So this marks my first post reporting on Young Adult literature. I had to create a reading goal for one of my classes this semester and so I decided to begin reading more books that boys in my class would relate to. I did some research, selected some titles, and am now currently on my journey to discover boy friendly books. After each read I'll be posting on here to share what I thought about the book and how I might use it in the classroom in the future. I am hoping that in doing this I will develop a recipe book of sorts to which I can refer back to for my instruction.
“‘Without me, you would never have seen a beautiful sunset or smelled the rain approaching on the wind, You would never have tasted cool water on a hot summer day. Or heard music or known the wonderful pleasure of creating it. I gave you these things, Mi Vida. You…owe…me.’”- The House of the Scorpion Pg. 235
The first book I read was Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion. The book centers on the life of a boy who is actually the clone of a powerful drug lord. The boy, Matt, struggles throughout the book with what it means for him to be a clone. He is treated like an animal but has the same emotions as humans, causing him to be uncertain about his place in the world. After Matt's creator, El Patron, dies Matt is forced to leave his childhood home and begins an adventure to prove his own significance.
The book is very engaging and brings up interesting ideas about cloning and the value of a human life. Because it is futuristic and has a male protagonist I think that it is a great option for boys as well as girls. I would love to teach as a full class book because of the discussions and ideas that it would bring up in a classroom.
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