50 years ago, many diseases such as cancer were an immediate death sentence and people were expected to live to about 65. Today, medical advances have made it possible to survive many cancers and life expectancy has increased to 76.5. Things like cloning, genetic engineering and other biological advances sound like science fiction but are now a reality; however, just because we have these capabilities is it ethical to perform them on humans?
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson delves into these medical advances and the moral issues that come with them. Jenna Fox wakes up from a year long coma with no memories of herself, her body, her parents or her surroundings. Her parents tell her she was in an accident and that given time everything will return to normal. But why are they in California and not in Boston? Why does her grandmother avoid her like the plague? Why can’t she discuss her situation with other people? As she watches home movies of her childhood, Jenna slowly regains some memories. But with those memories, come more questions that Jenna wants answered. What really happened after the accident? Who is Jenna Fox?
Pearson writes a gripping, page-turner that questions science ethics, medical procedures, and the idea of the human soul. Most importantly, Pearson questions how far a person should go to save someone they love? Teens will eat this book up. I would pair this book with Unwind by Neal Shusterman. The Adoration of Jenna Fox has been nominated for a California Young Reader Medal for 2010-2011. For student discussion questions and to view a book trailer, visit http://www.whoisjennafox.com/discussion-guide.html