I just recommended kenneth oppels new childrens book, half brother, to my 86 year old grandmother. Set in 1973, zans story echoes that of real chimpanzee studies of the era, though oppel the airborn series avoids dry factual recitations, or. Kenneth oppel books list of books by author kenneth oppel. I first encountered his work in the airborn series and loved his voice, imagination, and ability to write pageturning science fiction. Meettheauthor recording with kenneth oppel about half brother. Instead, airships of the day use a fuel called hydrium and resemble hot air balloons more closely than they do airplanes of today. Publication date 2010 topics experiments, chimpanzees, habits and behavior, humananimal communication, history, fiction.
He also lived in newfoundland and labrador, england, and ireland in 1985, oppel wrote his first book colins fantastic video adventure, while at st. Matt cruse is a cabin boy on the aurora, a huge airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean, ferrying wealthy passengers from city to city. He is a slow learner, whose grades arent the highest. Cruse is awfully young to work aboard a luxury airship. It is only after matt meets the balloonists granddaughter that he realizes that the mans ravings may, in fact, have been true, and that the creatures are completely real and utterly mysterious. Its about the way families are made, the way humanity is judged, the way easy choices become hard ones, and how you cant always do right by the people and animals you love. He lives in toronto with his family and can be found online at. Ben is a thirteen year old boy whos perspective is represented throughout the book, half brother.
Airborn by kenneth oppel suggestions and expectations this curriculum unit can be used in a variety of ways. One year later, the aurora is once again taking off from lionsgate cityall of the passengers are on board, the cargo is loaded and tied down, and the ship dumps water ballast to rise into the air matt has just finished up a week of shore leave with his mother and two little sisters. Kenneth oppel is the bestselling author of skybreaker and airborn, a printz honor book. He is willing to risk anything for zan even it means jeopardizing other relationships. Half brother was inspired by very real events from my own world. He now resides in toronto with his wife and children.
We were two nights out of sydney, and there d been no weather to speak of so. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of half brother by kenneth oppel. Each chapter of the novel study focuses on one, two, or three chapters of airborn and is comprised of five of the following different activities. Airborn by kenneth oppel is a story of possibilities. Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the awardwinning aerial adventure that started it all winner of the governor generals award, a michael l. Books author public speaking events resources contact back teacher study guides media bright ideas faqs books author public speaking events resources teacher study guides media. Kenneth oppel airborn for philippa, sophia, and nate contents 1 ships eyes 2 up ship. Oppel was born in port alberni, and spent his childhood in victoria, british columbia and halifax, nova scotia. I picked up half brother yesterday and finished it this morning.
Half brother by kenneth oppel haunting violet by alyxandra harvey dear george. His novel half brother won both the canadian library associations childrens book of the year award as well as its young adult award a first in the two awards history. Love, loyalty, loss, and obsession, all linger at the heart of kenneth oppel s this dark endeavour. This dark endeavour and airborn are my two favourite books, ever books i. Kenneth oppel has 51 books on goodreads with 256624 ratings. When ben tomlins mother brings home his new baby brother, an eightdayold chimpanzee, ben is far from thrilled. There is something particularly poignant in the plight of captive primates. I am often wary of prequels to classic novels, but i have to admit. Half brother isnt just a story about a boy and a chimp.
Sailing toward dawn, and i was perched atop the crow s nest, being the ship s eyes. See all books authored by kenneth oppel, including airborn, and half minute horrors, and more on. Half brother 2010 by canadian young adult novelist kenneth oppel is a historical fiction book that follows an adolescent growing up with a chimpanzee who is part of his fathers scientific research. All aboard for an actionpacked escapade from the internationally bestselling author of airborne and the silverwing trilogy. This reading guide for kenneth oppel s airborne series includes discussion questions for each book in the trilogy. Though i get where the description is coming from half of the story set in an airship with all its cogs, pipes, goggles and engine noise classifying the work as steampunk is a bit of a stretch. The apprenticeship of victor frankenstein, a gripping narrative of the early years of mary shelleys dr. Even if he is only a cabin boy, he aspires to greater responsibility.
Frankenstein, his family, and the passions that ultimately consumed him. His other books include half brother, this dark endeavor, such wicked intent, the boundless, the nest and every hidden thing. Additionally, the world contains fictional animal species such. Kate is very mysterious at first but takes a liking to matt. Kenneth oppel, author of the bestselling silverwing trilogy. I am a big fan of kenneth oppel s airborne series, and i can tell you that this book is about as different from those books and from his silverwing books as anything could be. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. When yearold ben tomlins parents tell him hes going.
This work of fiction portrays what the world might have been like had the aircraft as we know it not been invented. He attended at the same time as actors andrew sabiston and leslie hope, fellow writers john. Kenneth oppel was born in the year 1967, in the mill town of port alberni located on vancouver island, bc. From the printzhonorwinning author of airborn comes an absorbing ya novel about a teen boy whose scientist parents. The novel is set in an alternate history where the airplane has not been invented, and instead, airships are the primary form of air transportation. Net login register for bookmarks and favorites menu. They liked their presents a didgeridoo for isabel because shes musically inclined, a. I knew it must be good when i heard that violet got in trouble at school for reading too much. Kenneth oppels airborn won a printz honor award, and the canadian. Today well look at another canadian writer, kenneth oppel. Her grandfather was saved by matt in the first part of the book. However, despite the fact that opel was born in port alberni, he spent a bigger part of his childhood days in victoria, bc, and halifax, nova scotia. Matt cruse matt is the main character in kenneth oppel s airborn. Born on vancouver island, he has lived in nova scotia, newfoundland, england, ireland, and now lives in toronto with his wife and children.
I just recommended kenneth oppel s new childrens book, half brother, to my 86 yearold grandmother. Discussion guide half brother by kenneth oppel author interview about the book when ben tomlins mother brings home an eightdayold chimpanzee, ben is far from thrilled. This book made me think about so many different things such as the way we communicate and what it means to be human. At home i was envious of her complete absorption in the book, but also excited because i knew i would get to read it next. Kenneth oppels airborn series reading guide teachervision.
Some of his bestknown titles are inkling,the nest, airborn, a 2005 printz honor book, and silverwing. Born on vancouver island, kenneth oppel has lived in nova scotia and newfoundland, as well as england and ireland. Half brother is a bit of a departure for you from your other books, such as airborn and silverwing. Airborn is a 2004 young adult novel by kenneth oppel. This 2005 printz honor title reads just like watching a movie. If you like a lot of action in your reading, youll love airborn, by kenneth oppel. This is not necessarily a belief that kenneth oppel shares in half brother, which perhaps unavoidably has a current of sentimentality flowing through it. Kenneth oppel is one of the most highly regarded authors of middlegrade fiction writing today. Oppel bases his first ya novel on projects in the 1970s which tested the capability of.
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