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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Haddix, Margaret P. 1998. Among the Hidden. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks. ISBN: 0689817002.
PLOT SUMMARY
This novel takes the reader to Luke's life who is a third child. Being a third in a family means not having a legal status in society. It means living always in hiding and being nonexistent to the world aside from the immediate family. As Luke's town keeps growing, Luke's life does not get any better. A neighborhood is built right next to his parents' farm. With that neighborhood comes something that will change Luke's life forever. One day, he secretly runs to one of the rich houses on his suspicion that someone is there when everyone else is gone. To his surprise he meets the fearless and rebellious Jen. Jen introduces him to a world of "thirds" and new possibilities in his life. Unfortunately, Jen dies while trying to win freedom to all the "thirds" that live in hiding. Jen's death takes Luke to a situation where he needs to decide what he will do with his future and how this will affect his family and the world as a whole.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Margret Peterson Haddix does a wonderful job in this fantasy novel. The reader quickly gets enthralled by the story line and feels empathy for Luke's situation in life. The story is suspenseful as well as down-to-earth in some parts. Young readers can quickly connect with the teasing and fighting going on between the brothers, but at the end, the family bond always comes through. Haddix builds a climax when Luke's friend, Jen, is ready to go to the rally and tries to convince Luke that that is the only possibility to a better life for "thirds." At the end of the story when Luke is ready to face a different life and identity, the reader can only hope to get their hands on the next book in the series. The book makes the reader want to read and learn more about Luke and the "thirds."
Haddix does a good job when it comes to the criteria in fantasy works. The setting certainly affirms the the situations in the story and the universal themes keep the reader thinking and forging questions about our own existence and governments. It is a wonderful book that should be recommended to all young adults to read.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Reviewed in School Library Journal. "Readers will be captivated by Luke's predicament and his reactions to it."
Reviewed in Kirkus Reviews. "In a chilling and intelligent novel, Haddix (Leaving Fishers, 1997, etc.) envisions a near future where a totalitarian US limits families to only two children."
CONNECTIONS
This link is an excellent site to visit after reading Among the Hidden. It poses questions about population density and other issues encountered in the book.
The following link gives a complete list of all books in the Shadow Children series by Haddix.
Newbery Award Winner...
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Patron, Susan. 2006. The Higher Power of Lucky. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN: 9781416901945.
PLOT SUMMARY
The main character, Lucky, lives in Pan Hard, California, population 43 with her French guardian, Brigitte. Lucky was 8 years old when her mother die in an accident, and her father, who has never been a part of Lucky's life, asks his first wife, Brigitte, if she can come to America to take care of Lucky while a foster home is found for her. During the 2 years or so that Lucky has been with Brigitte, she has developed a survival kit which consists of a backpack full of things that Lucky deems necessary for survival in case something not so good happens to her such as being placed in a foster home or the aftermath of a storm which is how her mother died.
Lucky gets to listen to AA and other meetings from across the fence in the museum where she works as a clean up person. It is there that she learns that people find their Higher Power which helps them live a better life. After hearing this, Lucky is always hoping that she will soon find her Higher Power which will help her, but she also understands that a person needs to hit rock bottom before finding their Power.
Lucky is almost sure that Brigitte is getting ready to go back to France and worries about what will happen to her. One day she sees Brigitte's passport and decides this is her rock bottom moment and decides to runaway. Of course, not everything turns out as planned, and Lucky has to take Miles, a 5 year old neighbor that lives with his grandmother, with her during a dust storm. Their destination is the dugout that has been the setting for many stories Lucky has told Miles about. After the storm, Lincoln, Lucky's best friend and a knot tyer artist comes and finds them. He lets Lucky know that the whole town is looking for them and soon will come to the dugout to find them.
The aftermath is that Lucky realizes that Brigitte's plan is to adopt her and open a French restaurant in Pan Hard. Lucky realizes many things after hitting her "rock bottom."
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Susan Patron novel is simple yet full of complicated emotions encountered by the main character. It is a beautiful story of a little girl trying to find her place in life after the death of her mother. It is amazing how Patron weaves the events in the book in such a way that she allows her readers to see inside Lucky's every feeling and thoughts. Patron lets the readers in the mind of a 10 year old girl and see things through her point of view. Readers are taken from something so simple as the admiration Lucky feels for her friend Lincoln or how she likes to eat Short Sammy's food made from Government surplus food to how Lucky deciphers what a Higher Power is and deciding what to do with her mother's ashes.
This is a truly beautiful story that will connect readers with the characters making them feel they are there and are part of Lucky's life. It is tender and moving and highly recommended. Patron has taken subjects that once might have been consider societal taboos like death, divorce, incarcerated parents, and parents who have not taken responsibiltiy of their children. Lucky faces this aspects of life while trying to understand what she should do to survive in life. This realistic fiction novel touches on subjects that many children are facing today in life.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Reviewed in Booklist. "Patron's plotting is as tight as her characters are endearing."
Reviewed in School Library Journal. "The novel addresses difficult topics such as death, absent parents, and addiction with realism, humor, and wonder, making the overall message one of hope and love."
CONNECTIONS
To learn more about author, Susan Patron, click on the link to read an interview done by Cynthia Leitich Smith.
Other books by Patron:
Maybe Yes, Maybe No, Maybe Maybe
Burgoo Stew
Lucky Breaks
A Michael Printz YA Award Winner...
http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=monster+printz&btnG=Search+Images
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Myers, Water D. 1999. Monster. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN: 0060280778.
PLOT SUMMARY
This is the story 16-year-old Steve Harmon told by Steve Harmon in the form of a movie script. Steve is in jail going through trial for a murder that was committed. Harmon is being accused as taking part of the assassination. While in jail, Harmon decides to write his experience to create a film which he know about from taking classes in school. Steve decides to title his movie "Monster" which is what the prosecutor has called him, and he believes he is not. He feels like he has the word tattooed on his forehead. As the trial is going on, Steve is very afraid, and his only wish is for the jury to know him, to truly know who he is as a person and not what is being portrayed in the courtroom.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Myers' novel is a very compelling story of Steve Harmon being accused of taking part in the killing of a drugstore owner. As the reader read the story, the reader is taken through "movie" shots and flashbacks of Steve's life. The story takes the reader back and forth from feeling justice needs to be served and Steve must pay for his mistakes to feeling compassion for the main character and his family. The scene where Steve and his dad are crying is very moving and makes the story very real.
Myers' style of writing makes the book very easy to read and quickly absorbs the reader in the highs and lows of the story. It is a very good novel recommended for older children. High school students I believe would be the perfect audience for this book. As a realistic fiction, this book does an excellent job in reflecting today's issues being faced by many young adults who make decisions that affect them the rest of their lives such as becoming involved with the wrong company and getting involved in illegal situations.
Great book and highly recommended especially to pose real-life questions to high school students.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Reviewed in Publishers Weekly. "A riveting courtroom drama that will leave a powerful, haunting impression on young minds."
Reviewed in Booklist. "The tense drama of the courtroom scenes will enthrall readers, but it is the thorny moral questions raised in Steve's journal that will endure in readers' memories."
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Walter Dean Myers:
The Mouse Rap
Scorpions
Glorious Angels: A Celebration of Children
Myers' official website: http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/
