Among the Hidden

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix takes place in a not distant future.  About twenty years ago, the government became worried that the population was outgrowing the food supply; therefore, they enacted a law that outlawed families having more than two children.  This creates a world of third children that live hidden within their homes.  Luke is one of these Shadow Children.  His family is a poor farming family but because they are farmers and have no neighbors, Luke is able to spend some time outdoors playing with his brothers and the farm animals.  Then, one day the government takes their land to build a subdivision.  This forces Luke to have to hide even more carefully in his home.  He is no longer allowed to eat at the dinner table or to go into any room with a window.  Luke is confined mostly to his attic room and the stairwell.  Then, one day, Luke notices another face in the window of the house next door - a house where he already knows two other children live.  Luke meets the girl next door, Jen, and she introduces him to a world of other third children via the internet.  Jen and her friends are planning a rebellion to give third children the freedom to live.

Again, this book was a very easy read but I enjoyed it a lot.  Peterson does a great job of character development and, as a reader, I felt Luke's fear as he gained the courage to meet Jen or hid from the Population Police.  Unfortunately, this adds six more books to my "to read" stack as I definitely need to know what happens to Luke in his bid to become a free third child living his life and not hiding in the shadows of the attic.