Children of Exile

Children of Exile
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Simon & Schuster, 2016 304 pages
Grades 4-8
Science Fiction

Twelve year-old Rosi has been raised all her life, along with her younger brother Bobo, in an Utopian community called Fredtown by Fred-parents. Life is fair, safe, and dependable. Rosi's life is shattered when she and the other children in the community are informed that they must go back home to their "real" parents, only they don't remember home since they were taken away as babies because it was considered unsafe. The Freds won't tell the children anything about their past or heritage and they reluctantly put them on a plane with cold strangers to journey back to a place the children don't remember. Home is desolate, unfamiliar, and harsh. A mother pulls Rosi and Bobo from the plane and takes them to a ramshackled house where they meet their father, a blind and bitter man who does not seem happy to have them back. The parents seem content enough with Bobo, but treat Rosi coldly. As she walks through the war-torn streets she realizes that the townspeople whom she passes look at her with suspicion. Does it have anything to do with her green eyes? And why are there no other children or teenagers besides the ones returning from Fredtown? A friend from the past has theories about what happened to their parents, the reason that they were sent away, and why everyone is acting so strangely, but then he disappears and Rosi suspects foul play. While trying to get help to rescue her friend, Rosi finds herself in more danger and trouble than she hardly thought possible. Eventually, the secret behind the removal of the children is revealed and the identity of the Freds is discovered. Rosi must now draw on her inner courage to save both Bobo and herself from a life of cruelty and imprisonment.

Haddix is the undisputed queen of the middle grade concept book. Her books have great ideas that hook kids and keep them frantically turning pages. The idea behind Running out of Time, where the prairie girl is really part of a living history exhibit, remains one of my favorite stories in all of kid's lit. The Shadow Children series continues to be one of the most requested series in my library. I had high hopes for Children of Exile and it did not disappoint. There were so many layers of mystery, starting with why the children were taken away in the first place and continuing with the story behind the biological parents and the identity of the Freds and their role in the drama. We see the adventure through Rosi's eyes, as she is first exposed to prejudice, violence and cruelty. Rosi eventualy unravels the secrets behind both societies. Sometimes the reader will guess the outcome and sometimes it comes as a complete surprise. The plot rolls along at a breakneck speed with one plot twist following another. My favorite comes at the end when the identity of the Freds is revealed. Beyond the great story, Haddix offers themes of non-violence, anti-war and weapons, and overcoming physical prejudices, as well as exploring what makes a family and finding inner courage to do the right thing. Sometimes the story gets a little contrived and clunky, but it is written for children to enjoy and does not require finesse. Reluctant readers and science fiction nerds will all love this book and it will be enjoyed by both boys and girls. The cover is interesting and the action starts right away. A sequel Children of Refuge was released last month, giving readers a place to go once they finally reach the conclusion.