Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

The story, especially the romantic plot line, develops very sweetly in spite of some very difficult and ugly events. Mena has a great cast of supporting characters, who help her learn how to speak up, and how to evolve. It examines how new thoughts are not the enemy, although they do bring new challenges. This novel is about navigating the world within your own framework how ideas and actions reflect who you want to be and what you believe in. Mena is an extremely well-written character, whose confusion is balanced by strong beliefs.

And what will she tell her parents?Ĭritical Evaluation: Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature tackles issues of morality, ethics, teenage doubt, and high school crushes, not to mention conflicts between science and religion, in a balanced, thoughtful, and entertaining fashion. Mena, meanwhile, must discover how her beliefs reconcile with science, as she and her crush-inducing lab partner get caught up in the controversy. During the unit on evolution, her old church friends launch a protest. In biology, her brilliant, slightly eccentric teacher pairs her with a brilliant, slightly eccentric guy. Plot Summary: Mena Reece did what she thought was the right thing but ended up being ostracized by her church and all her friends. But when she’s paired with a brilliant, funny lab partner, she has no idea what she’s about to get caught up in. Reader’s Annotation: Mena’s friends all hate her, and her first day of high school couldn’t be worse. Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature is on the 2008 YALSA Best Books for Young Adults list (and also on the YALSA 2008 Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults list). PZ7.B735 – PZ is Fiction and Juvenile Belles lettres, PZ(1)-(4) is Fiction in English.

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande