Content levels
Trigger warnings
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
Luke Garner is terrified. Out of hiding for the first time, he knows that any minute one of his new classmates could discover his secret: that he's a third child passing as the recently deceased Lee Grant. And in a society where it's illegal for families to have more than two children, being a third child means certain death at the hands of the dreaded Population Police. His first experience outside the safety of his home is bewildering. There's not a single window anywhere in the school; Luke can't tell his classmates apart (even as they subject him to brutal hazing); and the teachers seem oblivious to it all. Desperate to fit in, Luke endures the confusion and teasing until he discovers an unlocked door to the outside, and a chance to understand what is really going on. But to take this chance -- to find out the secrets of Hendricks -- Luke will need to put aside his fears and discover a courage that a lifetime in hiding couldn't thwart.
Is Amongst the Imposters appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 10 and up.
This dystopian middle grade novel deals with themes of illegal children and government oppression, including mentions of execution for third children and bullying/hazing at school. The content is age-appropriate for middle grade readers with tense situations but no graphic violence.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include child harm, death, and bullying (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
A suspenseful story about a boy hiding his identity in a scary world where he could be killed just for existing, trying to survive school and uncover secrets.