The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer; Unabridged MP3 Audio Book; Narrator Raul Esparza

Book Club Pick
National Book Award Winner
ALA Newbery Honor Book
ALA Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book
Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award
Maud Hart Lovelace Award Master List (MN)
Booklist Editors' Choice
South Carolina Book Award Nominee
Arizona Young Reader Book Award
IRA Young Adults' Choices
Iowa Teen Award Master List
Young Hoosier Book Award Master List (IN)
Sequoyah YA Book Award (OK)
Garden State Teen Book Award Nominee (NJ)
Florida Teens Read Master List
ABC Children's Bookseller's Choices
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Finalist
California Collections
Soaring Eagle Book Award Master List (WY)
Blue Spruce YA Book Award Nominee (CO)
Rosie Award Nominee (IN)
Nevada Young Readers' Award
ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults

Matteo Alacrán was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium—a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster—except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.

As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patrón's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect.

"An inspiring tale of friendship, survivial, hope, and transcendence"—Kirkus, starred review

"This is a powerful, ultimately hopeful story that builds on today's sociopolitical, ethical, and scientific issues and prognosticates a compelling picture of what the future could bring. All of these serious issues are held together by a remarkable coming-of-age story."—Booklist, starred review

Nancy Farmer has written three Newbery Honor Books: The Ear the Eye and the Arm; A Girl Named Disaster; and The House of the Scorpion, which, in 2002, also won the National Book Award. Other books include Do You Know Me, The Warm Place, and three picture books for young children. She grew up on the Arizona-Mexico border, and now lives with her family in Menlo Park, California.

Raúl Esparza starred on Broadway in The Homecoming, Company (Tony nom., Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Award), Taboo (Drama Desk Award), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Cabaret. On television he had a recurring role on the ABC series Pushing Daisies. His film credits include Sydney Lumet's FInd Me Guilty.