lings . ▁In ▁some ▁cases , ▁a ▁parent ▁may ▁choose ▁to ▁for ge ▁a ▁child ' s ▁identification ▁card ▁so ▁a ▁shadow ▁child ▁can ▁live ▁a ▁normal ▁life . ▁ ▁In sp iration ▁and ▁Development ▁Margaret ▁Pet erson ▁H add ix ▁began ▁writing ▁Among ▁the ▁H idden ▁after ▁discuss ions ▁with ▁her ▁husband ▁regarding ▁if ▁they ▁wanted ▁to ▁have ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁children , ▁which ▁developed ▁into ▁convers ations ▁concerning ▁over pop ulation , ▁the ▁earth ' s ▁limited ▁resources , ▁and ▁China ' s ▁One ▁Child ▁Policy . ▁ ▁The ▁convers ations ▁gradually ▁led ▁H add ix ▁into ▁creating ▁Luke ▁Gar ner , ▁a ▁twelve - year - old ▁boy ▁forced ▁to ▁live ▁with ▁strict ▁controls ▁and ▁limited ▁choices ▁that ▁result ▁in ▁him ▁sp ending ▁his ▁life ▁in ▁hiding ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁government ▁that ▁said ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁have ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁exist . ▁ ▁Though ▁H add ix ▁had ▁not ▁intended ▁to ▁continue ▁Among ▁the ▁H idden , ▁she ▁began ▁to ▁explore ▁other ▁characters ▁and ▁other ▁tang ents ▁in ▁the ▁subsequent ▁six ▁books ▁in ▁the ▁series . ▁ ▁Setting ▁The ▁Sh adow ▁Children ▁sequence ▁is ▁set ▁in ▁a ▁country ▁where ▁the ▁government ▁has ▁enfor ced ▁strict ▁population ▁control ▁laws ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁control ▁over pop ulation ▁after ▁environmental ▁conditions ▁have ▁sever ely ▁limited ▁resources , ▁particularly ▁food . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁it ▁is ▁against ▁the ▁law ▁for ▁families ▁to ▁have ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁children ; ▁the ▁law ▁is ▁strictly ▁enfor ced ▁by ▁the ▁Population ▁Police , ▁who ▁are