perhaps, but there are a plethora of other well written books for young children to choose from.

I thought this book left me intrigued throughout the whole book. I had so many shocking chapters that I couldn't put it down. I also liked how it was a quick read that didn't take me long to understand. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the next book in the series.

My 6th grade teacher first read this to us in class, and we were all hooked from the very first chapter. I didn't know there was an ongoing series until I found another book by the same author in middle school. From then on, I kept checking the bookstore to see if the newest had come in yet. MPH is one of my favorite authors from middle school. This is definitely a book to get tweens to read!

I read this book cause I had nothing else to do but I could not but it down. It made me kind of sad that this child, Luke is illegal. If you start reading it, you won't be able to put it down. Read it today!

I have recently started to read this series. I think that the first book is awesome. It is about an illegal third child, Luke Garner, and his struggles to be free. I would recommend it for grades 5-7.

This book was interesting and dark, but I still enjoyed it. Obviously well written and intriguing. The characters kept me interested and though it is darker than what I usually read, I found it to be stimulating and found myself thinking about the story even after I had put the book down. I recommend it for people who like mystery novels.

This book was recomended to me by a good friend. I read the entire series in a week. I couldn't put the books down. Margret Pederson Haddix is an amazing author and she makes you feel like you are there living as a third child and around every corner there could be a gun pointed at you face, waiting for the trigger to be pulled...

in the beginning of the book Luke goes downstairs to his kitchen and bakes bread and cleans the house even though he takes care to not be seen his dad gets very mad and punishes Luke. in all the book is very good and I will most likely continue the series

At the beginning the book was really good. Though as the chapters progressed I didn't like them that much. I had to read this for my seventh grade summer reading list. The book didn't exactly have the happy ending. Depressing book overall just makes you sad. I would recommend this book to adults rather than kids my age.

wow! i mean what can i say. the book kept me toes through out. i couldnt even put it down. among the hidden had such an impact on me. the fact that someone had to go through something like that is just unbelievable. it had such an ironic ending that i teared a little. this book has suspence, hatred love and such irony that i just cant wait to see what happens in among the imposters.

I loved this book as a kid! I couldn't put the book down. Margaret Peterson Haddix style of story telling has been one of the top inspirations in my writing. I always enjoyed the thrill of suspense and the mystery in books.

I have recently started to read this series. I think that the first book is awesome. It is about an illegal third child, Luke Garner, and his struggles to be free. I would recommend it for grades 5-7.

This book was interesting and dark, but I still enjoyed it. Obviously well written and intriguing. The characters kept me interested and though it is darker than what I usually read, I found it to be stimulating and found myself thinking about the story even after I had put the book down. I recommend it for people who like mystery novels.

This book was recomended to me by a good friend. I read the entire series in a week. I couldn't put the books down. Margret Pederson Haddix is an amazing author and she makes you feel like you are there living as a third child and around every corner there could be a gun pointed at you face, waiting for the trigger to be pulled...

in the beginning of the book Luke goes downstairs to his kitchen and bakes bread and cleans the house even though he takes care to not be seen his dad gets very mad and punishes Luke. in all the book is very good and I will most likely continue the series

At the beginning the book was really good. Though as the chapters progressed I didn't like them that much. I had to read this for my seventh grade summer reading list. The book didn't exactly have the happy ending. Depressing book overall just makes you sad. I would recommend this book to adults rather than kids my age.

wow! i mean what can i say. the book kept me toes through out. i couldnt even put it down. among the hidden had such an impact on me. the fact that someone had to go through something like that is just unbelievable. it had such an ironic ending that i teared a little. this book has suspence, hatred love and such irony that i just cant wait to see what happens in among the imposters.

I loved this book as a kid! I couldn't put the book down. Margaret Peterson Haddix style of story telling has been one of the top inspirations in my writing. I always enjoyed the thrill of suspense and the mystery in books.

In the story of Luke Garner's life in this futuristic world, I was very touched. Not only did the author do a good job of telling us how bad times would be, but she does a good job of getting to know the characters and be able to react with them. This is a short book, you will probably read it in about a day, but read it and take a look about how life could be..

this book was great! the first book i ever read that i was really into and wanted to read. After i finished this book it kept meeh awake for hours. I have never read a book his great.... I got me thinking of what i would do if i was in Luke situation. He had to live in secrecy his whole life and he finally finds his first friend then everything goes dwon from there. It really got me thinking

Fun and suspense filled readers that get this book won't b disappointed. It tells you the hard life of Luke Garner I read this twice but you need the series to know what I is going on so get the series!

omg i love these 4 books .they make you feel like its happening to you.there about third children who live in a place where your only allowed to have to kids.and if the population police find you they are going to kill you.and the only way to come out of hiding is to get a id card that say your someone else who died and was legal.

I loved this book. It had lots of daring moments that makes the reader nervouse for the charactor of Luke Grant. I have already read this book twice and I plan to read it again in the future. The first time I read the first book, I couldn't wait to read the second book to continue Luke's daring adventure. I couldn't put this book down and I say,"Bravo, Haddix!"

The story begins with a quite strange family. Luke and Jen are 3rd children and cannot be free. They try to escape and be free children. Jen has a hard time understanding that she must stay hidden. If you what to know what happen next. READ THE BOOK!

I loved this book it was great because the mystery and suspens with the rally and population police. It made you never stop wondering what would happen next. So you could not put the book down. I recommend this book to everyone.

Among the hidden is a short and wonderful book, I couldn't put it down. Among the hidden is so exciting and great. I had so much fun reading it and I hope many other people read it too because Its wonderful! I would rate it 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00 starts if I could!

Luke is a shadow child and he can not even go outside. He sees a girls face in a window. The girl is Jen and she is a shadow child too. Jen has a plan. it is dangerus. Should Luke be involved in it? Is it to dangerus?

I love this author, but i wish you could picture the person better because that seems what Haddix almost... Troubles with. But the book is short i read it in 30 min maybe more or less. So for what ur buying its an Ok deal.

among the hidden is one of the best books i have ever read! i am 11 and in a mother daughter book club and everyone (including the parents) loved the book. among the hidden is a wonderflly written book and i highly recomend it!!!

This book is amazing. It inclues suspense, action, heart racing and heart stopping event. even though the beginning is slow, it gets good in the middle. I HIGHLY recommend this book to ages 9 - 109.

5th or 6th grade teachers, if you're looking for a book to read to your students, look no further. I've read this book to my class for the past four years, and each year my students have begged me not to put it down. Your class will not be disappointed!

Very good book! Among the Hidden is a book for all ages. With all the emotional adventure, Luke, who is a third chlid meets another one and decides that they will either get the goverment to make third children legal, or die trying.