By Margaret Peterson Haddix
4Rbooks: 5/6, grades 5+ - 8
Amazon rating: 4.7/5, grades 3-7
Good Reads: 3.85/5
Common Sense Media: 4/5, ages 8+
Pages 405
Synopsis:
Chess, Emma, and Finn, who live in Ohio, are shocked one day when they learn that three children with exactly the same first and middle names and exactly the same birthdays have been kidnapped from Arizona. Things get stranger when their mom starts acting funny and suddenly must go on a business trip, leaving them with Ms. Morales and her daughter Natalie.
The three children discover clues that indicate that there might be something going on that’s not just coincidence. With the help of Natalie, they decipher a coded letter from their mom that contains surprising and almost unbelievable information. They learn about alternate realities and dictatorial dangerous societies where their mom, and their name twins, may be in trouble.
The four children will work together to travel to the alternate universe and attempt a rescue of those being held unjustly. They will rely on their individual skills (Chess the rational protector, Emma the math whiz, Finn the charmer with out of the box solutions, and Natalie the leader). They believe they are working alone, but soon discover that there are allies ready to help.
Parental Guidance: medium
There is nothing overly problematic with this story, but the themes are dark and may need explaining. Children are kidnapped. The mother leaves her children and indicates it may be for a very long time. Ms. Morales helps women who have been in abusive situations. Natalie has a very teenage attitude toward her mom. There is a show trial for their mother where her “confession” is a fabrication. It is implied that the air is polluted with something that makes everyone irritable. It is also implied that the guards are there to hurt anyone who disobeys or disagrees with the government. The children throw smoke bombs at guards to get away.
Recommendation:
Parents who remember the TV shows Sliders and Quantum Leap will enjoy the quantum physics/alternate dimensions and worlds sci fi nature of this story. Readers who have like dystopian novels of societies gone wrong and those who fight injustice will also find much to like in this story. It was reasonably paced and an easy read for over 400 pages. Though not written in first person, the story is written on a rotating basis between the three main characters. They are well developed with distinct and believable personalities that add to the story. Though the characters are 13, 12, 10, and 8, I believe this is more appropriate for middle school students. A mature 4th or 5th grader could handle it with parent or teacher guidance, but it might be rough for sensitive students to read on their own.
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