In Among the Hidden, Haddix weaves elements of a dystopian novel into a contemporary realistic story to explore important themes and issues. Just as a Utopia is an imaginary place that represents a society where everything is as ideal as possible, a dystopia is a world in which everything is as bad as possible. Examples of classic dystopian novels are Brave New World and 1984. These kinds of books for young readers are rarely completely evil or hopeless, but rather they contain dystopian elements, such as in this case totalitarian governments, loss of free will, manipulation of the truth, and misuse of technology. By combining these elements with a coming of age story that will appeal to younger adolescents, Haddix draws readers into the story and inspires them to ponder the larger issues facing society.

This story is told from Luke's point of view, using a third...