Left Behind: The Kids

Left Behind: The Kids is a series written by Jerry B. Jenkins And Tim LaHaye. It is about teenagers during the Rapture, with background plots from the adult series. However, the main characters are different.

"In one shocking moment millions around the globe disappear. Those left behind face an uncertain future—especially four kids who now find themselves alone. As the kids #Horsemen of Terror

There are also 12 volumes containing a number of these books in each to be more similar to the original series:

Book #1: Taken (Left Behind: The Kids) contains the first four books in the Left Behind: The Kids series and features background plots from Left Behind in the adult series.

Book #2: Pursued (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 5-8 with background plots from Tribulation Force.

Book #3: Hidden (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 9-12 with background plots from Nicolae.

Book #4: Rescued (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 13-16 with background plots from Soul Harvest.

Book #5: Stung (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 17-19 with background plots from Apollyon.

Book #6: Frantic (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 20-22 with background plots from Assassins.

Book #7: Shaken (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 23-25 with background plots from Assassins and The Indwelling.

Book #8: Unmasked (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 26-28 with background plots from The Indwelling and The Mark.

Book #9: Deceived (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 29-31 with background plots from Desecration.

Book #10: Protected (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 32-34 with background plots from The Remnant.

Book #11: Hunted (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 35-37 with background plots from Armageddon.

Book #12: Arrived (Left Behind: The Kids) covers books 38-40 with background plots from Glorious Appearing. The Young Trib Force makes their final attempts to reach those not saved before meeting Christ face-to-face.

Also, LaHaye and Jenkins with Chris Fabry in 2000 wrote A Kids Guide to Understanding the End Times, which helps readers of the series help understand the end times events, similar to Are we Living in the End Times? by the original authors.

Characters

Original members of The Young Tribulation Force

Judd Thompson Jr.- On the night of the disappearances, Judd stole his dad's credit card and ran away, telling his parents that he was going to the library to study. He instead went to O'Hare airport and boarded a one-way flight to England. When some of the people on board the plane disappear, leaving only their clothes, Judd realizes that Jesus has come back and he has been left behind. When he returns home and discovers that his entire family had disappeared in the Rapture he becomes a believer in Christ. He goes to his old church, where he meets Bruce Barnes, Vicki Byrne, Lionel Washington, and Ryan Daley. He allows them all to stay at his house. He falls in love with Vicki early on but does not show his love for her until later.

Vicki Byrne Thompson- Vicki grew up in a trailer park called Prospect Gardens in Mount Prospect. Vicki hated where she lived, people regularly made fun of her calling her names such as 'Trailer Trash'. Her parents smoke, drunk and fought a lot, every Friday they would go to a dance held at the trailer park. Vicki would have to baby-sit her sister, occasionally she dumped her sister and went off to smoke, drink or do dope with her friends. When Vicki was twelve, a man asked to speak at the dance. Everyone was quiet as he told all present the truth-that Jesus had loved them enough to die for them and He wanted everyone to accept His gift of grace and eternal life. Vicki's parents (Dawn and Tom) and her sister (Jeannie) all accepted Jesus into their hearts. Vicki refused to. Following her parents' conversion Vicki became even more rebellious. Even though she could see the changes in her parents' lives she refused to believe. Her parents would force her to go to church and Vicki had to go now and then all the time she was there she sulked and protested against it. Vicki wouldn't change and one night she came back from partying to find the house quiet. When she woke up the next morning all her family were gone. They had been raptured. She then accepts Christ and spends the next seven years spreading the messgae.

Lionel Washington- His whole family disappeared in the Rapture except for his Uncle André, who died after being shot by LeRoy Banks. At the end of the series Lionel finds out that Uncle Andre became a believer. Lionel becomes a believer in Christ. He later loses an arm in a rock slide, but later gained it back in Book 40.

Ryan Daley- His mother and father died in the Rapture; one died in an explosion and the other in a plane crash. He was the last one to become a believer in Christ. He was best friends with Rayford "Raymie" Steele Jr., Rayford Steele's son. He found a dog and named it Phoenix. Ryan died a couple days after the Wrath of the Lamb earthquake. Something had fallen on him and the cut was badly infected, but he stayed alive long enough for Vicki to be with him while he died.

Other members

Shelly Brown- Old friend of Vicki before the Rapture. She was babysitting during the Rapture and the two children vanished as she was holding them. This made Shelly scared, and she was reclusive for a long time, until Vicki helped her become a believer after she tried to kill herself by overdosing on sleeping pills. Shelly is now a believer in Christ. She later falls deeply in love with Conrad.

Mark Eisman- John's cousin who went to Nicolae High. After graduation he joined the militia, but after World War III, Mark permanently joins the Young Trib Force. He is influential in the making of www.theunderground-online.com. He is later executed in book 39 for refusing the mark of the beast. He falls in love with Vicki, but she is in love with Judd, so he takes his jealousy out on her.

