Among the Barons
Encyclopedia
Among the Barons is a 2003 book by Margaret Peterson Haddix, about a time in which drastic measures have been taken to quell overpopulation. It is the fourth of seven novels in the Shadow Children
series.
Luke is soon caught up in a complicated web of lies in a world where he is completely unprotected from anything that will prove he is an illegal third child. He has no idea who he can trust, especially Smits and his bodyguard, Oscar Wydell, and as a member of the Grant family in name, Luke is in an incredible amount of danger. Furthermore, the Grant family selfishly desires to express their grief over the real Lee's death by faking "Lee's" death and send Luke back into hiding once again.
The return of "Lee" (with a few changes made by the Grants' services) and Smits is celebrated by a party at the Grant's house. At the party, Oscar attempts to assassinate the President, who started the war, and Luke who is saved by Trey. The President was in a different location at the time. "Lee's" parents are both killed by a falling chandelier. Smits, Luke, and some of Luke's friends escape, dropping Smits and Luke off at Luke's house. Trey grabs some documents which he thinks are important and which he will use in Among the Brave. Smits and Luke are then welcomed back by Luke's family.
Smits stays with Luke's family as a sort of fourth son that they had never been able to have. Luke then leaves with more unanswered questions. He feels that he did something right for Smits even though he didn't do anything much for his cause.
Shadow Children sequence
The Shadow Children series is a series of seven books by Margaret Peterson Haddix about a futuristic country which suffers food shortages due to a drought and the effects of the government's attempts to control resources as a way to solidify its power...
series.
Plot summary
At Hendricks School for Boys, Luke Garner has managed to adjust to his new life as Lee Grant, having adopted this fake name when he came out of hiding. Things change when the Grants, a prominent Baron family who donated the name of their son when he died in a ski accident, decide to send the real Lee's brother, Smithfield (a.k.a. Smits), to the school and visit "Lee". Smits is troubled by the death of his brother, and tells Luke, the new Lee, his stories of times he and the real Lee spent together. But when Smits wants to get rid of his bodyguard, he sets the school on fire. After the fire, Luke is sent to search Smit's room and discovers two fake IDs in Smits' room: one with Smits' picture labeled Peter Goodard, the other had no picture and was labeled Stanley Goodard.Luke is soon caught up in a complicated web of lies in a world where he is completely unprotected from anything that will prove he is an illegal third child. He has no idea who he can trust, especially Smits and his bodyguard, Oscar Wydell, and as a member of the Grant family in name, Luke is in an incredible amount of danger. Furthermore, the Grant family selfishly desires to express their grief over the real Lee's death by faking "Lee's" death and send Luke back into hiding once again.
The return of "Lee" (with a few changes made by the Grants' services) and Smits is celebrated by a party at the Grant's house. At the party, Oscar attempts to assassinate the President, who started the war, and Luke who is saved by Trey. The President was in a different location at the time. "Lee's" parents are both killed by a falling chandelier. Smits, Luke, and some of Luke's friends escape, dropping Smits and Luke off at Luke's house. Trey grabs some documents which he thinks are important and which he will use in Among the Brave. Smits and Luke are then welcomed back by Luke's family.
Smits stays with Luke's family as a sort of fourth son that they had never been able to have. Luke then leaves with more unanswered questions. He feels that he did something right for Smits even though he didn't do anything much for his cause.