Half Brother
Welcome to Scholastic Booktalks where we recommend brand new Scholastic books that we think you will love. Today's booktalk is: Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel.
It's not easy welcoming a baby brother after living thirteen years as an only child. It's even harder to welcome a baby brother who isn't even human - but a chimpanzee. Ben Tomlin's parents have embarked on a research project to determine whether chimps, one of mankind’s closest animal relatives, can acquire advanced language skills.
The Tomlins move to a new town, and Ben is forced to deal with starting a new school and meeting new classmates on top of treating Zan, the chimp, like a little brother. Ben has never been a good student, but with Zan, Ben is finally beginning to be good at something. As Zan learns American Sign Language, he and Ben become closer and closer.
Unfortunately the rest of his family doesn't share the emotional connection to Zan. Ben's father sees Zan as nothing more than an experiment. Families are complicated, even without wild animals in them. Ben is learning that you can't always do right by the people - and animals - you love.
What would YOU do if your parents brought home a chimpanzee brother for you? Let us know in the Comments.
— Emily, Scholastic Booktalker
I wud screem and since that i wud feel bad 4 myself, i wud treet myself 2 ice kreem.
Comment #1 | Posted by: weirdogal on October 05, 2010 at 06:17 PM
I already have a monkey brother but I would like to get one less crazy because monkeys are my fav animales.
Comment #2 | Posted by: kaylie on October 06, 2010 at 12:07 AM
I woud scream and run away. I already have a little 3-year-old brother and a 14-year-old and 17-year-old older sisters. And I'm onlY 9-YEAR-OLD. TOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment #3 | Posted by: 1LunaLovegood1 on October 06, 2010 at 07:28 PM
hi are u doing
Comment #4 | Posted by: smp on October 07, 2010 at 04:26 PM
and that is so truth i love him :)
Comment #5 | Posted by: mj on October 08, 2010 at 02:55 PM
I love jb. His so asome.:)
Comment #6 | Posted by: DH on October 08, 2010 at 04:04 PM
i am love with jb i wish i can win tickes to his coset i try to win bit i never win i wish i can go
Comment #7 | Posted by: bettyboop20 on October 09, 2010 at 06:29 PM
Show my parents an episode of "Fatal Attractions".
Comment #8 | Posted by: boxer4356 on October 10, 2010 at 03:29 PM
I hate this book
Comment #9 | Posted by: Nora on October 20, 2010 at 05:58 PM
I would absolutely freak out!
Comment #10 | Posted by: ShyLightning on October 24, 2010 at 06:00 PM
I think this book is going to be good wear can I get this book...
Comment #11 | Posted by: Erin on November 16, 2010 at 11:14 AM
this book is totaly awesome I read it in like.....................................................................................10,15 minutes ;p
Comment #12 | Posted by: maddie on November 16, 2010 at 11:18 AM
i would freak out i would prob run away. hahahahaahahahaaaa
Comment #13 | Posted by: julygirl338 on December 17, 2010 at 11:04 AM
i think that would be a very funny book but ithink it would be very hard to accept something as strange as that if i was an only child and this one would not be human so i dont know how i fell if i was in his postion.
Comment #14 | Posted by: p on January 05, 2011 at 09:26 AM
I think that is a good story so far about the little brother that is a chimpanzie and the older brother is a human and they proboly aren't very good brothers.
Comment #15 | Posted by: amethystcat55 on February 06, 2012 at 06:03 PM