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Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix


He had never disobeyed the order to hide. Even as a toddler, barely able to walk in the backyard's tall grass, he had somehow understood the fear in his mother's voice.
Luke is a third child who lives in a country where third children aren't allowed. No one is supposed to have more then two kids, but there are always some who break the rule. They create shadow children, thirds who have to hide their entire life to avoid the population police. It's not a happy life for Luke- when the forest next to his farm gets cut down, he has to avoid going outside altogether. Then avoid the kitchen. He feels useless, he can't go outside and help farm. he can't do anything inside, either, to avoid anyone coming and looking in windows. He's trapped. Until he meets Jen. Jen's another shadow child, one who communicates to hundreds over the internet. And she has a plan. A crazy plan.
Would he dare? Of course he wouldn't but still, still- The first time he looked out the vents and saw maple leaves shot through with shades of red and yellow, he panicked.
The first thing that went through my mind when I picked up the book was "ooh... cool cover. Cool title." Thing that went through my mind when I read the synopsis: "That. Sounds.... interesting." So I brought it home from the library, and read it. It was a quick read (though that was probably helped by the fact that a) I'm a quick reader and b) this version was in large print), but decent. Warning, however, it was sad. Quite a bittersweet ending... it had hope for the future, but it was also incredibly filled with despair. I'm not quite sure what I think about the end, so I took off a star just to be safe. I'd give this book three stars (though it might be four if I could make up my mind about the ending.).

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