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For several years, I had the chance to read Among the Hidden with my classes. This is book #1 in the series by Margaret Paterson Haddix. My daughter read the book in 6th grade, but when our curriculum requirements changed, the book was taken off the list and put in the 4th grade curriculum instead. In the years since that happened, none of my students have read this book as a class. It’s still one of my favorites, and it brings up such excellent topics of conversation. I decided to listen to the audiobook in the car with my kids so my son could experience the story.

This series introduces some heavy ideas to young minds. It’s a good idea to read it along with your kids or class so that you can answer questions and help to clarify what’s going on. Themes of rebellion, family secrets, loyalty, and individual rights can be difficult for kids to understand.

I already had the first book on Audible. At one point I purchased the paperback copies of all the books in the series, but they’ve since disappeared from my classroom shelves. Since these books are pretty short, I found that we needed the 2nd and 3rd audiobook before I knew it. The second book (Among the Imposters) was not available, so I purchased the audible book. The third book (Among the Betrayed) was available from our library, so I downloaded it to have it at the ready.

We didn’t like Among the Betrayed as much as the first one in the series, but it was interesting to see a different side of Mr. Talbot. Nina’s character just didn’t appeal to me, and I found that her attitude just grated on my nerves. After reading this one, we decided to take a break from the series. I think we’ll pick it up again at some point.