Revealed by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Revealed by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Science Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction

Age - 10-13

Grade  -6-8

438 pages, hardcover

c. 2014

Revealed is the seventh book in The Missing Series. In many ways it is the most complex and confusing book in terms of how the time travel elements are presented. It is also different from the other books in the series because there is no missing child from history to rescue and Jonah is on his own to solve the various problems that come up. His sister, Katherine, has been kidnapped by Charles Lindbergh and turned into a baby. All the other missing children from history have disappeared and all the adults in the area, including Jonah’s parents and JB and Angela, have been turned into young teenagers.

As the title suggests there is much that is revealed in this book, including Jonah’s real identity. However, since that would be such a big spoiler I will not mention it in this review. Gary and Hodge, the original time kidnappers, are responsible for all the problems Jonah is forced to deal with and this time the problems they have created with time seem to be beyond his ability to repair. Jonah is faced with the very real possibility that he will lose all those he loves and his own life as well. When, at a critical moment, he asks the Elucidator for help he is told that getting any help depends on the next decision he needs to make.

Much of the action revolves around the 1932 kidnapping of the son of Charles Lindbergh and his determination to find his son. As usual, Haddix provides much historical background in the author’s note at the back of the book. Lindbergh himself is an interesting and complex character. Though some of his actions and thoughts are fictional they reveal his development as a character. As the author notes reveal Lindbergh was not willing to stop the search for his son for some time. He managed to finally accept his death and go on with his life.  For a time he worked with the Ford Motor Company in connection with one of their factories that was building bombers. From there he became a test pilot, a test subject for extreme conditions for pilots, and a fighter-pilot instructor. In the novel he comments to Jonah, “I have learned that even with time travel, some things just are. They can’t be changed or undone or fixed. But people, people can heal. Even from events they believe ate unendurable.”

A major part of the book is the character development of Jonah himself. He has been maturing throughout the series but in this book he has attained a new level of self-sacrificing love. He is no longer impulsive or careless in his actions and decisions. He has learned that little actions can have great consequences, how tiny moments of helping one person can save many. So when everything seems lost he decides there is still one thing he can fix, one thing he can do before he dies. There is one thing that would be perfect and right and good, even as everything else is wrong.

There are many things I didn’t mention in this review but I encourage you to read the book. There are parts about time that are confusing but there is much that is inspiring and the plot twists and adventure are all there. There is one more book in the series. Jonah’s adventures and trials aren’t over yet.