The Missing is a fairly new kids book series from Margaret Peterson Haddix that has become quite popular among middle school age kids. As of writing this article three of the books have been released and four more are planned.
Plotline
Jonah and his sister Katherine are adopted children. They think they are normal until they start receiving strange messages. Their adopted friend Chip is getting the same messages. They soon find out that they are "missing" children from past history. As they start to dig into who they are they discover all sorts of mysteries and adventures. They need to go back in time, discover who they really are, and fix what has happened. However, there are others who don't want them to succeed….
In each book of the series we learn more and more about the missing children; who their real identities are, where they are from, and why they were missing. JB of the Time Police assists them in going back in time and fixing history. The challenge for the children is can they go back in time, fix history, and still survive to return to the 20th century and the only lives they've know.
Major Characters
Jonah Skidmore - Jonah is the main character in the series. He is thirteen years old and in the seventh grade. He's adopted. We don't get a lot of description about Jonah other than he's tall and has brown hair. The author said this is intentional as we aren't supposed to know yet who Jonah really is.
Katherine Skidmore - Katherine is Jonah's adopted sister. She's twelve years old and can be very determined.
Chip Winston - Chip is Jonah's best friend. He's also adopted and one of the missing. Chip finds out his real identity in the second book and also discovers his biological brother Alex.
Alex - Alex shows up in the second book as another missing child and Chip's brother. He is supposed to be dead in his original time. Does he survive the second book?
Andrea - In the third book, Sabatoged, Andrea needs Jonah and Katherine's help to go back in time. Her real identity is that of Virginia Dare from the lost colony of Roanoke.
JB - JB is a member of the Time Police. He wants to send the children back in time to fix the path of history.
Books in the Missing Series
Found (2008)
Sent (2009)
Sabotaged (2010)
Torn (TBA)
Caught (TBA)
Kept (TBA)
Revealed (TBA)
Suggested Reading Level: Ages 9-13
If you liked the Missing Series, you may also like:
The Shadow Children Series by Margaret Peterson Haddix
