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Half Brother
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Half Brother
by Kenneth OppelFrom a Printz Honor-winning author, an absorbing novel about a teen boy whose parents take in a chimpanzee.
All happy families are alike. Ben Tomlin's unhappy family is unhappy in a very different way.
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 chimps 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.
Contributors:Kenneth Oppel is the bestselling author of Skybreaker and Airborn, a Printz Honor Book. He lives in Toronto with his family and can be found online at www.kennethoppel.ca.
$6.99 You save: 30%
books;paperback books;paperbacks | Ages 12 and Up
Ages 12 and Up $6.99
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Half Brother (EBK)
The Scholastic Store 
Half Brother (EBK)
by Kenneth OppelFrom a Printz Honor-winning author comes a touching and thought-provoking novel about the bonds of friendship between a teenager and a chimpanzee.
Ben, an only child, is not happy when his parents drag him across the country to a new school just so his father, a renowned behavioral scientist, can pursue his newest research project; a study on whether chimpanzees can acquire advanced language skills. Slowly, Ben begins to adapt to his new surroundings, and he forms a bond with Zan, the chimpanzee that lives with Ben's family. As Ben's relationship with Zan deepens, he is left with questions about love and family loyalty. Is Zan a chimp, an experiment, or a brother?
This title contains some mature language and content and may not be appropriate for every student.
$7.49 You save: 58%
books;ebooks;ebooks | Ages 12 and Up
Ages 12 and Up $7.49
Interest Level:
7-10
Lexile Framework:
680L
Grade Level Equivalent:
5
Guided Reading Level:
Z
Age:
12-15
Genre:
Historical Fiction
Subject:
Family Life, Conflict Resolution, Adolescent Issues
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. To him, Zan is only a specimen, no more, no less. And this is going to have consequences. 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.
Praise for Half Brother
"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." — School Library Journal
