Among the Hidden (Shadow Children #1) (original 1998; edition 2000)

very intriguing book, would like to read more of the series.

This book somewhat reminded me of a book I read in Middle School called "The Giver". The Government in this book reminded of of one that strictly controls the people who reside in it and have very strict regulations and rules all have to follow. In this book though, the main control the government has is the limit on the amount of children each family can have. In both the Giver and Among the hidden the main characters escape.
The author tells a story about A boy, Luke, who is the third child in his family. It is a world where the government only allows two children per family due to the limited amount of resources. Because Luke is the third child, and a new housing development has been built where the forest used to be behind his house, Luke is sent to live as if he doesn't exist in their attic. Luke soon sees another "shadow child" in a house nearby and becomes friends with Jen. Sadly, Jen and a group of other Shadow children she's met through the internet go to confront the President and get murdered. When Luke finds out about Jens murder from her father, Jens father gives him a fake I.D. so he can go live at a boarding school as Lee Grant. ( )

When Luke (a hidden third child) sees a face peeking out of the house next door- the house that supposedly has only two children, he risks his life to venture over and see what is happening. This story is set in a futuristic time when the government controls almost every aspect of our lives, including how many children we can have.

Children love to read this series and discuss how the author uses foreshadowing to keep the story mysterious yet exciting. ( )

This whole series so far has ranged from above 3-1/2 to below 4-1/2. One more to go. I plan on coming back and making some more extensive comments at some point after that (hopefully). Aspects of some middle grade literature that lead to expectations and predictability and limit the upper age for whom they're truly entertaining and enthralling are probably more noticeable in this series but if you don't have that problem, as I don't, they're great. I only notice things like when I'm finished and look back. During the story I just fell right in and get lost. On the other hand, there are aspects of this story that in my mind extend pretty far beyond the middle grade realm and well into the YA realm. There are some really dire circumstances and some very extreme and intense emotions and mental states portrayed. ( )

Grades 4-7--
As some of the younger Hunger Games fans look for other tales of dystopian societies, this story which introduces Luke and other "shadow children" will fit the bill and offer a lot of possibilities around conversations. An intriguing look at an America that's similar enough to our own to be pretty darned chilling. ( )