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Among The Hidden Hardcover – September 1, 1998
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Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside.
Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows—does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?
- Print length160 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level3 - 7
- Lexile measure800L
- Dimensions5.5 x 0.6 x 8.25 inches
- PublisherSimon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Publication dateSeptember 1, 1998
- ISBN-100689817002
- ISBN-13978-0689817007
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Repackage ed. edition (September 1, 1998)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 160 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0689817002
- ISBN-13 : 978-0689817007
- Reading age : 9 - 12 years, from customers
- Lexile measure : 800L
- Grade level : 3 - 7
- Item Weight : 8.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #148,770 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,008 in Children's Science Fiction Books (Books)
- #2,610 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books
- #5,166 in Children's Action & Adventure Books (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

I grew up on a farm outside Washington Court House, Ohio. As a kid, I liked to read a lot, and was also involved in 4-H, various bands and choirs (I played flute and piano), church youth group, the school newspaper, and a quiz-bowl type team. I was pretty disastrous as an athlete, although I did run track one year in high school. After graduating from Miami University (of Ohio), I worked as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Indiana; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a part-time community college instructor and freelance writer in Danville, Illinois, before my first book was published. I've moved around a lot as an adult, having also lived in Luxembourg (during a college semester abroad) and in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. Several years ago, I moved back to Ohio with my husband and kids; we now live in Columbus, Ohio. My husband trains investigative journalists, and my kids are in high school, so there's always a lot going on around our house.
Customer reviews
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To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers enjoyed the suspenseful and enticing storyline with many twists. They found the book interesting and thought-provoking, providing great discussion in class. Readers described it as an amazing book for young readers and old. They enjoyed the well-developed characters and felt the emotional journey each character went through. The pacing was fast and the book was a nice summer read. Many customers are satisfied with the book and price. However, some customers felt the ending was emotional and sad.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the adventure in the book. They find the storyline suspenseful and enticing, with many twists. The book is described as interesting and relatable. Readers praise the well-written story of action-packed mystery.
"My ten-year-old and I loved reading this together. Very unique storyline!" Read more
"...So I expected this to be good and it was. Her books are really suspenseful, and usually mysteries...." Read more
"...I really liked the storyline and the book kept my interest so much that I finished it the same day I started it...." Read more
"...I have retained the surface idea of the series, the storyline is still as suspenseful, still sympathetic, and still as addictive as the first..." Read more
Customers find the book engaging and stimulating. It opens up many discussion topics and inspires them. The world-building and characters are decent, making it an excellent springboard for class discussions about the role of government in private lives.
"...we get a good insight into Luke's mind..." Read more
"...Such great discussion comes from this book, and my students adore that every nearly chapter ends in a cliffhanger...." Read more
"I enjoyed reading Among the Hidden, mostly because of the risks and excitement the book has...." Read more
"...into but once you do get into it it keeps you on your toes and gets you thinking!..." Read more
Customers find the book readable for young and old readers. They say it offers a great lesson about being grateful for what they have. The book is suitable for the age group needed, with some reviewers mentioning it should be required reading for students entering 7th grade.
"...Love the teacher. It has all worked out, but I would never have chosen this book for my child at age 10...." Read more
"...It offers a great lesson to children about being grateful for what they have and realizing others may not have the same things we tend to take for..." Read more
"...Easy quick read, can be read in a day if you have the time." Read more
"This was required reading for my 11 year old. He was not really interested in reading it until he got bored one night...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book series. They find it engaging with its dystopian plot and well-developed characters. The first book in the Shadow Children series is an excellent beginning for readers.
"...least once during this action packed, mysterious book one to a fabulous 7 book series...." Read more
"...from chapter 13 to the end of the book in 30 minutes it's a good shadow child one .that Luke is so brave." Read more
"Among the hidden is one of the best books I have read. This is a series by Haddix and I cant wait to read the others...." Read more
"...this rating because of how mysterious the book was and also that it has a series and I really liked it I hope you get this book also if you are a..." Read more
Customers enjoy the well-developed characters. They find the story engaging and appreciate experiencing the emotions the characters feel.
"Good world building and decent characters for how little interaction there is overall. Easy quick read, can be read in a day if you have the time." Read more
"...I really enjoyed the story. Jen's character was my favorite. She was brave, confident, and stood up for what she believed in...." Read more
"...This book really made you feel for this main character, a boy who's never really lived his life...." Read more
"...Otherwise a very good read, I found that I could really relate to the characters." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it engaging and fast-paced, even for young readers.
