4Real Forums: Award winning book??

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Courtney
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 2:45pm \| IP Logged

My dd (aged 10) wanted to read a book recommended by her friend (p.s. schooled neighbor who really is a good kid). The book is a Bluebonnet award winner. Our local district really pushes the bluebonnet award books. There have been some good ones, but this one really puzzled me. I let her read it although I should've read it first. It's called Double Identity. It's about a 13 yr old girl who after having been sheltered by her parents, is suddenly taken (by her parents) to go live with an aunt. The girl later finds out that she had a sister that died when she was 13 or so. The big mystery of the book (it's classified as a fantasy) is that the main character is actually a clone of the first daughter!! Apparently her parents loved their daughter so much, they had her cloned after she died.

I was surprised that this would be considered award winning literature. My dd thought it was strange and didn't like it (although she finished it). I've learned my lesson to thoroughly check out what she reads. We had a good discussion about what we as Catholics believe about the whole cloning thing and how wrong it is and the gift of life as created by God. I guess what amazes me most about this is that our local school district which is considered cream of the crop is encouraging these books among 5th and 6th graders.

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Courtney in Texas
Wife to Mike since 3/94

Mom to Candace 10/97

,Christopher 4/00

and Connor 11/11

margot helene
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 5:18pm \| IP Logged

Hi Courtney,
I've not read, nor even heard, of this book, but I read another award winning book that had cloning as a major story line and it was VERY thought-provoking. I wouldn't recommend it to young kids, but junior high and up. I had my ds 14 read it, and we had some great conversations about cloning, what it is, why it is wrong. The story actually showed that it was wrong, showed what would happen if it were allowed.

Perhaps your title was recommended because it had a strong emotional tie-in to the age group. I recently read the latest Newbury award winner (The Higher Power of Lucky) and thought oh brother - every single person here is dysfunctional in one way or another. It starts with a drunk at an AA meeting telling a story in which he mentions a dog's scrotum. My daughter (the age group intended) started it, and put it down. (Dd didn't know what a scrotum was, just like the protagonist, but she knew enough to not want to read such a story.) However, at the end, love wins and hope reigns, despite dysfunction, and that is why it was an award winner.(emotional tie-in to all of today's dysfunctions)

Not too helpful, (sorry if it seemed to be a rant)but you said it: the best bet is to preread yourself.

Margot

CKwasniewski
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 5:41pm \| IP Logged

I think you can't really trust awards anymore, sadly enough....

lapazfarm
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 9:30pm \| IP Logged

I have not read the book you are talking about, but perhaps the one Margot is talking about (was it House of the Scorpion, Margot? That's a fantastic book!). It also has a clone as a main character, but the message is very strongly anti-cloning. My ds will be reading it as soon as he finishes his current read (Life of Pi)and I expect some great discussions to come from it!
So, I guess my questions would be: How is cloning treated in this story? Is it given a positive treatment or negative one? Or neutral?

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Theresa
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Courtney
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Posted: May 14 2008 at 5:47am \| IP Logged

I finally sat down and read the whole book last night. I do think the book might be ok for an older child. It does get the point across that cloning is not a good thing. I guess I was just surprised at the age the book is written for. I think 5th-8th grade is a wide range in terms of maturity. I think alot of what was in the book probably went over my dd's head. The book is almost a mystery or thriller, so I can see how it would hook the reader. I will definitely pre-read future books! Thanks for helping me to see this in a different light.

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Courtney in Texas
Wife to Mike since 3/94

Mom to Candace 10/97

,Christopher 4/00

and Connor 11/11

lapazfarm
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Posted: May 14 2008 at 2:40pm \| IP Logged

Courtney wrote:

I think 5th-8th grade is a wide range in terms of maturity.

Agreed! That is a HUGE range, maturity-wise!

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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning

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