Sent

Sent by, Margaret Peterson Haddix. ISBN-13: 978-1-4424-0767-1

Continuing where she left off in book one of the Missing Series, Found, four children, Katherine, her adopted brother Jonah, their neighbor, Chip, and their new friend, Alexander have been sent back in time to fix history and make it right again. The boys had recently learned they were each famous people from history who had been stolen out of their own time, causing dire consequences for future generations. The children, who land in fifteenth century England, are told that Chip is actually Edward V and that Alexander is his brother, Richard. Their mission is vague and their futuristic guide, JB, is far less helpful than the children hope. Haddix uses this story to examine the unsolved history of what might have happened to prevent Edward V from making it to his coronation. There are castles, armor, and war, as well as an intriguing glance into a place in history, which most are unfamiliar with--including our heroes. While the first book, Found, was mysterious and easy for kids to relate to, the sequel feels like it was written more to tell the story of Edward V and Richard. Haddix had created likable characters that allowed kids to read autobiographically, but by transporting them to fifteenth century England, she has switched genres completely--from a sci-fi story set in the modern era to historical fiction with a couple of futuristic gadgets. There is an interesting discussion regarding science and religion, but many readers will gloss over that. The story moves slowly and the action doesn't really heat up until the end. Although by that point, it is so exciting that readers will be racing for the next book in the Missing series to find out where Katherine and Jonah end up next. Hopefully, before she writes it, Haddix can tap back into the heart of what made Found so appealing.