John Preston- Mark's cousin, who went to Nicolae High. After graduation, he attended engineering college until he was forced by the GC to work for them. He works on the GC ship Peacekeeper 1 until a meteor kills almost everyone one board expect for those in the submarine including Carl Menninger.

Conrad Graham- Taylor Graham's younger brother. He was a Global Community Morale Monitor, until he met Lionel, who convinced him that Jesus was God, and he became a believer in Christ and member of the Young Trib Force. He falls in love with Shelly.

Janie McCanyon- Skeptical in the beginning and was placed North Side Detention Center where she met Vicki. Janie was adopted by Bruce Barnes. She kept on traveling with Vicki and later became a believer and became a member of the Young Trib Force.

Melinda Bentley- Former Global Community Supporter and Morale Monitor. She was taken in by the Young Trib Force when her partner Felicia died because she drank water that had been poisoned by Wormwood. She was stung by the locusts and was unsure of becoming a believer, but finally did make the decision to follow Christ.

Carl Meninger- Worked for the Global Community. He was on the Peacekeeper 1 with John Preston, and was saved by John when John gave Carl his place on the escape submarine. Carl set out to find John's cousin,Mark, who helped him become a believer seconds before the locusts attacked him. Vicki taught him all he needed to know about the Bible, then he went back to the GC to work on the inside and help the Young Trib Force.

Natalie Bishop- A Global Community Morale Monitor and believer in Christ. She met Vicki and help her escape the GC and from then was the trib fources link inside the GC. She helped Charlie escape from GC clutches, as well as several others. She was executed by guillotine (loyalty enforcement faciliator) for refusing to take the Mark of the Beast.

Sam Goldberg- Friend of Judd and Lionel in Israel and a believer in Christ. Sam's father works for the Global Community, and attempts to use Sam as bait to catch Lionel and Judd several times before Sam leaves Israel with them. Sam also falls in love with a much older girl in Petra named Naomi, but she does not feel the same way for him.

Nada- Also a friend of Judd and Lionel in Israel, Judd and Lionel stay at her house during their stay in Israel and she falls in love with Judd and Judd while thinking of Vicki falls partially in love with her as well. She was shot by the GC while trying to save Mr.Stein.

Chang Wong- Met Judd and Lionel by asking for help on the under-ground web site. His father is pressuring him to work for the GC but he is a Christian. His father knocks him out and has the mark of the beast put on him but he did not choose it so in the end it is prayed off of him by the elders in Petra.

Charlie- A young boy who did not know what happened when the Rapture occurred. He met Vicki at the shelter that had survived the Wrath of the Lamb earthquake and helped Vicki carry Ryan Daley's body. He meets the other members of the Young Trib Force and wonders what the mark of the believer was that the others were talking about. He later become a believer in Christ and a member of the Young Trib Force after mysteriously escaping the locusts.

Darrion Stahley- Became a Christian after talking with Ryan Daley while they were being held hostage by two mysterious men who wanted a ransom from Darrion's father. Her father is killed by the captors, and Darrion and her mother are taken in by the Young Trib Force. The Young Trib Force used her family's cabin in Wisconsin as a hideout from the GC before it was burned down.

Tanya Spivey - Daughter of Mountain Militia leader, Cyrus Spivey. She was led to Christianity by Vicki. She has a brother, Ty.

Chaya Stein- Mr. Stein's daughter, who is the first in their family to become a believer, because of this her parents "disown" her, and tell everyone she died. She leads her mother to Jesus right before she dies, and helped Vicki escape her parents house when they take her in as a foster child. Chaya is killed in the Wrath of the Lamb Earthquake while trying to convince her father that Jesus is God. She is also a member of the Young Trib Force.

Adult Tribulation Force and Co-op members

Rayford Steele - Former pilot for the Global Community, and a believer.
Loretta- secretary of Bruce Barns, also a beliver helps the core trib force out from time to time.
Cameron "Buck" Williams- Former writer for Global Weekly, and a believer.
Chloe Steele - Rayford's daughter, Buck's wife and a believer. Head of Commodity Co-Op, which sends food and other provisions to believers around the world.
Bruce Barnes – Pastor, and a believer. He helps the kids come to know Christ.
Tsion Ben-Judah – A Messianic Jew A rabbinical scholar. He is the main target for Carpathia.
Mac McCullum - Pilot for Global Community. Flies plane for Co-Op.
Chaim Rosenzweig – a.k.a. Micah, a prophet of God. He is a famous Israeli scientist. He is also the one who stood up to Carpathia. In Assassains He murders Carpathia by stabbing him through the head.
Hattie Durham - Was once the girlfriend of Carpathia. She stood up to Leon and Carpathia. She is killed by Leon Fortunato when he calls down a ball of fire that vaporizes her.
Ken Ritz- Pilot and friend to Buck Williams. Nicknamed "Dr. Airplane" by Chloe Williams after Buck Williams and Ritz rescued her from a hospital after the earthquake.
Kenny Bruce Williams- Buck and Chloe's baby that was born right after Ken Ritz was killed.
Westin Jakes- Signed up for the Co-op after Judd and Lionel's arrival at South Carolina. Former pilot for the singer Z-Van.
Lionel Whalum- Flies Judd and Lionel Jr. to South Carolina. Takes over Chloe's co-op after her death.

