Book Review

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Thirteen-year-old Cam wants to be normal. He wants to touch the bottom of the swimming pool at the deep end, to run, to dance, and to play football with his friends, but he can't because his heart doesn't work properly.

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Two years before, Cam had caught a viral infection which affected his heart. Now his heart was weakening and Cam knew he might die. His doctor, Dr Bryce, decides to offer Cam a heart transplant, but it wasn't going to be a normal transplant. He tells Cam and his parents that the operation is Top Secret because he proposes to replace Cam's heart with a pig's heart.

Cam's mum is completely against the operation, but his dad thinks it's the only way Cam's going to survive. Cam's not sure whether he wants to go ahead or not.

He asks Dr Bryce if he can meet the pig who will be providing the replacement heart. Dr Bryce really doesn't want him to but he finally agrees and Cam meets Trudy the pig. Is it right that Trudy should be killed to make him well again?

Cam confides in his best friend, Marlon, about the operation. Unfortunately, Marlon tells his parents who then sell the story to a newspaper so that they can pay off their debts. Cam is really hurt that Marlon betrayed him and doesn't know whether he can be friends with him anymore...

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I wasn't sure whether I was going to enjoy Pig Heart Boy because I tend to like stories with happy endings, but this book quickly gripped me. I really wanted to know whether Cam was going to live or die.

The book also makes you question your own beliefs. Is it right that animals should die to keep humans alive? How come certain people get transplants and other people don't? And how could Marlon's parents not feel guilty about selling Cam's story to a newspaper? There are definitely some sad parts in Pig Heart Boy, but it's also a story about love, hope and new life.

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2012/mar/12/review-pig-heart-boy-malorie-blackman

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Trivia Game

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