The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Pearson, Mary E. (2008). The Adoration of Jenna Fox. New York: Square Fish.

Chapter book: Yes             Genre: Science Fiction

Identity – the fact of being the same person or thing as claimed.   What if you were asleep in a coma after a near death experience and wake up after some time to realize that you have lost your memory and your identity, think you could cope?

In the story The Adoration of Jenna fox that is exactly what happened to Jenna Angeline Fox. The young lady and her two best friends Kara and Locke, decide to do the unthinkable which was to drive her new car without license or permission. Because of that one wrong decision it would cost her and her friends dearly. The teens went to a party and while at the party a fight broke out. Frightened and out of their environment they leave in a hurry. In their haste they speed away. Being inexperienced drivers they hit a curve. When Kara tried to break it was too late over the cliff they went. After some time Jenna wakes up from the coma. Through her new found friend Mr. Bender, she discovers Kara and Locke both died a few days after the crash. But that is only the beginning.

What I found most intriguing about The Adoration of Jenna Fox was that the story took so many different turns from cloning to bionics from bionics to mystery from mystery to true friendship and love. I thought the story was very well written. It takes place between Boston where she was born and California where she was reborn. Although there were no illustrations Mary E. Pearson’s descriptions were so vivid that you could picture every scene from the Cotswold cottage, Mr. Bender’s property the old Catholic Church, the school, and Allys parents’ property.

In addition, The Adoration of Jenna Fox reminds me of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. Jenna has discovered that she is not all human anymore and is confronting her mother and father. I stare at them both. Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, it does. " I have a life expectancy between two and two hundred years. What's next? I back toward the door. How could you do this to me?" " We did what any parent would do. We saved you." "Save what? I'm a freak! You saved an uploaded artificial freak!" p.128 Likewise, Victor Frankenstein is confronted by his creation. "I expected this reception," said the daemon. "all men hate the wretched; Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature. You propose to kill me. Do your duty towards me, and I will do mind towards you and the rest of mankind." p. 65 The monster goes on to make Victor an offer he should not have refused.

Moreover, The Adoration of Jenna Fox causes one to wonder, how well do we really know each other? Could someone actually live for two hundred years? Have you ever gone to a museum and look at someone in a picture dated maybe one hundred years old, then to walk downtown and see someone who looks just like the person in the picture who was one hundred years old? Could that even be possible? It is definitely something to consider.

This book is very thought provoking. I would recommend it to students 14 years of age and above. Below is a website about the story. http://www.whoisjennafox.com/