Left Behind: The Kids

Left Behind: The Kids (stylized as LEFT BEHIND >THE KIDS<) is a series written by Jerry B. Jenkins, Tim LaHaye, and Chris Fabry. The series consists of 40 short novels aimed primarily at the young adult market based on the adult series Left Behind also written by Jerry B. Jenkins. It follows a core group of teenagers as they experience the rapture and tribulation, based on scriptures found in the Bible, and background plots introduced in the adult novels. Like the adult series, the books were published by Tyndale House Publishing, and released over the 7 year period of 1997-2004. The series has sold over 11 million copies worldwide.^[1]

"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 search for help and for answers, they are told the truth behind the disappearances. But are they ready to believe it?"

Books

There are 40 books in total for the series, which have also been released in some territories as collected volumes, mirroring the number of books in the adult series. The collected volumes have each background plots from their adult series counterparts. Also, LaHaye and Jenkins with Chris Fabry in 2000 wrote A Kids Guide to Understanding the End Times, which helps readers of the series to understand the end times events, similar to Are we Living in the End Times? by the original authors. Unlike the original Left Behind series, there are no prequel or sequel novels written by the authors.

Description of Series

The Vanishings

Judd Thompson's family are strong Christians. Judd isn't and, running away, steals money from his Dad's bank account. He boards a plane to London. He wakes up to find people missing.

Vicki Byrne runs with a rough crowd. She lives in a trailer park. Her parents change their ways of smoking and drinking to following God one night. She rejects this idea. She wakes up to find her parents and sister missing one morning.

Lionel Washington's family are strong Christians and believe he is too. But he and his Uncle Andre reveal to each other they aren't. Andre is a drug addict but pretends he stops when he 'becomes a Christian'. One morning Lionel finds his family missing and Andre freaks out and abandons him.

Ryan Daley isn't a Christian, but before his best friend can take him to church he and his family disappears. Ryan's dad is being picked up by his mum but, on the news, Ryan discovers his dad died in a plane crash and a police officer informs him his mum died in a car crash because of the vanishings.

All 4 kids end up at New Hope Village Church where they meet Bruce Barnes, who thought he was saved by his good works but realised that trusting in Jesus is what counts. He leads Judd, Vicki and Lionel to God. Ryan is still unsure.

Characters

Original members of The Young Tribulation Force

• Judd Thompson Jr.-Age at time of the rapture: 16 First Appearance: Book #1

Judd was born into a Christian family, and was once fairly devout but never made the commitment to Christ. He received a letter by mistake containing a credit card that was supposed to be for his dad. He called the credit card company and confirmed it himself. On the night of the Rapture, he took the 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 London, England. When some of the people on board the plane disappeared, leaving only their clothes, Judd realized that what he heard all the time in church was true — Jesus had come back and he had been left behind. He met Bruce Barnes, the visitation pastor, and the only member of the staff left behind. He also met Vicki Byrne, Lionel Washington, and Ryan Daley. The four kids form the Young Tribulation Force. He allowed Vicki, Ryan, and Lionel to stay at his house until they were forced to flee because of the Global Community. Bruce and Judd go on a few international trips, the last of these was taken shortly before Bruce's death. Following the earthquake and Ryan's death the Young Trib force live in a cave until they can escape to a safer hideout. Zeke then gives them a new ID. He resists going to the schoolhouse, as he and Vicki have a massive falling out. He eventually goes in order to warn the kids about Wormwood. Due to their disagreements Vicki lets him and Lionel go to the Gala in Israel. The trip was meant to last a week but actually lasted around three years. He fell in love with an Israeli girl named Nada, however she was shot. Before she died, she wrote him a letter saying how she felt like there was somebody back home that he loved. He realized she meant Vicki. He proposed to Vicki after his return, and they marry about a year before the Glorious Appearing, where he and Vicki are both in Jerusalem.

