Stuck in a Rut

I have only been interested in teen books lately (when I can actually force myself to read). I've read the first two books in the Shadow Children series, and an absolutely precious book called Firegirl.

First, the Shadow Children::::::::

Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Luke is a shadow child--due to population laws you are only allowed to have 2 kids, and his parents have 3. The punishment for having 3 is death by torture and/or a VERY large fine (in the millions of dollars). So, Luke has to stay hidden. They live on a farm in the country, so he's allowed to go outside, but he sleeps in the attic and must hide there every time someone comes up their road. Then, the government buys up all the land around their farm and builds houses for government employees, so Luke is confined to the house at all times, and is restricted even further to only rooms with the shades drawn. When the government makes them sell their pigs, Luke's mom is forced to go to work, leaving Luke pretty much a lonely prisoner. He has nothing to do but watch the government houses all day, and he finally notices a child where there shouldn't be a child. ANOTHER shadow child! He very slowly works up his courage to go to the house and he actually meets the illegal--and it's a girl! This is seriously the only girl he's ever seen in his life. He's not even allowed to watch TV b/c the government has everyone convinced they can spy on you through it. I'm surprised he even knows what he's looking at....or doesn't become instantly aroused (he is 12 already). From her (Jen) he finds out there are a lot more hidden children, and that even the rich government workers have Thirds (hypocrites). They form a quick friendship, and we learn that Jen is trying to get all the nation's Thirds to rally at the President's house. She thinks the Population Laws need to be appealed, and she has some good supporting evidence for that. Luke pusses out of the rally, never sees Jen again, and finally goes to her house to find out what happened to her. He meets her step-dad, who informs Luke that Jen was shot. All the kids were shot. And it was completely covered up. Also, step-dad works for the dreaded government! For the Population Police! He ends up telling Luke that the "evidence" Jen had was only partially truthful, just like the government's reasons for having the Laws is only partially based on fact. So he muddies the waters for us a bit. The book ends when step-dad gives Luke a choice: he can get Luke a new identity, and send him away from his family, or Luke can stay home, but the Police will probably find him soon b/c they're already suspicious about the area. Luke chooses a new life, and the end.

Among the Imposters

Luke, now under the identity of "Lee", is sent to a boarding school, for reasons which are too banal to mention. After a few weeks of running around the school with no idea what classes he's supposed to take and with no ability to navigate the hallways or tell any of the other boys apart, he accidentally stumbles upon a secret group of Thirds who meet in the woods outside the school. Life for him gets better after that, until he discovers that the "leader" of the Thirds is actually an undercover, working for the Pop Police. He frantically gets word to Jen's step-father, Mr. Talbot, before the police raid the school, although he doesn't know if it actually worked until Talbot shows up and arrests the undercover kid (for being a Third! which is justice). At the end he tells Luke the real story behind the boarding school: it was built specifically to house Thirds who were coming out into the world. Everything everywhere in these books is one big ruse!! I'd still read the rest, though. They're a little like.....milk. Enjoyable, but not as snazzy as soda.

Firegirl, by Tony Abbott

In two words: So. Good.

Tony's 7th-grade class gets a new student: Jessica, who is badly burned from a car accident. Tony is a bland, fat, boring little kid who let's his friend make most of the decisions. He's a wimp, but he's also sweet. In his bumbling little way, he makes a connection with her, and it changes him. What I really find awesome with this book is how Abbott can write in a 7th-grade boy's voice so well. Tony's not a kid with a man's vocabulary; he doesn't structure his story like an accomplished writer. It's scattered and messy like a boy's story is supposed to be, but without just being poorly written. I just love this book!

Whistling in the Dark, by Lesley Kagen

I got lazy.....I read this book like 2 weeks ago, and I never got around to writing anything. I also, in the meantime, tried to read several books and gave up on them. I've been a bad, bad reader!!!

Ok, this book, what I remember of it: Sally and Troo, ages 10 and 9, live in a cute little neighborhood in the 50s, and they are essentially orphans for the duration of the book: stepdad is a drunk all the time, mom goes in the hospital shortly after the book begins. The two of them basically take care of themselves, and I love the atmosphere of the neighborhood that makes this possible! They just show up at different neighbor's houses for dinner every night, sometimes even sleeping over. The neighborhood is full of kids, and most families just assume one of the kids invited the girls over, and everyone is so friendly and it's just so natural to have extra kids over that no one says anything! I just loved that! I loved the freedom these people allowed their children. It wasn't until a child murderer/rapist strikes for a SECOND time that they start to get a little weary. Sally is pretty sure she's going to be the third, so she spends the book trying to figure out who the bad guy is, and trying to protect herself and her sister. Even with the two murders, this is a pretty cute book. I just loved the differences between life then and life now, and I also loved all the 50s vernacular.