Understanding the Found Series by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Found Series is a science fiction middle grade book series written by Margaret Peterson Haddix. It follows twin sisters Chip and Jordan, who discover they are part of a secret group of children known as "Foundlings." These are kids who were time-traveled from the future to the present day to safeguard a crucial historical artifact. The series consists of six main novels plus several companion books. The first book, Found, was published in 2013, and the series continued through 2015 with the final book titled Sacrifice. The core premise involves time travel, but not in the way most adult sci-fi handles it. The time travelers in this series come from a future where history has been rewritten by people called Shadowists. The Foundlings were sent back to protect key pieces of the original timeline. Each book focuses on a different historical moment that needs guarding.
I read through this series when I was managing a library display for middle grade readers. A lot of kids asked about it after finishing the Shadow Thief series, so I put together a reading order guide. The books do link together, but each one can mostly stand on its own. The six main books in order are: 1. Found (2013) - Set during the construction of the Great Wall of China
2. Among the Hidden connection - no, that's a different series entirely. The second book is Between World and Wall (2013) 3. Out of the Invisible (2014) 4. With No Net (2014)
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5. Breaking the Code (2014) 6. Sacrifice (2015) The main weakness of the series is that the time travel mechanics get a bit fuzzy by book four. Haddix tries to layer in consequences for changing history, but some of the rules feel inconsistent. Kids rarely notice though. The pacing is fast enough that the plot holes don't slow things down.
I did run into one issue when recommending these to a reader. They wanted to start with book three because they had heard it was the best one. That doesn't work. The character arcs and the central mystery build across all six books. Starting in the middle left them confused about who Jordan and Chip actually were and what the Found organization was supposed to be. There are also two companion novels, The Missing Crown of Oz and Shadow Children - wait, those are separate. The companions are Sabotage and another one I keep second-guessing the title of. They're shorter side stories. Not necessary but fine if someone finishes the main series and wants more. If you want to skip the middle grade angle and go straight to the source, the books are widely available through most major retailers. Paperback and ebook editions both exist. Some school districts have adopted them for reading programs, which is how I originally encountered them in volume.
The target audience is roughly ages 10 to 14. The reading level is accessible, and the twists are designed to land for that demographic. Adults who grew up on harder sci-fi might find the execution a bit lightweight, but that's not the intent here. The series works as it was meant to work. I should mention one thing that trips people up. There is a separate series by the same author called The Flight of the Stowaway trilogy and then her older Among the Hidden series. People sometimes mix them up. The Found Series is distinct and stands on its own.