• Victoria Byrne Thompson-Age at time of the rapture: 14 First Appearance: Book #1

Vicki grew up in a trailer park, and hated it because people regularly made fun of her and the others who lived in Prospect Gardens, calling them names such as "Trailer Trash". Her parents smoked, drank, and fought constantly. Every Friday, Vicki would usually have to baby-sit her sister Jeanni, however, occasionally she would ditch her and run off to smoke, drink or do dope with her friends. When Vicki was twelve, a man asked to speak at the dance. Everyone was first irritated, and then quiet as he told all present 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 and her sister all accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, along with her brother Eddie in Michigan, while a defiant Vicki refused. Following her parents' conversion, Vicki became even more rebellious and continued to refuse to convert. One night she came back from partying to find the house quiet and was under the impression that they had fallen asleep waiting for her. When she woke up the next morning, all her family were gone because they had been raptured. Though her best friend Shelley wondered what happened, Vicki knew the truth — Christ had come back for His own. She then accepted Christ upon meeting Bruce Barnes, Judd Thompson, Lionel Washington, and Ryan Daley. She spent the next seven years proselytizing, which included interrupting a concert by Z-Van (lead singer of the Four Horsemen and one of Nicolae Carpathia's false messiahs) and speaking to the crowd of thousands. She fell in love with Judd early in the series and the two were married around a year before the Glorious Appearing, shortly following Vicki's twentieth birthday.

• Lionel Washington-Age at time of the rapture: 13 First Appearance: Book #1

His whole family were the most devout Christians he knew, and he pretended to go along with them. The only one he could connect with was his Uncle André, who would turn into a drunk and a gambler one week and a "devout Christian" the next. All of his family disappeared in the Rapture except André, who died after being shot by LeRoy Banks and being caught up in a fire in his apartment complex. Lionel became a Christian and acknowledged that Jesus had raptured his church. He spent the next seven years proselytizing, spending most of his time with Judd and Bruce Barnes. He had to amputate his left arm after it was crushed in a rock slide while he and Judd were traveling back to the rest of the Young Tribulation Force from their adventures in the Middle East, but gained it back when Jesus returned at the end of the series. He came to stay in Petra after the marriage of Judd and Vicki where he was best man. At the end of the series he went to Jerusalem with the other believers.

• Ryan Daley- Age at time of the rapture: 12 First Appearance: Book #1

His mother and father, unbelievers, died because of the events after the rapture. He was the last one out of the four to become a believer. He was best friends with Rayford "Raymie" Steele Jr., Rayford Steele's son, and the two often had much fun together. Ryan finds a dog and names it Phoenix early on in the series. He and Lionel often clashed to the point of a brawl, yet they were still very close. In the book "On the Run", Ryan accompanies Judd to Israel where Ryan saves Judd's life after Judd is captured by the GC for having a tape containing the truth about the murders of Tsion Ben-Judah's family. Ryan died a couple days after the Wrath of the Lamb earthquake, having had a chunk of debris fall on him, causing his legs to become paralyzed and a wound in his back to become badly infected, from which he died soon afterward.

