Found

By Margaret Peterson Haddix

Thirteen-year-old Jonah has always known that he was adopted, and he's never thought it was any big deal. Then he and a new friend, Chip, who's also adoped, begin receiving mysterious letters. The first one says, "You are one of the missing." The second one says, "Beware! They're coming back to get you."

Jonah, Chip, and Jonah's sister, Katherine, are plunged into a mystery that involves the FBI, a vast smuggling operation, an airplane that appeared out of nowhere -- and people who seem to appear and disappear at will. The kids discover they are caught in a battle between two opposing forces that want very different things for Jonah and Chip's lives.

Do Jonah and Chip have any choice in the matter? And what should they choose when both alternatives are horrifying?

With Found, Margaret Peterson Haddix begins a new series that promises to be every bit as suspenseful as her Shadow Children series -- which has sold more than 41/2 million copies -- and proves her, once again, to be a master of the page-turner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Release date: Apr 22, 2008
• ISBN: 9781416596929

Margaret Peterson Haddix

Margaret Peterson Haddix grew up on a farm in Ohio. As a kid, she knew two girls who had the exact same first, middle, and last names and shared the same birthday—only one year apart—and she always thought that was bizarre. As an adult, Haddix worked as a newspaper reporter and copy editor in Indiana before her first book, Running Out of Time, was published. She has since written more than forty books for kids and teens, including the Greystone Secrets series, the Shadow Children series, the Missing series, the Children of Exile series, and lots of stand-alones. Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio, where they raised their two kids. You can learn more about her at haddixbooks.com.

Book preview

ONE

You don’t look much like your sister, Chip said, bouncing the basketball low against the driveway.

Jonah waited to answer until he’d darted his hand in and stolen the basketball away.

Adopted, he said, shooting the ball toward the backboard. But the angle was wrong, and the ball bounced off the hoop.

Really? You or her? Or both? Chip asked, snagging the rebound.

Me, Jonah said. Just me. Then he sneaked a glance at Chip, to see if this made a difference. It didn’t to Jonah—he’d always known he was adopted, and as far as he was concerned, it wasn’t much more of a deal than his liking mint chocolate-chip ice cream while Katherine liked orange sherbet. But sometimes other people got weird about it.

Chip had one eyebrow raised, like he was still processing the information. This gave Jonah a chance to grab the ball again.

Hey, if you’re not, like, related by blood or anything, does that mean you could date her? Chip asked.

Jonah almost dropped the ball.

"Yuck—no! he said. That’s sick!"

Why? Chip asked.

Because she’s my sister! Ugh! If Chip had asked him that question a few years ago, Jonah would have added, And she’s got cooties! But Jonah was in seventh grade now, and seventh graders didn’t talk about cooties. Anyhow Jonah hadn’t known Chip a few years ago—Chip had moved into the neighborhood just three months ago, in the summertime. It was kind of a new thing for Chip to come over and play basketball.

Carefully, Jonah began bouncing the ball again.

If you think me and Katherine don’t look alike, you should see my cousin Mia, he said.

Why? Chip asked. Is she even cuter than Katherine?

Jonah made a face.

She’s only four years old! he said. And she’s Chinese. My aunt and uncle had to go to Beijing to adopt her.

He could remember, the whole time Aunt Joan and Uncle Brad were arranging to adopt Mia—filling out the paperwork, sending away for the visas, crossing dates off calendars, and then buying new calendars to cross off new dates—his own mom and dad had spent a lot of time hugging him and exclaiming, We were so lucky, getting you! Such a miracle!

Katherine had been jealous.

Jonah could just picture her standing in the kitchen at age five or six, wispy blond pigtails sticking out on both sides of her head, a scowl on her face, complaining, "Weren’t you lucky to get me, too? Aren’t I a miracle?"

Mom had bent down and kissed her.

Of course you’re a miracle too, she said. A big miracle. But we had nine months to know you were coming. With Jonah, we thought it would be years and years and years before we’d get a baby, and then that call came out of the blue—

The week before Christmas— Dad added.

And they said we could have him right away, and he was so cute, with his big eyes and his dimples and all that brown hair—

And then a year later, lovely Katherine came along— Dad reached over and put his arm around her waist, pulling her close, until she giggled. And we had a boy and a girl, and we were so happy because we had everything we wanted.

