Half Brother - Softcover

Oppel, Kenneth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0552572128 ISBN 13: 9780552572125

Publisher: Corgi Childrens, 2015

Synopsis

For thirteen years, Ben Tomlin was an only child. But all that changes when his mother brings home Zan ― an eight-day-old chimpanzee. Ben’s father, a renowned behavioral scientist, has uprooted the family to pursue his latest research project: a high-profile experiment to determine whether chimpanzees can acquire advanced language skills. Ben’s parents tell him to treat Zan like a little brother. Ben reluctantly agrees. At least now he’s not the only one his father’s going to scrutinize. It isn’t long before Ben is Zan’s favorite, and Ben starts to see Zan as more than just an experiment. His father disagrees. Soon Ben is forced to make a critical choice between what he is told to believe and what he knows to be true ― between obeying his father or protecting his brother from an unimaginable fate. Half Brother isn’t just a story about a boy and a chimp. It’s about the way families are made, the way humanity is judged, the way easy choices become hard ones, and how you can’t always do right by the people and animals you love. In the hands of master storyteller Kenneth Oppel, it’s a novel you won’t soon forget.

About this title

About the Author:

KENNETH OPPEL’s first novel was published when he was eighteen years old. Since then, he was won extraordinary acclaim for his imaginative works, including the Silverwing trilogy and the Airborn series. The novel Airborn won both a Printz Honor and the Governor General’s Award.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 7-11–Thirteen-year-old Ben Tomlin's whole world is changing. His parents, research scientists, have moved them across Canada to be with their newest subject, Zan. Intending to prove that chimpanzees are capable of intelligent thought and communication, the Tomlins teach the baby chimp sign language and incorporate him into their daily lives. Thrust into a new school and, essentially, a new family, Ben is caught in a whirl of new emotions, especially when the lovely Jennifer comes onto the scene. Though Zan learns sign language relatively well, his animal instincts gradually become more pronounced and Ben and his parents must make some important decisions about the chimp's future. Oppel has taken a fascinating subject and molded it into a top-notch read. Deftly integrating family dynamics, animal-rights issues, and the painful lessons of growing up, Half Brother draws readers in from the beginning and doesn't let go. The carefully crafted characters will be an easy connection for teens and the interpretation of the animal-testing controversies of the 1970s will provide an alternate viewpoint for animal-book lovers. Sara Saxton, Tuzzy Consortium Library, Barrow, AK
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About this edition

• Publisher: Corgi Childrens
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0552572128
• ISBN 13: 9780552572125
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384