Other members

• Shelly Brown - First Appearance: Book #1 Vicki's best friend who lived in the same trailer park with her. She was babysitting during the Rapture and the two children vanished as she was holding them. This frightened Shelly, and she was reclusive for a long time until Vicki helped her become a believer after she tried to commit suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. Shelly was a believer in Christ and one of the first non-original members of the Young Tribulation Force. She later fell deeply in love with Conrad. They postpone marriage until the Glorious Appearing.
• Mark Eisman- First Appearance: Book #5 An incoming senior at the time of the Rapture who met Judd and Vicki at Nicolae High. After graduation he joined the militia in the uprising against Carpathia (led by former United States President Gerald Fitzhugh), but after World War III, Mark permanently joined the Young Trib Force. He was also one of the first non-original members and was influential in the making of The Underground. He was decapitated about a half a year before the Glorious Appearing for refusing the mark of the beast. He also fell in love with Vicki but knew she was in love with Judd.
• John Preston- First Appearance: Book #5 Mark's cousin who also met Judd and Vicki at Nicolae High. After graduation, he attended engineering college until he was forced by the GC to work for them. He worked on the GC ship Peacekeeper 1 until the second bowl judgment wiped out most of the crew. By staying behind, he enabled crewmember Carl Meninger to escape instead.
• Conrad Graham- First Appearance: Book #11 A Global Community Morale Monitor until he met Lionel. Lionel convinced him that Jesus was God, and Conrad became a believer in Christ and member of the Young Tribulation Force. He fell in love with Shelly. He survived the Tribulation and was with Shelly at the Glorious Appearing.
• Janie McCanyon- First Appearance: Book #7 Janie was skeptical in the beginning and was placed in North Side Detention Center where she met Vicki. Janie was later adopted by Bruce Barnes, but she was sent back to the detention center. She met the group later in their hideout at the schoolhouse in Illinois and kept on traveling with them, though she spent the whole time complaining about it all. Though she still supported Carpathia, she at last became a believer after hearing Vicki talking with a Global Community Morale Monitor, Marjorie Amhearst. Janie became a believer and a member of the Young Tribulation Force, and was one of the many Young Tribulation Force members to make it to the Glorious Appearing.
• Melinda Bentley- First Appearance: Book #13 Former Global Community supporter and a very strict Morale Monitor. She was taken in by the Young Tribulation Force at the schoolhouse when her partner Felicia died from Wormwood-contaminated water. She was stung by the locusts and was unsure of becoming a believer, but finally made the decision to do so. She was alive at the Glorious Appearing.
• Carl Meninger- First Appearance: Book #16 Worked for the Global Community. He was on Peacekeeper 1 with John Preston. John gave his life for Carl when he gave Carl his place on the escape submarine. At that point, Carl wasn't a believer. 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 Tribulation Force. Carl also helped the kids show thousands around the world see the truth through Vicki's broadcast at Z-Van's concert. He was alive at the Glorious Appearing.
• "Natalie" Bishop- First Appearance: Book #24 A Global Community Morale Monitor and believer in Christ. She met Vicki at a presentation of Global Community schools and help her escape the GC. From then on until Book 29, she was the Young Tribulation Force's link inside the GC. She helped many members of the Young Trib Force, as well as Co-ops, escape from GC clutches. She was caught and was executed by the guillotine for refusing to take the Mark of the Beast.
• Samuel "Sam" Goldberg- First Appearance: Book #8 Friend of Judd and Lionel in Israel and a believer in Christ. Sam's father worked for the Global Community, and attempted to use Sam as bait to catch Lionel and Judd several times before Sam left Israel with them. Sam also fell in love with a much older girl in Petra named Naomi, but she did not feel the same way for him. He was one of the Many Young Tribulation Force members to make it to the Glorious Appearing of Christ.
• Nada Amir- First Appearance: Book #18 Also a friend of Judd and Lionel in Israel. Judd and Lionel stayed at her house for much of their stay in Israel. She was shot and killed while trying to save Mr. Stein from a GC guard. She is Judd's girlfriend at one point.
• Chang Wong- First Appearance: Book #28 A Chinese American teenage boy who met Judd and Lionel by asking for help on the Underground website. His father was pressuring him to work for the GC, but he felt he could not because he was a Christian. His father knocked him out with a drug and had the Mark of the Beast put on him, but he did not choose it, so in the end it was prayed off of him by the elders in Petra. This was an event that puzzled many. Believers could still see the mark of the true believer on him while Carpathia's mark was on him as well. He fell in love with Naomi Tiberias but they decided to postpone marriage until the Glorious Appearing.
• Charlie Atkins- First Appearance: Book #13 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's body. He met the other members of the Young Tribulation Force and wondered about the mark of the believer they were talking about. He became a believer in Christ and a member of the Young Tribulation Force after mysteriously escaping the demon locusts. Charlie made it to the Glorious Appearing.
• Darrion Stahley- First Appearance: Book #9 Became a Christian after talking with Ryan while they were being held hostage by two men who wanted a ransom from Darrion's father. Her father was killed by the captors, but Darrion made it out alive and was taken in by the Young Tribulation Force along with her mother. They used her family's cabin in Wisconsin as a hideout from the GC before it was burned down. Darrion made it to the Glorious Appearing.
• Tanya Spivey -First Appearance: Book #32 Daughter of Mountain Militia leader, Cyrus Spivey. While being held by the Mountain Militia leader, Vicki convinced Tanya, her brother Ty, and a few others in the group that Jesus, rather than the good works that Cyrus urged them to do, would allow a person entrance into heaven. Tanya became a Christian, and made it to the Glorious Appearing.
• Chaya Stein- First Appearance: Book #7 Mr. Stein's Jewish American daughter, who was the first in their family to become a believer. Because of this her parents disowned her and told everyone that she died. She led her mother to Jesus right before she died, and helped Vicki escape her parents' house when they took her in as a foster child. Chaya is killed in the Wrath of the Lamb Earthquake while trying to convert her father. She was also a member of the Young Tribulation Force. Chaya was also Vicki's best friend.