Jonah’s parents could be so sappy. He didn’t have too many gripes about them—as parents went, they were pretty decent. But they told that story way too often about how excited they’d been, getting that call out of the blue, getting Jonah.

Also, if he was listing grievances, he often wished that they’d had the sense not to name him after a guy who got swallowed up by a whale. But that was kind of a minor thing.

Now he aimed carefully and sent the ball whooshing through the net. It went through cleanly—the perfect shot.

Chip flopped down onto the grass beside the driveway.

Man, he said. You’re going to make the basketball team for sure.

Jonah caught the ball as it fell through the net.

Who says I’m trying out?

Chip leaned forward.

Well, aren’t you? he asked. You’ve got to! That’s, like, what everyone wants! The basketball players get all the chicks!

This sounded so ridiculous coming out of Chip’s mouth that Jonah fell into the grass laughing. After a moment, Chip started laughing too. It was like being a little kid again, rolling around in the grass laughing, not caring at all about who might see you.

Jonah stopped laughing and sat up. He peered up and down the street—fortunately, nobody was around to see them. He whacked Chip on the arm.

So, he said. Do you have a crush on my sister?

Chip shrugged, which might mean, Yes, or Would I tell you if I did? or I haven’t decided yet. Jonah wasn’t sure he wanted to know anyway. He and Chip weren’t really good friends yet, but Chip having a crush on Katherine could make everything very weird.

Chip lay back in the grass, staring up at the back of the basketball hoop.

Do you ever wonder what’s going to happen? he asked. I mean, I really, really want to make the basketball team. But even if I make it in seventh and eighth grades, then there’s high school to deal with. Whoa. And then there’s college, and being a grown-up. . . . It’s all pretty scary, don’t you think?

You forgot about planning your funeral, Jonah said.

What?

You know. If you’re going to get all worried about being a grown-up, you might as well figure out what’s going to happen when you’re ninety years old and you die, Jonah said. Personally, Jonah didn’t like to plan anything. Sometimes, at the breakfast table, his mom would ask the whole family what they wanted for dinner. Even that was way too much planning for Jonah.

Chip opened his mouth to answer, then shut it abruptly and stared hard at the front door of Jonah’s house. The door was opening slowly. Then Katherine stuck her head out.

Hey, Jo-No, she called, using the nickname she knew would annoy him. Mom says to get the mail.

Jonah tried to remember if he’d seen the mail truck gliding through the neighborhood. Maybe when he and Chip were concentrating on shooting hoops? He hoped it wasn’t when they were rolling around in the grass laughing and making fools of themselves. But he obediently jumped up and went over to the mailbox, pulling out a small stack of letters and ads. He carried the mail up to Katherine.

You can take it on in to Mom, can’t you? he asked mockingly. Or is that too much work for Princess Katherine?

After what he and Chip had been talking about, it was a little hard to look her in the eye. When he thought about the name Katherine, he still pictured her as she’d been a few years ago, with pudgy cheeks and those goofy-looking pigtails. Now that she was in sixth grade, she’d . . . changed. She’d slimmed down and shot up and started worrying about clothes. Her hair had gotten thicker and turned more of a golden color, and she spent a lot of time in her room with the door shut, straightening her hair or curling it or something. Right now she was even wearing makeup: a tiny smear of brown over her eyes, black on her eyelashes, a smudge of red on her cheeks.

Weird, weird, weird.

Hey, Jo-no-brain, can’t you read? Katherine asked, as annoying as ever. This one’s for you.

She pulled a white envelope off the top of the stack of mail and shoved it back into his hands. It did indeed say Jonah Skidmore on the address label, but it wasn’t the type of mail he usually got. Usually if he got mail, it was just postcards or brochures, reminding him about school events or basketball leagues or Boy Scout camp-outs. This envelope looked very formal and official, like an important notice.

Who’s it from? Katherine asked.

It doesn’t say. That was strange too. He flipped the envelope over and ripped open the flap. He pulled out one thin sheet of paper.

Let me see, Katherine said, jostling against him and knocking the letter out of his hand.

The letter fluttered slowly down toward the threshold of the door, but Jonah had already read every single word on the page.

There were only six:

YOU ARE ONE OF THE MISSING.

TWO

Katherine snorted.

Missing link, maybe, she said.

