In the first installment of the Shadow Children series, Margaret Peterson Haddix creates the futuristic society where families are only allowed to have two children, and any others are deemed illegal, not recognized and sentenced to death if found. This is Luke Garner's story.
Plot
Readers meet Luke and his family: mom and dad, who barely make a living farming off the land, and his two brothers, Matthew and Mark. Luke is not allowed outside, not allowed in the light, and not even allowed to eat at the dinner table with his family - he has to sit, hidden on the staircas adjacent to the kitchen.
He thinks he is the only one who has to live like this, until suddenly he notices a new famliy moved in nearby, and he starts seeing signs of a third child: a rustling of the curtains after two children have already gone to school, and eyes secretly peering out the front window at him. After scrounging up as much courage as possible, Luke finally runs over to that house one day and meets Jen Talbot, another third child, but she is not like Luke - she has big plans.
Characters
- Luke Garner - third child who knows nothing of the outside world.
- Mr. and Mrs. Garner - Luke's parents
- Matthew and Mark Garner - Luke's brothers
- Jen Talbot - another third child who has plans for a revolution
- Mr. Talbot - Jen's dad who works for the Population Police
Futuristic Society
In this future world, the Population Law has been made because the world is running out of food, or at least that's what everyone is told. The Population Police are the ones who search out third children to kill, and they mean business.
Though many people know that these so-called shadow children exist, few people have ever encountered them, or so they think. In reality, most people in this world have probably met many third children, but they had a fake ID, the only way for a third child to get to the outside in this society. Though it sounds like a great plan, fake IDs are very dangerous, and if caught, there is no other option but death.
About the Author
Margaret Peterson Haddix has written a number of books for young adults, including Running Out of Time, one of her most popular and successful adventure books. She is still writing YA fiction, although the Shadow Children series is done, after completion of the 7th and final book in the series, Among the Free. The next book in the Shadow Children series is Among the Impostors.
