Among the Hidden
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
★ Top 5 book of 1998 · #5 on Best Books of 1998
Twelve-year-old Luke Garner lives as a shadow child until he meets Jen, his daring new neighbor. Set in a fictional future where drastic measures have been used to curb overpopulation, this 1998 novel opens the seven-book Shadow Children series.
Best for: Young readers who enjoy futuristic stories and want a series to continue
Among the Hidden is #5 on BookWard's Best Books of 1998, out of 36 1998 books that cleared our data bar.
What Among the Hidden is about
In a future where food shortages have led the government to limit families to two children, twelve-year-old Luke Garner is a third child, and he has spent his whole life hidden on his family's farm. When houses for wealthy families are built behind the property, Luke has to stay indoors alone during the day. Then he spots a face in the window of a neighbor's house and discovers another hidden child, Jen, who is bolder than he is and believes the law is wrong. She introduces him to a chatroom for third children, and Luke must decide how much risk he is willing to take. A tense, thoughtful start to the seven-book Shadow Children series, it suits middle grade readers who enjoy dystopian stories about fear, friendship and courage.
Among the Hidden on the Best Books of 1998
Among the Hidden came out in 1998. Of the 36 books first published in 1998 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #5 on our Best Books of 1998 list.
Why it made the list: 382 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (29 ratings); 24 are reading it right now. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 1998 list
- A Clash of Kings George R. R. Martin, #3
- Bag of Bones Stephen King, #4
- Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson, #6
- No, David! David Shannon, #7
See all Best Books of 1998 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 1997 Best Books of 1999.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 316 want to read it, 24 are reading it now and 42 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.3 out of 5 from 29 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 75 | 55% |
| Reader love | 86 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 81 | 20% |
Questions about Among the Hidden
When was Among the Hidden published?
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix was first published in 1998.
Was Among the Hidden one of the best books of 1998?
Among the Hidden is #5 on BookWard's Best Books of 1998, out of 36 1998 books that cleared our data bar. 382 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (29 ratings); 24 are reading it right now.
Why is Among the Hidden on the Best Books of 1998 list?
382 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (29 ratings); 24 are reading it right now.
More of the best books of 1998
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J. K. Rowling, #1
- Holes Louis Sachar, #2
- A Clash of Kings George R. R. Martin, #3
- Bag of Bones Stephen King, #4
- Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson, #6
- No, David! David Shannon, #7
See the full Best Books of 1998, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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