Found

by recesstec

AR Level – 5.0
Points – 9
Interest Level –Middle Grades – Upper Grades

Three words sum up this book…  Creepy time travel.  Haddix is known for her “creepiness” in the YA genre.  This book fits right in.  But it was definitely thought provoking, engaging, creepiness.  I am not going to lie, time travel gives me a headache.  Because I tend to try to understand it…and that is just not possible.  I can’t get my brain wrapped around how one instance in time effects the outcome of an entire life.  That must be why I have a serious love-hate relationship with Michael J. Fox in “Back to the Future”.  Ugh.  I love those movies, I mean I hate them…you get it.

Thirteen-year-old Jonah knows he is adopted.  He has always known it.  His parents have the proverbial bookshelf filled with titles like, “A Survival Guide to Growing up Adopted”.  Jonah’s new neighbor and friend, Chip, recently finds out he, too, is adopted.  But unlike Jonah, his parents never told him.  Nor are they willing to openly discuss this topic…at all.  When Jonah and Chip both receive a mysterious letter in a plain white envelope that states, “You are one of the missing”, they think it is a prank.  It isn’t. 

Katherine, Jonah’s sister (who isn’t adopted by the way), decides to team up with Jonah and Chip to get to the bottom of this mysterious letter.  Together, with the support and naivety of Jonah’s and Katherine’s parents, they begin to unravel a mystery that none of them could ever imagine.

Be prepared.  This is the first book in a series.  There is no definitive ending.  Which quite frankly I like, because it keeps kids reading!!! 

This is definitely a YA book.  I don’t think it is something I would recommend to my fourth graders to read independently even if they read at the 5.0 level. BUT, I can totally see reading it aloud to the right group of kids.  The science fiction mixed with the bit of creepiness would keep them engaged during story time.  However, I think I would wait until the end of the year when they are “almost” 5th graders.

I read this in two sittings and I honestly can’t remember any “questionable content”.  There are several mild “fight” scenes that involve tasers. I do remember the word “crap” at one point in the story and being relieved that is the word that was chosen.  A possible crush/love interest is mentioned at the beginning between Chip and Katherine, but it is not the focus of the story.

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