Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids use psychic powers in exciting, X-Men-like thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
As SCORPION SHARDS opens, Dillon, a boy who can cause chaos with a few words, and Deanna, a young woman terrified of nearly everything, realize that their chances of survival are greater if they team up. Four other psychically gifted teens are soon on their trail, trying to withstand the debilitating physical effects of their own superpowers. If they don't stop Dillon and Deanna in time, the entire world's population could be doomed.
Is It Any Good?
If its premises and plotting seems a little dated after decades of X-Men adventures, this thriller still packs a superheroic punch. With Scorpion Shards, author Neal Shusterman displays his skill at creating teen characters with awesome powers who struggle against awesome challenges. The problems they face -- super-acne, mega-obesity, reverse aging and more -- verge on the unbelievable but are made plausible through convincing character development. The novel's action sequences are exciting and clearly described, and they serve thematic purposes rather than as excuses for a punch-up. By the end of the book, readers will feel sympathy for all the characters and want to see what happens to them in the next installment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Scorpion Shards uses elements ot superhero comics to tell its story. How is this effective?
Is there such a thing as "evil'? Can people be taken over by it and forced to commit bad deeds?
How is violence used in Scorpion Shards? Does it produce the results that characters want from it?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Superheroes , Adventures , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : May 7, 2013
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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