"Perfect condition and it showed up on time. No bends or tears and worth the read." Read more
"...Easy quick read, can be read in a day if you have the time." Read more
"...stuff.l could not be a good shadow child and the fact that I read this book so fast and I am 10 (not a good reader) I read from chapter 13 to the..." Read more
"...This is a must read, it's pretty short so you'll finish it quickly, even if you are a kid." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the book and price. They find the seller to be great.
"Great seller and GREAT book" Read more
"...was full of excitement and sadness but the book was AMAZING and worth the money." Read more
"My son loves this book Great price" Read more
"Great price for an awesome book! 2 day shipping is always awesome too!!" Read more
Customers find the book emotional and suspenseful with humor. However, some readers felt the ending was very sad and difficult to sympathize with the characters.
"Book was great i dropped a few tears and laughed a lot. i hate that it ends in a cliffhanger though!" Read more
"...However, it's difficult to sympathize with the majority of the characters, and the death at the end was difficult to process...." Read more
"...idea of the series, the storyline is still as suspenseful, still sympathetic, and still as addictive as the first time...." Read more
"...I rated this 5 stars because it was exciting and new. It was also very sad so it had mixed emotions and that's great." Read more
Reviews with images
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Amorae's book review
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2024My ten-year-old and I loved reading this together. Very unique storyline!
- Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2025The book was in excellent condition! Quick response and turn around time.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2025Perfect condition and it showed up on time. No bends or tears and worth the read.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2010in a sentence or so: living life in the shadows, fearful of a a secret that could ruin the family. in a world where the government says families can only have two children, Luke is a third child.
living on a farm surrounded by woods has granted Luke more freedom than he would have had elsewhere. as long as he's careful, very careful, he is allowed to be outside on the farm. the world doesn't know he exists, but at least at home his mom, dad, and brothers Matthew and Mark know who he is. Luke knows he puts a strain on his family. being diligent about keeping him out of site from the neighbors and never letting anything slip is a heavy burden. the burden becomes almost unbearable when the government begins to tear down the woods to put in a new subdivision and Luke must be kept indoors and out of sight at all times.
Luke is desperate for freedom. or even just something to do. while his family is at school or work, he is at home locked up in his attic bedroom. his stir-crazy is reaching desperate levels when one day, as he's peering through the air vent in the attic at the new subdivision for the wealthiest of the wealthy, he sees another face pass by a window of a house where two parents and two kids have already left for the day. he's not alone in being a secret third child.
Luke braves the world outside, putting his own life and that of his family at risk, to try and meet this mystery child. the other hidden child. whatever Luke may have expected, it certainly wasn't Jen. spunky, snarky, know-it-all, spoiled Jen. she's set on organizing an uprising of the hidden children, and in between telling Luke what's what in the world, she's trying to convince him to join her in her march on the president's lawn.
this is either an alternate reality or a peek into the future of the world we live in. the government has set a limit on two kiddos due to a food shortage that may or may not be the result of the totalitarian ruler merely exercising control over his people. since this is the first in a series, there was a lot of background on the government restrictions. let's just say, there are a LOT of things that the government says 'no' to.
this read like a short story for me. the short little chapters kept propelling me along to find out more. we get a good insight into Luke's mind (it's written in third person, but objective and limited so we are very familiar with how Luke sees and feels the world around him and not much else) and how he comprehends, problem solves, and learns. things got real, however, with a dramatic twist and dystopian realism near the end. the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, but not enough to have me rushing to get the next in the series asap.
fave quote: "Just my luck, Luke thought. I finally meet another third child, and she's absolutely crazy." (83)
fix er up: Luke was pretty bland. i mean, he was a secret child/momma's boy for his entire life...but i kept wanting more depth or development. perhaps that comes along later in the series.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2024I recommend this read aloud novel study series to EVERYONE!!!! My coworker read it for the first time this year with her students and they were hooked!! 40/10
- Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2016I've read a lot of other books by Margaret Peterson Haddix, including "Palace of Mirrors," "Double Identity," and "Under Their Skin," and they were all good. So I expected this to be good and it was. Her books are really suspenseful, and usually mysteries.
