#11: Found

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix is book 1 of a planned trilogy. I first learned about Haddix from her popular Shadow Children series, which are full of action. Found also fits this criterion, as it was a book I had trouble putting down.

The main character in Found is 13-year-old Jonah. He was adopted as a baby and lives with his parents and sister in Ohio. One day, he is outside playing basketball with a friend Chip when he receives a strange note in the mail in an envelope with no return address. It reads, "You are one of the missing." He thinks it is a joke, although it disturbs him a bit, so he keeps playing.

Later, Jonah and his family are eating dinner, when a frantic Chip comes to the door looking for Jonah. He received the same note as Jonah, and after talking to his parents, was astonished to learn that he was adopted.

Soon, Jonah and Chip each receive a second note along the lines of "They're coming to get you." Chip wants to investigate, but Jonah is very reluctant to help, so he enlists the help of Jonah's sister, Katherine. Their work leads to an FBI agent, a list of other kids, and a woman named Angela DuPre who relays a story about a mysterious plane full of babies and time travel.

The book culminates when Jonah is invited to attend a local conference for adopted children and their families. He brings Katherine and Chip along, and they realize that nearly every child on the list they found is at the conference. The kids are separated from their parents to go on a hike to a secluded location where they learn the unbelievable truth about their adoptions. I don't want to say any more and give it away.

Found is an enthralling blend of adventure and science fiction. Haddix keeps the story moving with a series of small mysteries that have resolutions leading to other mysteries. Jonah, Katherine and Chip are clever, but not unrealistically so, and have to work together to solve problems. The ending was surprising to me but left me eagerly anticipating the second book. I will definitely be recommending this to some of my students.

Rating: *****