Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen Ark stowaway tale rife with sexual tension, ape sex.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Sixteen-year-old Sebah is a Canaanite farm girl who lives happily with her family until the rain starts falling, bringing floods that wipe out everyone and everything. Fleeing to high ground in the STORM, she forms an uneasy connection with a boy her age, and together they build a raft. After days at sea, they come upon a gigantic boat, but only Sebah has the strength to climb aboard. There she finds herself surrounded by strange creatures, including an amorous pair of bonobos who befriend her and help keep her safe as she discovers that the other humans on board, Noah and his family, have no place in their plan for any extra people.
Is It Any Good?
Most of this story takes place in the close confines of the Ark, and the claustrophobic, helpless frustration is reflected in the sometimes slow-moving plot. Best-selling author Donna Jo Napoli has made a career from complex, deeply researched retellings of myths, fairy tales, and historic events. Here, she uses the story of Noah's Ark to examine life, death, and unintended consequences. From survival techniques to ancient social customs, there's a lot of interesting detail along the way.
Sex, and sexual tension, are nearly constant, especially between the two bonobos that befriend Sebah: "I'm no stranger to animal mating -- no country girl is. But this mating is different; Queen and The Male mate at any excuse....They are entirely delighted with mating. Aban might have liked The Male; he looked at mating the same way."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about flood stories. Why do you think so many cultures over the centuries have had stories about apocalyptic floods -- and why do people today still find them compelling?
What do you think of the ethics of saving a chosen few and letting everyone else perish? Do you think the rules change when there's a crisis?
How has life improved for girls since Sebah's time? How has it stayed the same or gotten worse?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Friendship , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : February 11, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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