Jonah reached down and picked up the letter. By the time he’d straightened up again, Chip had joined him on the porch, either because he was curious about the letter too, or because he really did have a crush on Katherine.

What’s that? Chip asked.

Jonah shrugged.

Just a prank, I guess, he said. Seventh grade was all about pranks. You could always tell when someone in the neighborhood was having a sleepover, because then the kids who weren’t invited suddenly had gobs of toilet paper in all the trees in their yards. Or their cell phones rang at midnight: I’m watching you. . . . followed by gales of laughter.

Pranks are supposed to be funny, Katherine objected. What’s funny about that?

Nothing, Chip said. Jonah noticed that Chip was smiling at Katherine, not looking at the letter.

"Now, maybe if it said, ‘It’s ten o’clock—do you know where your brain is?’ or ‘Missing: one brain cell. Please return to Jonah Skidmore. It’s all I’ve got’—maybe that would be funny, Katherine said. She yanked the letter out of Jonah’s hand. Give me a few minutes. I could turn this into a really good prank."

Jonah snatched the letter back.

That’s okay, he said, and crammed the letter into his jeans pocket.

He knew it was just a prank—it had to be—but for just a second, staring at those words, You are one of the missing, he’d almost believed them. Especially since he’d just been telling Chip about being adopted. . . . What if somebody really was missing him? He didn’t know anything about his birth parents; all the adoption records had been sealed. He’d had such trouble understanding that when he was a little kid. He’d been a little obsessed with animals back then, so first he’d pictured elephant seals waddling on top of official-looking papers. Then, when his parents explained it a little better, he pictured crates in locked rooms, the doors covered with Easter Seals.

He’d been a pretty strange little kid.

In fact—his face burned a little at the memory—he’d even given a report in second grade on all the different uses of the word seal, from Arctic ice seals to Navy Seals to sealed adoption records. The report had included the line, And so, that’s why it’s interesting that I’m adopted, because it makes me unique. His parents had helped him with that one.

Wait a minute—Tony McGilicuddy had been in his second-grade class, and so had Jacob Hanes and Dustin Cravers. . . . What if they remembered too? What if they’d sent this letter because of that?

Jonah narrowed his eyes at Katherine, who took a step back under the intensity of his gaze.

You know what? he said, glaring at her. You’re right. This isn’t funny at all. He pulled the letter back out of his pocket and ripped it into shreds. He dropped the shreds into Katherine’s hand. Throw that away for me, okay?

Um . . . okay, she said, apparently too surprised to think of a smart-alecky comeback.

Want to come out and play basketball with us when you’re done? Chip asked, as she started to close the door.

Katherine tilted her head to the side, considering. Jonah figured she was adding up all the possibilities: seventh grader acting interested plus a chance to tick off older brother plus a chance to show off. (For a girl, Katherine was pretty good at basketball.) It seemed like a no-brainer to Jonah. But Katherine shook her head.

No, thanks. I just did my nails, she said, and pulled the door all the way shut.

Chip groaned.

She’s your sister, he said. Tell me—is she playing hard to get?

Who knows? Jonah said, but he wasn’t thinking about Katherine.

By dinnertime Jonah had convinced himself that Tony McGilicuddy and Jacob Hanes and Dustin Cravers were a bunch of idiots, and he didn’t really care what they thought or did. They could send him stupid letters all they wanted; it didn’t matter to him. He stabbed his fork into his mashed potatoes and savored the sound of the metal tines hitting the plate. He didn’t pay much attention to what Mom and Dad and Katherine were talking about—something about some brand of jeans that all the popular girls in sixth grade owned.

But, honey, you’re popular, and you don’t have those jeans, so you can’t be right about all the popular girls having them, Mom argued.

Mo-om, Katherine said.

Then the doorbell rang.

For a moment, everybody froze, Dad and Jonah with forkfuls of food halfway to their mouths, Mom and Katherine in mid-argument. The doorbell rang again, one urgent peal after another.

I’ll get it, Jonah said, standing up.

Whoever it is, tell them to come back later. It’s dinnertime, Mom said. Mom always made a big deal about family dinners. The way that certain other parents made their kids go to church, Jonah’s parents made him and Katherine sit down at the dinner table with them just about every night. (And they usually had to go to church, too.)

