Among the Free by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Reviewed by BridgetRatings
Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content
LANGUAGE
VIOLENCE
SEXUAL CONTENT
ADULT THEMES
Shadow Children Series – Book Seven
Ratings Explanation
Violence: Luke is ordered by the Population Police to shoot and kill an elderly woman. He declines. A Population Police Officer is beaten and killed by rebels. Luke is chased by Population Police and his life is threatened, he escapes. A baby is born dead due to malnourishment. The father who complains about the lack of food for his pregnant wife is beaten and his facial bones are destroyed. A large group of Population Police pull their guns out to shoot Luke on national tv for being a third-born child.
Adult Themes: Lack of food for the population of the country is an underlying theme throughout this series. Posters depicting third-born children as the evil that has caused the famines persist throughout the public’s conciousness. The Population Police have forced propoganda on the people. The existence of third-born children have been blamed for the people’s hunger. Luke is a catalyst for change. Others see Luke’s defiance of the Population Police and they too take a stand against evil, which enables them to achieve freedom. What is freedom? This theme is explored when the government falls.
Synopsis
Luke Garner is a third child, a hidden child, not allowed to exist in a restrictive society where two children are the maximum number of children allowed by the government. Luke risks his life to fight for the rights of all third children. Unbeknownst to Luke, he is the catalyst that results in the Population Police and government being overthrown. As the government is abolished, the people explore and define their newly found freedom.
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire series! I love the dialog that may be opened as you discuss the issues of government, population control, food economics/famines and personal freedoms with your reader. I also enjoyed the adventure that each character experienced as they contributed to a movement of change within their society to legalize third children and change their government. This final book focuses on defining freedom.
©2009 The Literate Mother