This book is about 12 year old Luke, who lives in a time when the Population Police will only let people have 1 or 2 kids. He's a third child. He has stayed hidden his whole life, and even his aunts and grandparents don't know about him. He never complained because he's a really nice boy, but it all changes when he meets another third child, a 13 year old named Jen. He never really knew if there were other shadow children, or if he was the only one whose parents broke that law.
It's so hard to picture a person who has literally never left their house, never been in a car, never met anyone outside his immediate family, never been to school, never had a birthday party, never watched tv, never been on a computer, never had a pet, never had a friend, and has never even played on the side of the house that faces the road. But that's Luke.
It's a great book and I can hardly wait to get the rest of the series, my only struggle is wondering what I'll read until I can get the next one, lol. I'm a 13 year old girl and liked this book so I'd recommend it to anyone near that age boy or girl. If you like this book then you'll also like "Wake Up Missing" by Kate Messner or the other books by Margaret Peterson Haddix that I mentioned earlier. I hoped this helped you in any way :)
- Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2024Book was great i dropped a few tears and laughed a lot. i hate that it ends in a cliffhanger though!
- Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2024I remembered liking this book series back in middle school, and it is still just as good 20 years later. I'm excited to continue reading the remaining books in the series.
Top reviews from other countries
- Allison BarnesReviewed in Canada on January 25, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Bought this to read to my class and they loved it! Will definitely invest in the other books in this series!
-
LillisistaReviewed in Germany on February 13, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Spannung bis zum Schluss des 7. Teils
Der Teaser war im Englischbuch meines Sohnes. Hat mich sofort angesprochen und zunächst wollte ich nur einen Band lesen. Jedoch möchte man sehr schnell wissen, wie es für die Kinder ausgeht und sofort alle Bände nachgekauft.
Man bekommt eine Ahnung vom Leben in Angst und im Versteck, von Hoffnungslosigkeit und dem Willen zu überleben. Diktatur im Land der unbegrenzten Möglichkeiten schien ja vor Trump ein Märchen zu sein. Wie nahe stand das Land vor dem Abgrund! Hier hätte man nachlesen können, wie es weitergeht, hätten die Trumpunterstützer das Kapitol tatsächlich gestürmt. Dabei ist das Buch schon viel länger auf dem Markt. Aber immer noch hochaktuell.
Es ist für Leseanfänger empfohlen, jedoch halte ich das für deutlich untertrieben. Ich spreche C 1 und fand das Buch angemessen.
Eine Rezensentin schrieb, dass jeder Band von einem anderen Kind handle. Dies ist falsch. Im Grunde fädelt sich die Geschichte um den Helden Luke, der nur in 2 Bänden nicht die Hauptrolle spielt. Die anderen Bände sind dazu da, weitere Schicksale staatlich ungewollter Kinder zu aufzuzeigen. Hier merkt man erst das Besondere an Luke, der lange eine Kindheit in relativer Freiheit genießen konnte. Im Gegensatz zu Kindern, die von Anfang an versteckt wurden und für ihr Leben gebrandmarkt sind.
Spannend erzählt, logische Handlungen, politisch bildend. Eine glasklare Empfehlung auch für Erwachsene.
- Karen McDowellReviewed in Singapore on May 12, 2020
4.0 out of 5 stars Story is great, book came in terrible condition
I love this story of a boy who must stay hidden in the shadows because his family already has the allowed number of children in this controlled society. I use this book heavily in my 7th grade dystopian class especially for reluctant readers because the story is compelling but also relatively short (compared to other massive dystopian books.) Also, kids get hooked on the series, yay!
As an aside, the "new" copy of this book that was sent had yellowed pages and looked about 10 years old. Disappointing.
- Sione TapiliReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 17, 2008
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books for upper primary kids ever!
I first discovered this book when teaching Y7s in New Zealand and brought a copy back to the UK with me, read it to my old Y6 class who loved it and then to my current Y5s who got so into it many got it and the following books shipped in.
Among the hidden is set in a political time when resources are supposedly so low that families are only allowed two children. Inevitably a race of hidden children develops.
The story is based around a third child who knows he is different but it only the building of new houses at the back of his house that forces his family to hide him. hidden in his attic room he watches the comings and goings of the new families until one day he spots something at one of the houses.
A must buy for any confident upper primary reader, Haddix books are great, check out running out of time.
-
FrankReviewed in Germany on August 26, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Gute Story
Nette Geschichte