Jonah realized he was still holding his fork, so he stuck it into his mouth as he walked to the door—no point in wasting perfectly good mashed potatoes. It didn’t take him long to gulp them down, lick the fork one last time, and then transfer the fork to his other hand so he could grab the doorknob. But the doorbell rang three more times before he yanked the door back.

It was Chip standing on the porch. At first he didn’t even seem to notice that the door was open, he was so focused on pounding his hand against the doorbell.

Hey, Jonah said.

Finally Chip stopped hitting the doorbell. The chimes kept ringing behind Jonah for a few extra seconds.

I’ve got to talk to you, Chip said.

He was breathing hard, like he’d run all the way from his house, six driveways down the street. He shoved his hands through his curly blond hair—maybe trying to wipe away sweat, maybe trying to restore some order to the mess. It didn’t help. The curls stuck out in all directions. And Chip kept darting his eyes around, like he couldn’t keep them trained on any one thing for more than an instant.

Okay, Jonah said. We’re eating right now, but later on—

Chip clutched Jonah’s T-shirt.

I can’t wait, he said. You’ve got to help me. Please.

Jonah peeled Chip’s fingers off the shirt.

Um, sure, Jonah said. Calm down. What do you want to talk about?

Chip’s darting eyes took in the houses on either side of Jonah’s. He peered down the long hallway to the kitchen, where he could probably see just the edge of the dinner table.

Not here, Chip said, lowering his voice. "We’ve got to talk privately. Somewhere no one will hear us."

Jonah glanced back over his shoulder. He could see the perfectly crisped fried chicken leg lying on his plate beside his half-eaten potatoes. He could also see Katherine, peering curiously around the corner at him.

All right, Jonah said. Wait here for just a second.

He went back to the table.

Mom, Dad, may I be excused? he asked.

No clean plate club for you, Katherine taunted, which was really stupid. Mom and Dad had stopped making a big deal about clean plates years ago, after Mom read some article about childhood obesity.

I’ll put everything in the refrigerator and eat it later, Jonah said, picking up his plate.

I’ll take care of that, Mom said quietly, taking the plate and fork from him. Go on and help Chip.

Jonah cast one last longing glance at the chicken and went back to the front door. He’d kind of wanted Mom and Dad to say no, he wasn’t allowed to leave the table. He didn’t know what anyone thought he could do to help Chip. The way Chip was acting, it was like he was going to confess a murder. Or maybe it was something like, he just found out that his parents were splitting up and he had to decide which one to live with. Jonah knew a kid that had happened to. It was awful. But Jonah couldn’t give advice about anything like that.

Chip practically had his face pressed against the glass of the front door, watching Jonah come back.

Come on, Jonah said. Let’s go to my room.

This was strange too because Chip had never been in Jonah’s room before. They were play-basketball-in-the-driveway-and-maybe-come-into-the-kitchen-for-a-drink-of-water friends, not let’s-go-hang-out-in-my-room friends. Jonah held the front door open for Chip, and then Chip followed him up the stairs. Chip didn’t even glance around when they got to Jonah’s room. Which was good—maybe he wouldn’t notice that along with his sports posters, Jonah still had one up from third grade that showed a LEGO roller coaster.

Jonah shut the door and sat down on the bed. Chip sank into the desk chair.

I got one, too, Chip said. He was clutching his face now, almost like that kid in the Home Alone movie.

One what? Jonah asked.

One of those letters. About being missing.

Chip pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. Jonah could tell that Chip had already folded and unfolded it many times: the creases were beginning to fray. Chip unfolded it once more, and Jonah could see that it was just like the letter he’d gotten, six typewritten words on an otherwise blank sheet of paper:

YOU ARE ONE OF THE MISSING.

"Chip, it’s a prank, Jonah said. A joke that’s not even funny." But he was thinking, Chip wasn’t in that second grade class with Dustin and Jacob and Tony. He’s not adopted, I don’t think. So this is really stupid. Jonah leaned back against the wall, more relaxed than he’d been in hours. "It’s nothing," he told Chip.