Other Believers

Jim Dekker- GC satellite operator helping the kids.

Josey and Tom Fogarty- A police officer and his wife who helped the kids capture burglars after the Rapture; their children were raptured.

Pete- A biker friend of Vicki and Judd that help them with many of their recon works.

Zeke Jr.- He gave the core trib force fake identities and gave them the schoolhouse to live in. He often helps them by bringing them food and other supplies.

Cheryl Tiffane- A pregnant young woman from Iowa. She gives her child to Josey and Tom.

Colin and Becky Dial- A Wisconsin couple with an underground hideout. Colin disguised himself as a Supreme Commander of the GC to break the believers out of jail.

Bo and Ginny Shariton, Maggie Carlson- Escapees from GC jail.

Mr. Mitchell Stein- A Jewish friend of Young Trib Force and one of the 144,000 witnesses.

Naomi Tiberius- Works with computers in Petra.

Marshall Jameson- Leader of the Avery, Wisconsin believers.

Lenore - A woman the young trib force takes in. She becomes a believer right as the fifth judgment, locusts that will sting any non-believer, are unleashed. When Vicki, Shelly and Conrad leave, she takes care of everyone at the schoolhouse.

Pavel Rudja- Judd's friend from New Babylon. They meet on Tsion Ben-Judah's web site, and he helps Judd and Lionel while they are in Israel. He dies from the condition that put him in a wheelchair while Judd, Lionel, Sam, and Nada visit him in New Babylon.

Ty Spivey- son of Mountain Militia leader Cyrus Spivey and brother to Young Trib Force member Tanya Spivey

Manny Augilara- escapee from GC jail, is shot and beaten to death by former gang members.

Chad Harrison- A fellow believer who secretly gets a GC Peacekeeper uniform from Z. He tried to get Judd for Vicki but is executed by the guillotine before he finds Judd.

Global Community and Unbelievers

Nicolae Carpathia- Antichrist (also known as the Beast), Romanian, and head of Global Community. He brainwashes non-believers. After he is killed and comes back to life through Satanic possession he claims he is God. He is thrown into the Lake of Fire at the end of the series.
Leon Fortunato- The False Prophet, assistant to Carpathia, Supreme Commander of the Global Community, and the Reverend Father of Carpathianism. Claimed that Carpathia raised him from the dead in book 13. He is thrown into the Lake of Fire with Carpathia.
Marjorie Amhearst- A loyal Global Community Peacekeeper.
Dr. Neal Damosa- Has the power of brainwashing, and is head of Global Community schools.
Z-Van- Lead singer for the popular group The Four Horseman. Judd saves him from death. He is one of Carpathia's false messiahs.
Viv Ivins- Thought to be Carpathia’s closest living relative, but is actually not related to him.
Suhail Akbar- Head of GC Security and Intelligence. He is killed by order of Carpathia shortly before Jesus' return.
Peter Mathews- He is Head of Enigma Babylon One World Faith, a collection of most of the religions in the world except Christianity and Judaism. He is killed by order of Carpathia.
Commander Fulcire- A loyal Global Community commander who causes great death and pain to non-believers. Is feared by many.
Taylor Graham- Brother of Conrad. He was against the GC, got killed with his girlfriend, Hasina, by the GC.
Cyrus Spivey- Mountain Militia leader. He had taught the Mountain Militia that only good works could get you into heaven. He was caught by the Global Community and was executed.

Other info

These books were written from 1998 to 2004 and are still in print today with over 11,000,000 sold in series. Unlike the adult series, Left Behind, they have no prequels or sequels, but are a set of 40 books focused on the Tribulation. The series was originally due to have 48 books but was cut to 40 as the huge 2 year jump in Ominous Choices cut out a lot of possible material. The Left Behind: The Kids series was originally written for teen and young adult readers. However, the audience has grown to include adults, too. Many adults read The Kids series between the release of new books in the Left Behind series. Most of the audience bought the books for the Judd and Vicki relationship storyline and many were outraged when Judd and Nada became a couple. However, the faithful readers continued and to their relief Judd and Vicki were back together, keeping the interest of the readers. The Kids series has also, like the adults, a dramatic audio series released which was aired and adapted for Christian radio. These are now available as audiobooks and are also available on iTunes.

External links

Left Behind - The Kids Web page on LeftBehind.com