Half Brother

Forthirteenyears,BenTomlinwasanonlychild.ButallthatchangeswhenhismotherbringshomeZan--aneight-day-oldchimpanzee.Ben'sfather,arenownedbehavioralscientist,hasuprootedthefamilytopursuehislatestresearchproject:ahigh-profileexperimenttodeterminewhetherchimpanzeescanacquireadvancedlanguageskills.Ben'sparentstellhimtotreatZanlikealittlebrother.Benreluctantlyagrees.Atleastnowhe'snottheonlyonehisfather'sgoingtoscrutinize.Itisn'tlongbeforeBenisZan'sfavorite,andBenstartstoseeZanasmorethanjustanexperiment.Hisfatherdisagrees.Tohim,Zanisonlyaspecimen,nomore,noless.Andthisisgoingtohaveconsequences.SoonBenisforcedtomakeacriticalchoicebetweenwhatheistoldtobelieveandwhatheknowstobetrue--betweenobeyinghisfatherorprotectinghisbrotherfromanunimaginablefate.HalfBrotherisn'tjustastoryaboutaboyandachimp.It'saboutthewayfamiliesaremade,thewayhumanityisjudged,thewayeasychoicesbecomehardones,andhowyoucan'talwaysdorightbythepeopleandanimalsyoulove.InthehandsofmasterstorytellerKennethOppel,it'sanovelyouwon'tsoonforget.