Yeah, that’s what I thought, Chip said. "You know what the worst thing is? I was even kind of happy when I pulled this out of the mailbox. Like, ‘Hey, I’m not just the new kid anymore. Somebody’s actually noticed me enough to try to play a prank

Reviews for Found

[robinsonstef · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read many books by Margaret Peterson Haddix, so I was looking forward to starting The Missing series. Found intrigued me and I was interested in the mystery. It was fun trying to figure out everything on my own and the story moved at a quick pace. I think this book will appeal to kids in fourth grade and up who like books that involve science fiction and suspense. The three main characters are different enough that they have their own unique personalities, but close enough in age that kids will easily be able to relate to them. This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I know I'll have to get the second book to see what happens. Luckily, I think most of the series is out now so if there are any more cliffhangers I won't have to wait long before I find the answers! A book that will definitely keep readers turning the pages!

[librisissimo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not as "timeless" as her "Among" series - too many already-dated references - but otherwise okay. However, much of the plot depends on having kids do something they KNOW is stupid. This is bad when adult characters do it, and requires great finesse by the author to make it work, but the author has no excuse for inflicting children with this flaw. At least they have the excuse that they might not know it's stupid, but that has to also be set up properly.

[bookbug105 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I Loved this book!

[khoecker10 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book tells the story of Jonah, Chip, and Katherine and their adventures to try to solve the mystery behind the boys' adoptions. When both boys receive mysterious letters, they team up together and enlist the help of Jonah's sister Katherine to discover the connection of the letters to the boys' mysterious adoptions. They soon come to find out that they are actually from the past and were taken by people in the future to be adopted and "saved". With time being damaged because of their appearance in the 21st century, they must now decide to either live in the future or go back to the past.Genre: Science FictionCritique: This book is a good example of science fiction because it deals with the discussion of time travel, Haddix provides explanation and reasoning that make her imaginative speculation credible. The story also involves Jonah and Chip's personal experiences and how these play into the idea of time travel.Critique of Plot:This book involves multiple types of conflict, but most importantly is person vs. self. Struggling with the concept of identity and adoption, Jonah is having a battle within himself to define who he is. The author is very effective in her use of person vs. self conflict by paralleling Jonah's inward adventure to find himself with his actual journey of discovering his past.Media: n/a

[librarybrandy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jonah has always known he was adopted, so when he gets the first letter in the mail--you are one of the missing--he's able to tell himself it's just a prank. But when his friend Chip gets one, too, it's less funny. Especially since Chip didn't know that he, too, was adopted. As they both start asking questions, they learn that the circumstances of their adoptions were even more mysterious than they'd ever dreamed...

Intriguing and engrossing, the kind of book you fight off sleep for. The denouement is a little muddled into an action sequence with bits of exposition sprinkled through, but it had to end somewhere, I guess. I'm not as blown away by it as I was the first book of her Shadow Children series, and this is more obviously setting up sequels, but I'll keep reading it for a while.

[lindap69 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first in a new series where the children are once again being manipulated by the adults - this time via time travel sure to be popular although it is longer and a bit rambling at times.

[zoesnicholson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

WOW! This is AMAZING! It's definitely unique and creative! Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix definitely exceeded my expectations with it's quick pace, suspense, and exceptional writing! I am definitely impressed with this sci-fi series-starter!

To start: the praises...which in this case are many! Let me just say that the plot of Found is awesome! It's got everything: originality, uniqueness, and overall great writing. It starts off with a BANG! in the prologue, and continues just like that until the very last page. (Speaking of the last page, the end was SUPER cliffhanger!) I must say that I quite like Haddix's writing style, and how suspenseful her books are. She has a way with words! The pacing in Found is also quite good; I felt like it was never too slow or too fast.

Additionally, the characters were well-developed and very realistic. I quite liked the characters in Found; they were really realistic and very well thought-out. They each had their own personalities (Katherine was the source of sass, Jonah was always - and rightly so - skeptical, and Chip was the "book clown"). And even better the relationships between the characters was also realistic as well.

All in all, I will definitely be continuing the series! I can't wait to see what Haddix has in store for Jonah, Chip, and Katherine! I'd recommend this story to readers who enjoy adventure and sci-fi. Haddix definitely is a writer to watch!

[beckytillett · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jonah discovers that he is a survivor of something...he just doesn't know what. When mysterious letters begin to show up at his door and his friend's, he follows the clues, which lead him on a mysterious adventure in time travel. This is the first book in the series. Students can read this book to study how an author uses science fiction to create a story that is unrealistic but still appealing to readers. Incorporating the rules of what makes a good science fiction would be fun.

