The Clone Codes by Patricia C. Mckissack, Fredrick McKissack, and John McKissack“I keep running, wishing I could escape my own skin.” p. 62
The Clone Codes gave me chills as soon as I started reading. There is nothing ordinary about it.
Leanna is a thirteen year-old girl whose life is turned upside down when her mother is arrested. She finds herself on the run, at the center of a scientific and political war and she makes unexpected friends along the way. Her travel companions include Benjamin Franklin, Justice John Marshall Harlan and Eleanor Roosevelt.
It is 2170, which means that, much to the delight of readers of all background, there is an array of cool words, an innovative water game, and mind-blowing technological features such as computerized glasses that allow you to stock your memories, virtually attend school and chat for hours with your best friend.
The authors, Newbery Honor winner Patricia C. McKissack, Frederick L. McKissack and their son John McKissack, possibly invented a new genre: historical science-fiction. As oxymoronic as it sounds, the story does invite the young reader to analyze past and contemporary issues such as human trafficking, while reflecting on the future implications of cloning and other forms of biotechnology.
The Clone Codes makes history and science fiction fun for the teen audience. Its topic is contemporary and thought provoking. I highly recommend it.
7 comments:
Is this an "off-color" review, as Ari would say? is the cover just off, or is the protagonist white?
I don't know that the ethnicity of the character was mentioned, which surprised me from McKissack. But it shouldn't have, I suppose. It was good science fiction, and there is very little of that around!
Sounds like a book I'd enjoy; I'll be taking a closer look at this one. Thank you for reviewing it.
this sounds really cool--it was already on my list, but now even more so!
Sounds interesting. Never heard of it before...three authors? How does that work?
Hi everyone,
thank you for weighing in! :)
Evelyn, it was John's first book, and he is originally an engineer. I'm not sure how experienced he was children's writing-wise when he worked on this manuscript. I could be wrong, but I think they all brought a different expertise to the story: scientific, literary and historical?
Just a thought...
Zetta, I forgot to answer your question: the main character, the person on the cover is person of color. The cover shows a young girl with a brown more or less light skin, and her other half covered with a purple shade, as if looking through tainted glasses... :)
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