Adult Tribulation Force and Co-op members

• Rayford Steele - Former pilot for the Global Community and a believer.
• Loretta- The secretary of Bruce Barnes, also a believer. Helps the core trib force out from time to time. Dies in the Wrath of the Lamb Earthquake.
• Cameron "Buck" Williams- Former writer for Global Weekly, and a believer who is killed in the last battle, (Armageddon).
• 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. Is caught by the GC and is executed by the guillotine.
• Bruce Barnes – Pastor and a believer. He helps the kids come to know Christ. Dies in WWIII.
• Tsion Ben-Judah – A Messianic Jew. A rabbinical scholar. He is the main target for Carpathia. He dies defending Jerusalem just over a day before the Glorious Appearing.
• 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 Assassins He murders Carpathia by stabbing him through the head.
• Hattie Durham - Was once the fiancee of Nicolae Carpathia and pregnant with his child. He tried to poison her but only succeeded in killing the fetus. She becomes a believer afterward in The Mark. 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 and Bruce Barnes were 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 Washington to South Carolina. Takes over Chloe's co-op after her death.

Other Believers

• James "Jim" Dekker- First Appearance: Book #28 GC satellite operator helping the kids.
• Josey and Tom Fogarty- First Appearance: Book #3 A police officer and his wife who helped the kids capture burglars after the Rapture; their children were raptured.
• Coach Handlesman- First Appearance: Book #5 An employee at Nicolae High that acts as if he works against the kids but actually is trying to help them. He took the blame for Vicki and the Underground
• Maxwell and Louise Stahley- First Appearance: Book #9 - Parents of Darrion Stahley, Judd and Vicki find Max and Louise while Ryan is kidnapped along with Darrion. Max works for the Security Services and after finding some sensitive information out about Carpathia the GC want him dead. Following the intense rescue of Darrion and Ryan from their kidnappers, Maxwell Stahley is shot, however, he becomes a believer in Christ as he is dying. Louise becomes a believer herself following her husband's death. Louise also gives the Young Trib Force the use of any of the Stahley's resources including their plane and pilot, Taylor Graham. Louise dies following the Wrath of the Lamb earthquake.
• Pete Davison- First Appearance: Book #12 A biker friend of Vicki and Judd that help them with many of their recon works. Pete is killed when he refuses to take The Mark Of The Beast.
• Zeke Jr.- First Appearance: Book #16 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. He was present when Judd proposed to Vicki.
• Cheryl Tiffane- First Appearance: Book #29 A pregnant young woman from Iowa. She gives her child to Josey and Tom.
• Colin and Rebecca "Becky" Dial- First Appearance: Book #27 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- First Appearance: Book #25 Helped the kids hide from the GC. They were closest to Charlie and treat him like a son.
• Margaret "Maggie" Carlson- First Appearance: Book #27 Helped Vicki and Darion escape the GC.
• Mr. Mitchell Stein- First Appearance: Book #7 A Jewish friend of Young Trib Force and one of the 144,000 witnesses. Father of Chaya Stein.
• Naomi Tibirus- First Appearance: Book #33 Works with computers in Petra. Falls in love with Chang Wong but they decide to postpone marriage until after the Glorious Appearing.
• Marshall Jameson- First Appearance: Book #35 Leader of the Avery, Wisconsin believers.
• Lenore Barker - First Appearance: Book #19 A woman the young trib force takes in. Has a young son named Tolan. She becomes a believer during the locust judgement. When Vicki, Shelly and Conrad leave, she takes care of everyone at the schoolhouse.
• Pavel Rudja- First Appearance: Book #11 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- First Appearance: Book #32 son of Mountain Militia leader Cyrus Spivey and brother to Young Trib Force member Tanya Spivey
• Manny Augilara- First Appearance: Book #29 A Mexican American escapee from a GC jail, is shot and beaten to death by former gang members.
• Chad Harris- First Appearance: Book #29 A fellow believer who secretly gets a GC Peacekeeper uniform from Z. He helps hide Vicki and her friends on the way back to Wisconsin. Later, he tried to get Judd to Vicki but is executed by the guillotine before he finds him. He fell in love with Vicki, but then he realized that she was in love with Judd.
• Thomas "Tom" and Luke Gowin- First Appearance: Book #20 Two brothers who saved Judd and Lionel's life while in South Carolina. The two die trying to kill members of the GC.
• Jacques Madeleine- First Appearance: Book #33 A French man who sheltered Westin Jakes, Judd, and Lionel after they help Westin escape from an execution onstage orchestrated by Z-Van. His son, Perryn, dies instead of Westin.
• Jamal and Lina Amir- First Appearance: Book #18 A couple in Jerusalem who accommodate Judd and Lionel during their stay in Israel. Parents of Nada and Kaisim.
• Mr. Wong- Chang Wong's father. Forces Chang to take the Mark by knocking him out with a drug. Becomes a believer and is executed at the guillotine.
• Andre Dupree- Lionel Washington's uncle. He is killed by a gangster, LeRoy Banks. While he seemingly dies without Christ early on, he reveals he was in fact a Christian right before he died at the Glorious Appearing.