[hippielunatic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An easy, and mostly enjoyable read, Haddix's _Found_ explores the story of two adopted boys, coming to learn about their unique past, though not really getting many of their questions answered. While I understand a series was planned from the start, not allowing the first book of a series to stand on its own, does not typically sit well with me. Such is this book, as the final paragraphs only made this reader roll her eyes and snarl a bit, when nothing is wrapped up, everything is left open, and the characters are left in a complete mess.However, Haddix was able to create young tweens and teens that I *mostly* believed, and the story was certainly a unique time-traveler's dilemma. I have book 2 waiting for me, and I'll likely pick it up after a bit, but it will not be the next thing I read.

[zhen9li · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a boy who is confused about people vanishing into thin air and has a strange part in being one of the "Missing".

[girlsonfire · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An interesting twist on time travel. It really leaves you hanging at the end and I'm glad I waited to read the series so I can read on quickly. Fans of the author's Shadow Children series might like this one too.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This second time reading this. I'm reviewing the sequel so I wanted it fresh in mind. Great concept. Lots of page-turning suspense. Kind of like a fun mix of Lost, The Twilight Zone, and X-Files for kids. Reluctant readers should find it appealing.

[alisaburch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I suppose this is the first in a series that will feature time travel. This first book set up the premise of children being kidnapped by future time travellers to be sold into adoption in the future. Something goes wrong and a plane full of babies is found at the airport. Thirteen years later the forces from the future are coming back for the children. This is an interesting juvenile book.

[elliottm_11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was great. I think all the fans of her Among the HIdden books will have a new series to fall in love with.

[hpiraino97 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Right now Mrs. McCarthy is reading Found to the sixth grade. It is a mystery about a boy who is adopted, he got two letters in the mail saying... " you are one of the missing". Then a couple days later his friends chip gets a letter in the mail saying you are one of the missing!

[lrobe190 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thirteen year old Jonah receives a letter that says "You are one of the missing". He doesn't understand what it means or where he came from and when he finds out that his friend, Chip receives the same letter, he is freaked out. Both boys are adopted and they believe the letters are somehow related to that. As they begin to investigate, they become involved with what seems to be a sinister plot involving 34 other children, disappearing airplanes and people, and the FBI.Haddix has created a taut thriller for tweens and teens that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I can't wait to read the rest of the installment.

[hunterm.g3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

this book is about a kid named chip and how he keeps getting strange letters that says You are one of the missing and they find out that chip was adopted. Then chip gets a letter that says they are coming back to get you so his dad sets a appointment with someone and it was a guy that was on the phone when chip picked it up. So he secretly looks through the guys files and finds a document that says survivors on it and one that said beware. Then later on they go to a conference and they hiked to a cave where they had to put there hand on a rock witch was a hand scanner and they get trapped when a door behind them closes and they where told that they where suppose to help fix the twenty first century and they find out that the cave was a time travel device but it was too late they where already in the twenty first century.I like this book because its about time travel.

[teamdewey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Deals with some adoption issues and the human want to change the past to rectify situations.

[deweyever · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Found is the first in the Missing Series by Margaret Peterson. It was a very quick read and was paced fairly well. The story is told through Jonah's eyes and often times his voice comes off a little fake. Kids might have a hard time relating to the already dated slang and technology.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When two friends realize they are both adopted and get cryptic letters in the mail, they begin to realize that there are many questions about their identities and that they are in the middle of a struggle from two different groups from the future.

[shannaredwind_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An enjoyable read. I'll definitely continue reading the series. I found the characters a little bit mouthy, especially when they were talking to a stranger who they were seeking information from, but that could just be my age showing.

I'd recommend this book to kids in Grade 5 to 7 or 8 who are looking for an interesting mystery.

[vibrantminds · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first in a series of books about children stolen from time and adopted in modern day. Jonah along with his sister Katherine and friend Chip must solve a mystery behind Jonah and Chips adoption. They both begin to receive mysterious letters that lead them to question who they are and how they came to be adopted. They are faced with two opposing forces that have a different view of what their outcome should be as well as the other children that were taken from the past. A historical fiction for youth that involves them in learning of the past.

