I will start by saying that Margaret Peterson Haddix has earned her place in my list of favorite children’s authors. She has won over a wide audience with her magnificent writing. I regularly recommend her well-known series called The Shadow Children. Among the Hidden was probably one of the first children’s novels to introduce me to Dystopian Literature. And it wasn’t a Young Adult novel that the children clamored for either. It belonged in Children’s from the get go.
I was beyond excited when she announced a new seven-book series to be called The Missing. I have reviewed the first three books, Found, Sent, and Sabotaged and if you have read my reviews, then you know that I had mixed feelings already.
I was telling a friend who shares my love of children’s books that I had requested book 4 and was hoping to be blown away – in a good way – and the series would be redeemed for me. She pointed out that after this book, I’d be more than halfway done with the series. Oh my. I cringed. I’m halfway through and I have not been “captured”. I have wanted to love this series in the worst way.
Well, the author’s 20 page Author’s Note was fascinating. The author’s historical accuracy was appreciated. I am grateful that it was shorter than the previous titles. But, not only did I not love it, I didn’t even really like it. It was confusing, certainly. And the missing child… was missing – twice. This deprived us of an additional, possibly likeable character. JB was missing for most of it. Second was present… maybe. And history was actually CHANGED… I think.
I checked some reviews to see if I’ve just been brain dead. The kids (5th to 8th, boys & girls) still seem to crave it. They are impatiently waiting for their copies and the last three books. The adults, on the other hand, have grown out of their awe. So, while I won’t be recommending this new series – yet – the kids will still flock to it.
So why do I keep reading? Simple. I want to know who Jonah is. Who he is not? John Hudson, the son of Captain Henry Hudson. Jonah and Katherine time travel to 1611 onboard the Discovery. Captain Hudson is still searching for a Northwest Passage. But John is missing… and missing. Jonah must fill in for him complete with costume, wig, mask, and voice-over. Poor Katherine only has to be invisible the entire time. And while the missing child and his tracer are both missing, the Northwest Passage is amazingly present. And this means that life as we know it may well be finished.
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