Global Community

• 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 midway through the series he claims he is God. He is thrown into the Lake of Fire in the final book.
• Leon Fortunato- The False Prophet, assistant to Carpathia, Supreme Commander of the Global Community, and the Reverend Father of Carpathianism. He claimed that Carpathia raised him from the dead in book 13. He is thrown into the Lake of Fire with Carpathia in the final book.
• Marjorie Amherst- Initially a student at Nicolae High School and was the valedictorian at Judd Thompson's graduation. She later makes a reappearance in her new role as a Global Community Peacekeeper. She was working at one of the satellite schools when the Horsemen Judgements struck. During the chaos, Mark Eisman unknowingly stole a satellite truck with Marjorie was in the back and took her back to the schoolhouse. She listened to the truth and after discovering that Vicki was wanted by the Global Community, faked becoming a believer. Once back in the Global Community, Marjorie gave the all the information she knew about the group, which aided the GC in the discovery and eventual destruction of the school house hideout.
• Dr. Neal Damosa- Has the power of brainwashing, and is head of Global Community schools.
• Suhail Akbar- Head of GC Security and Intelligence. He is killed by order of Carpathia shortly before Jesus' return.
• Peter Mathews- 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 Global Community commander. Is feared by many.
• Commander Blancka- a Global Community commander responsible for the Morale Monitor program. Killed by Carpathia after failing a mission.
• Claudia Zander- Morale Monitor and Natalie Bishop's roommate.
• Lee & Brooke McCarty- Undercover GC spies who tried to trick Judd and Lionel when they were staying in South Carolina near the end of the series.

Other Unbelievers

• Taylor Graham- Brother of Conrad Graham. He was against the GC, and was killed by them along with his girlfriend Hasina.
• Cyrus Spivey- Mountain Militia leader. He had taught that only good works could get you into heaven, contrary to what the Bible says. He was caught and executed by the Global Community.
• Z-Van- Lead singer for the popular group The Four Horseman. Judd saves him from death. One of Carpathia's false messiahs.
• Mr. Goldberg- Sam Goldberg's father. Tried to use Sam to lure Judd and Lionel into the GC. Killed by the Horsemen of Terror.
• Mrs. Laverne Jenness- Principal of Nicolae Carpathia High School. Believed strongly in the GC. Died in the Wrath of the Lamb Earthquake.

Other information

These books were written from 1998 to 2004 and are still in print today, with over 11 million sold in series. Unlike the adult series, Left Behind, they have no prequels or sequels (and none will be written), 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. The Kids series has, like the adults, a dramatic audio series adapted for and aired on Christian radio. These are now available as audiobooks and are also available on iTunes. It has been announced that a film based on the series, titled Vanished:Left Behind-Next Generation, will be released in February 2016

Left Behind The Kids Live-Action Audio

The series was adapted into a set of audiobooks which are a series of 12 episode volumes covering anywhere between 4 and 9 books each. The audio adaptations were produced by GapDigital/EarFlix.^[2][3] Volume 1 covers books 1-4, volume 2 covers books 5-8, volume 3 covers books 9-12, volume 4 covers books 13-21, volume 5 covers books 22-33 and volume 6 covers books 34-40^{[4][5][6][7][8][9]}

References