[ctmsemwa · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to time travel? What about getting letters saying you are one of the missing? Well Chip and Jonah have. Reading the book Found got me way more interested in mystery books because i love when you have to think about whats going to happen and have it be stuck in your head all day. The book Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix was about a group of babies on a plane. Two of the babies were Chip and Jonah. The plane that they were on was a very special plane. Thirteen years later Chip and Jonah have been adopted and wondering where they are from. Both of them keep getting letters from someone that they think are pranks but turn out to be more inportant then they think, mabey even uncovering their past...? I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 because it definately wasnt the best mystery book I've ever read. It was also boring at parts. But when you kept reading on it got better and better. I would reccomend this book to readers who like a long mystery book. The book was challenging for me at parts because i couldnt keep up with what was going on. Other than that the book Found was pretty good, that was hard to stop reading at parts.

[missboyer3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thirteen-year-old Jonah has always known that he was adopted, and he's never thought it was any big deal. Then he and a new friend, Chip, who's also adoped, begin receiving mysterious letters. The first one says, "You are one of the missing." The second one says, "Beware! They're coming back to get you."Jonah, Chip, and Jonah's sister, Katherine, are plunged into a mystery that involves the FBI, a vast smuggling operation, an airplane that appeared out of nowhere -- and people who seem to appear and disappear at will. The kids discover they are caught in a battle between two opposing forces that want very different things for Jonah and Chip's lives.Do Jonah and Chip have any choice in the matter? And what should they choose when both alternatives are horrifying?

[mirrani_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After blinking my eyes in awe at the beginning of this book, I found myself desperately turning pages to get to the whole story. I simply could not put the thing down! Unfortunately, once the questions I had were answered and the full plot was revealed, I found the need to finish the book as soon as possible had quickly vanished. I started the book like I was running a marathon and finished like I'd run out of air.The story is compelling and follows through well as the characters discover more and more about where they come from. Each person seems well worked out and their interactions are truthful to each other and their situations. Though this is true, most of the pull for me was in the mystery and though it eventually transitioned into a pull for these well-written characters, I found myself wishing for more suspense at the end. The personal development simply couldn't overcome the "well what's left to figure out now" feeling that had settled itself in my mind. Once the big mystery is solved everything is quickly pushed out of the way to rapidly explain events and set up the following story. While I look forward to reading that second book in this series, it will be more to compare the two and with a little hope that a new timeline and a new place, will drive my curiosity to overcome me as deeply as the beginning of Found did.

[alelliott · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For readers:When Jonah Skidmore begins receiving mysterious, threatening messages in the mail, he figures someone is playing an elaborate prank on him. But then he finds out that his new friend Chip is receiving the same messages. The main thing Jonah and Chip have in common? They're both adopted. It becomes very clear, very quickly, that the messages aren't a prank; someone or something is definitely trying to get to the two friends. Together, with Jonah's sister Katherine, the teens find themselves plunged into a secret world they couldn't have believed. If you like reality swirled with science fiction, you will really like this fast-paced book!For educators and librarians:This is a great book for all kinds of readers. Advanced readers will enjoy trying to wrap their heads around concepts like time paradoxes, while reluctant readers will speed through this very tense, gripping novel. Jonah, Chip, and Katherine ring true as teenagers caught up in a mystery, and once the story starts, it doesn't let up. Kids will be clamoring for the sequel.Reading Level: 10+Appropriateness: Nothing to worry aboutWho will like this book: Pretty much anyone; there's enough sci-fi to grab kids who enjoy it, but enough reality to ground the book for kids who aren't into the whole sci-fi/fantasy thing.

[liscarey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jonah Skidmore is adopted and thirteen years old. He's always been comfortable with this, and finds his sister Katherine, one year younger and not adopted, no more irritating than most boys his age find their sisters.

Then Jonah and his friend Chip, who is also adopted, get mysterious and vaguely threatening letters, telling them that they are among the "missing," and that someone is coming to get them back.

They start asking questions about their adoptions, and Jonah's father contacts the agency Jonah came from. He's given a name, James Reardon, who may have more information about where Jonah came from.

He's with the FBI.

On a visit to his office with their parents, Jonah and Katherine get a list of other names of children adopted at the same time they were. They have to sneak; Reardon apparently had nothing he wanted to tell them, but only to make clear to the Skidmores that any questions could result in Jonah being deported.

What is going on?

