Among the Betrayed (Shadow Children) [Library Binding]

Margaret Peterson Haddix (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 11, 2008 | Series: Shadow Children

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. This is the third book in the Shadow Children series, and is about a future where families are allowed only two children. Nina, the illegal third child from Among the Impostors, faces a startling new crisis in Among The Betrayed.

--This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the third installment of Haddix's series about a futuristic society in which families are forbidden to have more than two children, Nina, a secondary character in Among the Impostors, is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned by the Population Police. Her interrogator gives her an ultimatum: either she can get three other child prisoners, illegal third-borns like Nina, to reveal who harbored them and where they got their fake identification cards, or she will be executed. Nina sees a chance to escape the prison (which seems rather convenient at the time) and, taking the prisoners with her, quickly discovers their street smarts. But when their food supply runs out, Nina seeks the boy she knew as Lee (the series' original protagonist). Haddix expertly describes the impact of Nina's upbringing in hiding (she doesn't know how to swim; the sound of students laughing loudly reminds her of the first time she overheard children playing outside and could not join them). As with the last book, there are dense revelations at the end (including an explanation of Nina's ease in escaping prison), and some of them may test readers' willingness to suspend disbelief. Even so, the author delivers more than enough suspense to keep fans hooked and to intrigue new recruits as well. Ages 9-14.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-Haddix continues her science fiction dystopian tale about illegal third children in this sequel to Among the Hidden (1998) and Among the Imposters (2001, both S & S). Nina is imprisoned by the Population Police for being an illegal child. She is given the opportunity to save herself by spying on the other three children who are in the jail cell with her. Nina finds herself both drawn to them and fearful for her own life. When she has a chance to escape, she decides to take them with her and is surprised at their survival skills as they fend for themselves in the wild. Then, Nina is captured again. This time, though, she has an even harder decision to make-will she put her life in danger in order to save her friends? In a surprising ending, Nina finds that the children she rescued and the man from the Population Police who arrests her the second time are part of a group dedicated to saving third children like herself. While the book could stand alone, it is much more interesting and meaningful when read after the two previous volumes. As a character, Nina is well drawn and believable but it is the agonizing moral decisions that she must make that elevate the book beyond the average tale. Haddix is a superb storyteller and her view of a future world short of food that allows only two children per family is both scary and plausible.
Janet Hilbun, formerly at Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Library Binding: 160 pages
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439528209
• ISBN-13: 978-1439528204
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (78 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,940,895 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up on a farm outside Washington Court House, Ohio. As a kid, I liked to read a lot, and was also involved in 4-H, various bands and choirs (I played flute and piano), church youth group, the school newspaper, and a quiz-bowl type team. I was pretty disastrous as an athlete, although I did run track one year in high school. After graduating from Miami University (of Ohio), I worked as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Indiana; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a part-time community college instructor and freelance writer in Danville, Illinois, before my first book was published. I've moved around a lot as an adult, having also lived in Luxembourg (during a college semester abroad) and in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. Several years ago, I moved back to Ohio with my husband and kids; we now live in Columbus, Ohio. My husband trains investigative journalists, and my kids are in high school, so there's always a lot going on around our house.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Among The Betrayed by Margret Perterson Haddix, March 14, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Among the Betrayed (Paperback)

Nina is among the many shadow children in her school. She has done nothing wrong in her life, except for being illegal. One day, she woke up in a prison cell, handcuffed to the ground. She finds out that her beloved, Jason, has now betrayed her. Later on she meets a new character who she has called "The Hating Man". He tells her that she has to help him with something or she will soon be killed. Her task is to go into another cell with three other shadow children. She has to find out info about them and see if the truly are shadow children. Later on, she starts talking to them and they become kind of close. But, they won't tell her anything because they think they are being watched by hidden cameras. Which they weren't. "The Hating Man" was secretly feeding her humungous thanks giving meals, bribing her to try harder. She does'nt have that kind of cold heart, how evil. If he were to find out they were shadow children, he would kill them in an instant. One day while she was talking to him, a gaurd burst through the door. He was holding his neck, the gaurd had been poisoned. "The Hating Man" wasnt paying attention to her. Oddly enough, the keys were sitting right there on the table. She used this opportunity to escape, she grabbed the keys and ran. She opened up the cell and got the three kids. They all escaped together. No one even came looking for them. She told them about the school that she thought was safe, so they could temporarly live there. The younger kids actually knew how to get there. Once they got there, they finally settled in. She discovered a planted garden behind the school. They stole fruits and vegtables during the night. One night, Nina went to pick some more and some one pounced on her. It was Lee. She was dragged off to Mr. Hendricks house not too far away. After talking to him, she saw something. It was "The Hating Man". He was actually Jen Talbot's dad under disguise. The whole jail thing and escape was planned for the safety of them. She had been set up just to see if she could be trusted. Later on she found out everything and was glad she was safe. Well, for now. She later actually agreed to help them. Had Nina just agreed to help fight the population police? Yes, she had. The settings were in the jail building, outside of the Hendricks School, and inside Mr. Hendrick's home. This book was fantastic, and I would definitly recomend this book to anybody that I know!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good!, July 23, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Among the Betrayed (Shadow Children Books) (Hardcover)

Nina Idi, who played a part in Among the Imposters, is the main character in this book. It begins after she has been arrested by the population police and put in prison. She is offered the chance to work for the population police by finding out information from three illegal third children who have been arrested. She is to gain their confidence, and when they tell her what their real names are, any other third-children they know of, etc, she is to give that infromation to the population police. If she dosen't do it, she will be put to death. She dosen't want to betray them, but she dosen't want to die either. Finally, she manages to escape, and takes the three other children with her. She plans for them to go to the woods between the school she used to go to before she was arrested, and the boy's school, where they can grow food and hide. They get there safely, but then Nina realizes that she has no idea how to plant a garden. Then they find a garden someone has planted in the woods, and begin stealing food from it. However, one night, Nina goes to get food, and gets caught....I won't tell any more, 'cause I don't want to spoil the end. It's a pretty good book. Not as good as Among the Hidden, but I still liked it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Elodie's dilemma, August 17, 2002

By 

Dawn Kessinger (Lima, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Among the Betrayed (Shadow Children Books) (Hardcover)

Nina, who thinks of herself as a "ninny" (she hates her new name) for falling in love with Jason, who it is proven has betrayed her in hopes of saving his own skin, faces a new dilemma when she realizes her nightmare is reality and she wakes up on a hard, damp prison floor with her hands handcuffed: should she take the "deal" which is offered to her by a Population Police interrogator who she has named "The Hating One," and betray three young exnays (illegal third children), or should she die? Why not betray these children, she sometimes wonders - after all, no one made any moves to come to HER defense, and these kids don't seem to want anything to do with her. Nina struggles with losing her identity as Elodie, as well - as Elodie, she was someone precious and protected. As Nina, she's just an abandoned ninny. Nina decides to at least pretend to go along with the hating one's "deal," though she really doesn't want to. When a chance to escape presents itself, Nina debates whether to take the three children with her. She fears they will only slow her down, but if she doesn't take them, they will surely die because the hating one has only given her 24 hours to betray them. The children's escape leads to a startling discovery about who exactly is betraying (as well as who is protecting) whom, and why.