Among the Hidden
By: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Young Adult Fiction
Luke is illegal. Not because he's ever done anything wrong, but because his very existence is against the law. He's the third child of his parents when they are only allowed two. In this futuristic society (or alternate reality, you decide), the government is totalitarian. They control the population with population police, the land, what can and can't be farmed, and the type of food that can be produced. The woods around Luke's house are sold to the government, and new houses go up. One day, while looking out the vent in the attic, Luke thinks he sees the face of another child. Is it possible there are more third children?
With the government banning and controlling everything from trans fats to farm subsidies, this book has some very strikingly similar parallels to our time. The book was thought provoking. Sometimes the plot was a little choppy and the character development left a little to be desired. I think my biggest complaint is that this book is clearly a sequel. There is a lot that still needed to be explained, and it wasn't done sufficiently in the first book. But, it's a short read, only 153 pages, and overall very good. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.
