Free Kindle The House Of The Scorpion ebooks Download
Matteo Alacrán was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium -- a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster -- except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself. As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patrón's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect.
Lexile Measure: 0660 (What's this?)
Audio CD: 9 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio; Unabridged edition (October 21, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0743572467
ISBN-13: 978-0743572460
Product Dimensions: 5 x 1.2 x 5.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (654 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,124,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #364 in Books > Books on CD > Children's Fiction > Fantasy #612 in Books > Books on CD > Children's Fiction > General #12843 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works
Age Range: 11 - 15 years
Grade Level: 6 - 10
This is YA fiction at its best: an epic story about life-changing events and human strength, appropriate for middle schoolers but totally readable for any teen or adult reader, and a book that can be enjoyed by male or female readers. The protagonist, Matteo, is male, but the story is universal and not to be missed by any literature fan. This is one of those books that can change a middle schooler from a non-reader to a reader.The story unfolds gradually, as we learn about Matt and his life as a clone, a second-class citizen, growing up in the sprawling mansion of rich and powerful feudal drug lord El Patron, the man from whose DNA Matt was cloned. Matt is unsure of his place in the world, and he needs to learn about the inner workings of the household and its members, the robot-like people who farm opium, the politics of the land El Patron rules between the US and Mexico, as well as Matt's own purpose in life (why did El Patron make a clone? Is Matt his ultimate heir or is there a darker purpose?). The reader is along for Matt's journey of self-discovery, as he figures out who to trust and where the real truth lies. Along the way, Matt finds love as well as boyhood friendship and bonding.There's an important lesson in here about the fate of those who grow up inside cults: When Matt figures out what is right and wrong in the world, will he be able to make the right choice and reject the powerful but evil man who brought him into this world? What if your hero is a kind man to you, but reviled by the rest of the world?Another interesting aspect of the story is the way the future echoes the past.
The House of the Scorpion, written by Newberry Honor book author, Nancy Farmer, has earned the National Book Award and is a Junior Library Guild Selection. An excellent example of literary merit, this novel draws you into its unique settings and expansive characters. You truly feel as if you are lost in the Poppy Fields in the midday heat on El Patron's estate or coughing and itching along with Matt as he endures months of captivity in a room filled with chicken litter and roaches. Farmer's characters are so believable you find yourself feeling compassion for a clone, and anger at those who treat him as anything less than human. Farmer cleverly uses figurative language and understatements to slowly build your curiosity and the suspense. You struggle along with Matt as he attempts to understand his purpose and what those who love him are trying desperately to convey to him."So many hints! So many clues! Like a pebble that starts an avalanche, Matt's fear shook loose more and more memories. Why had Tam Lin given him a chest full of supplies and maps? Why had Maria run from him when they found MacGregor's clone in the hospital? Because she knew! They all knew!"The characters never are able to tell Matt directly what he so desperately wants to know. "They're looking for you everywhere.....They've sent bodyguards to comb the stables and fields..... `Why are they looking for me?' (Matt desperately wants to know.) `You have to know. Tam Lin said you were too clever not to figure it out.' Matt felt turned to stone. The bodyguard evidently gave him more credit than he deserved. Matt hadn't figured it out- not really-until a few minutes ago." Although this book has a science fictional flair to it, it appeals to a wider range of readers including those who enjoy suspense and mysteries.
The House of the Scorpion Tiny Houses: Tiny House Plans, Woodworking on a Tiny House and Living Mortgage Free (Tiny Houses, Tiny House Living, Tiny House Plans, Small Homes, Woodworking Book 1) Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, & Scorpion Bombs Tarantula vs. Scorpion (Who Would Win?) Scorpion Mountain (The Brotherband Chronicles) Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs: Biological & Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World Scorpion Mountain (Brotherband Chronicles Book 5) The Copernicus Archives #1: Wade and the Scorpion's Claw My Little House Crafts Book: 18 Projects from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Stories (Little House Nonfiction) Magic Tricks from the Tree House: A Fun Companion to Magic Tree House #50: Hurry Up, Houdini! (Magic Tree House (R)) Tiny Houses: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide! : 20 Space Hacks for Living Big in Your Tiny House (Tiny Homes, Small Home, Tiny House Plans, Tiny House Living) Tiny Houses: Everything You Need to Know before Buying a Tiny House (Tiny Houses, Tiny House Living, Tiny Homes, Tiny House) Tiny Houses: Constructing A Tiny House On A Budget And Living Mortgage Free (REVISED & UPDATED) (Tiny Houses,Tiny House Living,Tiny House, Small Home) Little House 5-Book Collection: Little House in the Big Woods, Farmer Boy, Little House on the Prairie, On the Banks of Plum Creek, By the Shores of Silver Lake The House by the Lake: One House, Five Families, and a Hundred Years of German History Lincoln's White House: The People's House in Wartime Red House: Being a Mostly Accurate Account of New England's Oldest Continuously Lived-in House House Beautiful The Home Book: Creating a Beautiful Home of Your Own (House Beautiful Series) Mies van der Rohe: Farnsworth House-Weekend House (Mies Van Der Rohe Archive) Art Deco House Style: An Architectural and Interior Design Source Book (House style series)
