1/ Paragraph 1: SummaryThis book is the fifth book of the Shadow Children Series Haddix. At this time, the government installs a law saying that there can only be two children per family, so the government makes the population police. The population police is an organization that tries to catch third children, to torture and after kill them. After a while the whole government falls, so Aldous Krakenour is the new boss of the population police, he is a completely mad person, and wants to kill all of the third children. Trey is one of the third children and all his friends are caught by the population police so he needs to put them free before they are executed…2/ Paragraph 2: ConnectionsWhile I was reading this book, I made a connection to another serie that I read called Cherub. Basically, Cherub is an organization that recruits kids to train them to make them secret agents. They train kids and not adults because no one will ever suspect children. I made this connection when Trey (the main character in Shadow Children book 5) is in a duct trying to hide from the population police:“He rested his cheek against the cool metal of the duct, and listened to the pounding of his heart . What if they’d already seen him?What if they could hear his heartbeat too?” Those sentences are on page 116.So I made this connection when James (the main character of the series Cherub) is trying to hide from the criminals in a underground duct.I also made a connection to the hiding part of the world we are living in. We know there are secret government organizations that are present, somewhere, somehow in our everyday lives (The Mossad, The CIA, The French DGSE, MI5, the Foreign Intelligence Service (Russia), ex-KGB, etc …). We just don’t know and we don’t see it, but they are definitely there!!! I made this connection when Trey is hired as an officer for the population police and is speaking to a general:“ I must first offer my apologies for my appearance, sir! Trey said.” This is a part of when Trey speaks to the general, if you want to read the whole part it starts on page 181. This made me think of secret agents that are in the world trying to seek information for their country while trying to imitate someone or act amicable.3/ Paragraph 3: Personal OpinionPoint: The main character of this book Trey, thinks about himself as someone timorous. In the next two quotes we can understand that he is scared of everything, is showing an obvious lack of self-confidence and he doesn’t want to or worse cannot risk anything (in the first quote, Mark is Luke’s brother, and Luke is one of Trey’s friend that is captured by the population police):Evidence: “ Uh -Oh, Mark muttered. What ? Trey asked, panicked. Mark didn’t answer, just pointed at a pair of headlights far down the road, coming right at them. Turn onto a side street! Hide! Trey screamed. Without thinking, he grabbed for the steering wheel. Mark shoved him away with one hand, as easily as a fly” This quote is on page 71 and 72.Second quote is:“Trey looked at Mark, but his face was wrinkled up in puzzlement too. Should we turn around? Trey asked, sotto voce.”This quote is on page 86.Analysis: So those are two quotes that prove that Trey is frightened. It explains that he is very sensitive to any kind of change, and he is always panicked. But it is not his fault, he is a third child and he is not used to the outdoors and people, he is just used to books, his family and his house. I must admit it is normal that people react like this, even me, I would have been scared if I was a third child and people wanted to kill me. If I had to give my personal opinion, I don’t think Trey is a coward, I think he is just human.
This is one of those series that really makes you think. Very reminiscent of WWII, the Nazi's and the Holocaust. When we isolate and persecute one group of people whether they are Jewish, third children, Hispanic, female, Middle Eastern, Caucasian, poor or anything else, I have a problem. I can see how easily a society could slowly fall into losing their freedoms because of fear. Hmmm...sounds familiar. I was so absorbed in reading the last few books, that I neglected to comment on them. I have enjoyed going from character to character in each book and having them all cross paths along the way. I was worried that the author wouldn't tie up loose ends as I had so many questions from books 1, 2 and 3. However, as I am nearing the end of the series, I am hopeful that the full picture regarding what has happened and is happening in this fictional society will continue to become clear. I have read many comments on goodreads stating that readers were shocked that these were children's books. I can sort of see their fear of exposure with the death and suggestion of violence in the books. However, in this day and age when not merely the suggestion of violence but full fledged images of violence are rampant on television, video games and almost anywhere else kids look for entertainment, I guess I'm shocked that these readers have a problem with 4th and 5th graders reading these books. The message that is given in these books far outweigh any of the suggestive violence I have found within their pages. I, for one, am glad for the opportunity to discuss my views on this particular topic with my children. I think our society and humanity could be a little different/better if more parents spent time discussing and demonstrating to their children how to treat others with respect and love and what can happen if we do not. I'm still grateful to be an American and enjoy as many freedoms as I do!
What do You think about Among The Enemy (2006)?
This series was amazing, but the book alone was great. I think she should keep making shadow children books. My favorite character in this book was Matthias. he was 13 years old and basically took down the population police(with a little help). I really hope she keeps making this book. I gave this book 5 stars. the best part of the book to me was when Matthias blew up the storage area where the food was stored. My next favorite character was officer Wells. he was my second favorite because he was the one who worked with Matthias to blow up the food storage area.
—Bradley love
Vote: 3,60Class: L-A3 (FP)(Sixth book of the Shadow Children Series)This time we come to know better Matthias, and I liked him like all the others. All in all this is another good addiction to the series, even if somewhat less satisfying.The setting (3,50) is a near future Earth (U.S.) were there is a totalitarian Government who is enforcing a very strict Population Law: no third child is allowed in a family and to these children only remains a shadow life in hiding, or trying to do something about it. Not absolutely foolproof but a convincing world.The main characters (4,00) are great, true to themselves and as the story goes on you really come to care for them as you see them struggling to make the choose the right thing. And there are more and more of them, all good! The adult characters are less convincing, especially the evil ones.The story (3,75) grows more interesting and acquires more depth, giving time to each of the characters. Some twist of events is not really convincing but the main plot remains good.The writing (3,75) is good and very easy: for children and adult alike.I going to start the final book soon and I I'm going to recommend this Series.
—Francesco
It had the chance to show that just because one is fighting for the 'evil' side doesn't mean that they are 'evil', themselves, but it shied away from that topic. Also, it had the same opportunity to show the reverse, that those on the 'good' side aren't always 'good', but again, avoided it. I wouldn't have expected a book for that age range to explore that topic in this setting, but it felt like the author was planning on it but decided to change up some of her characters to avoid it, perhaps thinking her audience too young. But look at Lemony Snicket, he writes for the same age and that is one of his main themes throughout his Series of Unfortunate Events.
—Justice Sahaydak