As more and more strange events surround Jonah and Chip, and they learn that other children on the mysterious list are getting letters, too,

The story is fast-paced, clever, and deals honestly with the feelings and frustrations of adopted children.

It should also be noted that this is the first of a series, and while there is a resolution of a sort at the end, it's also the beginning of the longer, larger story.

A strong opening to a series.

I bought this book.

[jrlibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First in a new series by Haddix. Chip and his best friend Jonah, get mysterious notes in the mail, which they initially think is a prank, but then Jonah finds out that not only is Chip adopted but Jonah is too. They eventually discover that they have been taken from time! Jonah's sister, Caroline, helps the boys track down clues. They eventually figure out that both Jonah and Chip were among the babies found on the plane in the prologue. They are then convinced that someone is trying to take those babies back to where they came from, and neither boy wants to go. When a suspicious "adoptee" gathering occurs, they realize something is going down, and they're determined not to fall for it - but they end up trapped in a cave with men from the future. When book one ends, Jonah and Chip are on their way to the past to hopefully straighten things out.This is a review taken from Jen Robinson's book blog. I really love her reviews so I thought I'd include it here: The Missing, Book 1) begins with a mysterious event. An airplane arrives at a terminal out of nowhere. When the gate agent peeks in from the jetbridge, she finds no adults - just 36 babies, traveling alone. The action then fast-forwards 13 years, to a boy named Jonah, who knows that he's adopted, but doesn't know any details about his birth parents.One day, Jonah receives a mysterious letter that just says "YOU ARE ONE OF THE MISSING." Even more mysterious is the fact that Jonah's new friend Chip receives the same letter, and learns that he was adopted, too. Jonah and Chip, along with Jonah's sister Katherine, do a bit of investigating, and find themselves plunged into a series of mysterious events.In truth, I found this book a bit slow. There's a lot of sitting around looking things up on the computer, and sitting around receiving mysterious letters. Most of the action happens in the last third of book. And even then, what happens is really the setting up of the future books in the series. Which I can't tell you about without spoiling the suspense of this book.Found is suspenseful, even if not action-packed. You wonder what happened with those 36 babies, what makes them special, and why someone would be looking for them now. The truth is layered on gradually, as Jonah and Chip begin to understand who they really are. And by the end of the book, you're ready for the exciting adventures that are sure to follow in the future books of the series (seems like there could be dozens). The truth about who they are is clever and surprising, and I'm looking forward to the other books.I do recommend Found, because it's the gateway into what promises to be an intriguing and compelling series. But if I were you, I might wait until Book 2 comes out, and then read the books together. This first book is necessary to set up the premise, but it doesn't really stand alone. I can't say more, or quote from the interesting parts of the book, without spoiling the suspense, so I'll stop here.

[abbylibrarian_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was her first day of work at the airline when Angela saw the plane. This was not just any plane. It seemed to appear out of nowhere. And when Angela investigated, she found no pilot, no flight crew... just 36 babies, each sitting in its own seat.Cut to thirteen years later. Jonah has always known he was adopted. His parents never kept it a secret from him. But then Jonah gets a weird letter on plain paper with no return address.It reads, "You are one of the missing."I found this book totally compelling and I couldn't put it down. The first half is very suspenseful and the second half is very sci-fi. This would be a great choice for fans of Haddix or for kids who need to read a sci-fi book but aren't into aliens and space travel.

[boundtogetherforgood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Found is the first book in the "Missing" trilogy, published in 2008. The book opens to 13 year old Jonah who is perplexed about a letter he received in the mail. He soon finds out that a new friend of his, Chip, has received the same letter. This connection leads to Chip discovering that, like Jonah, he was adopted.Jonah's sister Katherine soon joins the boys in a quest to find out more about the letters they received. This is just the beginning of the excitement as the FBI soon proves to have a hand in the mix. Before you know it time travel is added to the plot!Our 10 year old asked for this book for Christmas. He read it eagerly and couldn't wait to finish it! He also couldn't wait for me to read it so that we could discuss it! (I love that!) I'll soon be purchasing the second in the series so that the two of us can enjoy reading it at the pool this summer!I think the book was a good diversion for me as I was reading it while also deep in the depths of A Tale of Two Cities. For adults it certainly isn't heavy although the topics of adoption, and time travel are heavy ones. I think this book was just about perfect for a ten year old boy. (It has our son's stamp of approval, for sure!)