Among the Betrayed: Shadow Children Book 3 by Margaret Haddix

Grade Level: 4-5 | AR Points: 5.0

Among the Betrayed

What if you were arrested for a crime you did not commit?  The punishment for the crime you are accused of is death.  Just as you are resigned to be executed, you are given a reprieve if only you agree to betray three others.  Your betrayal will cost them their lives, but will save yours.  What would you do?

At the beginning of the Shadow Children books, Among the Hidden, we meet Luke Garner.  He is an illegal third child in a society that limits families to only 2 children, under penalty of death.  Luke was able to play in the woods around his house and still be hidden, until the Government forces his father to sell the woods for a housing development.  He meets another third child, Jen Talbot, whose father works for the dreaded Population Police.  In the second book, Among the Imposters, Luke is given a fake ID and sent off to school as Lee Grant.  He meets Jason and Nina and learns terrible secrets.

Now, in this third book, Nina tells her story after she is arrested by the Population Police for betraying her country by accusing children of being illegal with fake IDs.  They even play a tape of Jason, her first love, accusing her of plotting the whole thing trying to save his own life.  Nina is moved to a cell with Matthias, Percy, and Alia and is told they were manufacturing fake IDs.  She is to find out how they were doing it and who they were working with before the Government put them to death.  In exchange, she would be allowed to live.

She has several hard decisions to make when she has a chance to escape, either alone or with her new cellmates.  Why should she help them when nobody has come to help her.  Her three cellmates don’t trust her, so why should she trust them?

The author continues this thought-provoking tale with even more suspenseful moments that keep the book in the reader’s hand and eyes glued to the pages for hours.

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Among the Imposters: Shadow Children Book 2 by Margaret Haddix

Grade Level: 4-5 | AR Points: N/A

Among the Imposters

In the second book of this series, Luke, an illegal third child in a society that limits families to only two children, stayed hidden ever since he was born.  If the Population Police knew he existed, not only did he face certain death, but his family would also.  In the first book, Luke found out there were more shadow children in the world and there are people who believe the population laws should be changed.  After learning that his first and only friend, Jen, was killed by the Population Police during a rally of third children she organized, his life changes dramatically.  What happens when Luke, or, as his fake ID says, Lee Grant is taken to a boarding school for troubled boys by Jen’s father?

The book begins when Luke/Lee is taken to the school and Mr. Talbot, Jen’s father, hands him a note that he cannot read because he is never alone.  Luke/Lee has to figure out how to interact with others when he’s never been with anyone but his own family?  Why are the teachers acting strange?  Why is this one boy tormenting him?  Can he really blend in without betraying himself as a third child?  Is there anyone he can trust?  If he shares his secrets, will it cost him his life?

I read this book over a two-day span and the last few chapters kept my eyes rivited to the pages.  In fact, I stayed up late just to finish it and I can’t wait to start on the third book of the series.

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“Freak the Mighty” by Rodman Philbrick

Grade Level: 5-6 | AR Points: 5.0

Freak the Mighty

Max is huge, can barely read and write, and thinks himself brainless.  He lives in his grandparents’ basement and he knows they fear him because he looks just like his father, known as Killer Kane, who is in prison.  He knows other people fear him, as well.

That is until a new kid moves into the neighborhood.  Meet Kevin, a brilliant, crippled boy who seems willing to look past Max’s shortcomings and befriend him.  The two together become strong and go on imaginary quests with Kevin mounted on Max’s shoulders.  Together, they are known as Freak the Mighty and they find they are much braver together.  Using Max as his legs, the two find exciting adventure right there in their own town.  Kevin teaches Max to read and even has Max join him in his classes.

All is good until the day Max’s father is paroled and returns for him.  Upon hearing of Max’s kidnapping, Kevin tries to rescue him.

Find out more by reading this thrilling adventure and learn what true friendship is all about.  This book can teach young readers to accept others who seem different and to befriend those who just don’t fit.

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“Holes” by Louis Sachar

Grade Level: 4-5 | AR Points: 7.0

Holes - Louis Sachar

This is a story of young Stanley Yelnats, a meek young boy from a very unlucky family.  The family’s bad luck goes back to a curse upon his “no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing great-great-grandfather.”  The bad luck manifestes itself with  Stanley being wrongfully convicted of stealing a pair of shoes belonging to a famous basketball player.  The judge does not believe him when he tells him the shoes fell from the sky and gives him the choice between jail and Camp Green Lake.  Of course, not knowing about Camp Green Lake, Stanley chooses camp because his poor family has never been able to send him to camp.

However, Camp Green Lake is not a summer camp, there is no lake, and there’s nothing green in sight.  The Warden makes her charges dig holes to “build character”, but Stanley soon figures out that she is looking for some type of treasure and they are the labor.  Mr. Sir and Mr. Pendanski oversee the boys to make sure they dig a five foot hole every day.  Stanley befriends a young, quiet boy named Zero and agrees to teach him how to read.

Stanley learns the history of Green Lake, how a teacher became known as the legendary outlaw Kissin’ Kate Barlow, sweet onions, and how his own family history fits in.  Louis Sachar brings all the elements of this story together so well, it has enthralled both kids and adults.

This book was made into a movie, and even if you’ve seen the movie, you need to read this book.  Most of the time, movies don’t closely follow the book, but this is one of the exceptions.  However, there are some differences you can find between the book and the movie.

I highly recommend this book.

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