“Among the Hidden” by author Margaret Peterson Haddix, designed for young adults, is a meaningful eye-catching dystopian story about a curious 12 year old boy named Luke Gardner. In the city that Luke lives in, the Government has taken control of how many children women can deliver, due to food shortage in history. Women are unable to have more than two children, but some have managed to do so somehow. Also to the food shortage, the Government banned factories from making junk food and forced them to make healthy food instead. It also didn’t let people have more than 1500 calories a day. Luke Gardner, an illegal third child, must remain hidden, or get caught by the Population Police and go through severe consequences.
As a toddler, Luke was able to play quietly outside, while getting shaded by the trees. He enjoyed his time there, playing with his older brothers Matthew and Mark. Luke sleeps in the attic, and his mother also teaches him math and English using some old books. Even though Luke’s father forbade him to peer out of the windows, he did manage to peek through some air vents in the attic and was able to see the world beyond.
The Government cuts down all the trees that Luke used to play beside. Now, Luke must remain indoors. His desire to go outside is strengthened and peeks out of the vents whenever he can. Then, the government forces Luke’s family to send their hogs away, which they rely on for food. Due to this, Luke’s mother desperately finds a job. His father works harder than ever, and his brothers are back in school. Luke is lonely and feels isolated. One surprising day, when Luke is looking at the views, he notices a small light in his neighbour’s house. He realizes that someone is hiding in it and determines that the user is another illegal child, just like him. So that afternoon, Luke crept out of his house and tugged at the neighbouring house’s screen door. It is locked, but the hiding person discovers Luke. Luke meets another third child, a daughter named Jennifer Rose Talbot, also called Jen. Jen shows Luke her computer and introduces him to junk food, such as cola and potato chips. Luke also learns that he shouldn’t feel guilty; and that there was no food shortage; the food just was never distributed equally. It turns out that Jen’s family is liked by the government and has some priorities.
Luke keeps on visiting Jen. They do fun activities at Jen’s house and become good friends. Jen tells Luke about a rally that she is managing. She was planning to transport many other illegal children that she socialized with on her computer in front of the Government’s house, and demand for a “life”. Jen invites Luke to join the rally, but Luke has complicated thoughts. He is worried about the risk and tells Jen that it is too dangerous. Jen becomes angry and makes him leave the house in disgust. That night, Jen visits Luke at his home and wakes him up. She tells him what a good friend he ever was and says good night. Luke tells her that he will visit to check on things after the rally.
Many days after the rally, Luke goes to Jen’s house to check on her, just as he promised. Instead, he comes face-to-face with Jen’s father. Luke explains why he was there, and asks where Jen is. The father tells Luke that Jen is dead and was shot down by the Government, along with the other children. “They even showed me the body but didn’t let me bury her,” He said harshly. Then, he tells Luke that he works for the Population Police.
Extremely scared and confused, Luke thrashes everywhere and somehow manages to take hold of the father’s gun. He eventually drops the gun, and the father explains to him that while he works for them, he isn’t on their side. All of a sudden, a few members of the Population Police burst into the house. Jen’s father shoves Luke into a messy closet and talks with the other members. They leave, but Luke finds out that the whole house is “bugged”, where any noises made in the house automatically go to the Population Police. Jen’s father writes to him, “Do you want a fake ID?” Luke accepts the offer, and now is a boy who “survived” a crash on a mountain. He is no longer “Luke Gardner” but now “Lee Grant”.
Luke is registered to attend a boy’s school 24/7. Before he leaves, he spends precious time with his family. Later, he travels in a vehicle toward the school and watches as his family waves farewell, as they are going apart. But Luke doesn’t entirely regret his actions. He knows that he is doing good and that he is helping Jen.
