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About The Book

In the riveting sequel to the acclaimed bestseller The House of the Scorpion, Matt reels from the change in status quo and struggles to do the right thing; find out his story’s end in this new edition with a reimagined cover!

Matt Alacrán is a fourteen-year-old drug lord.

Until recently, Matt was just a clone grown from a strip of El Patrón’s skin. Now he is lord of the land of Opium, on the one-time US–Mexico border, and rules over an army of microchipped, zombielike workers who are programmed to produce the drugs that are Opium’s main export. El Patrón kept the air and water in Opium clean, but the rest of the world is a polluted wasteland.

Matt is sure that, in his new position, he can find a way to break the cycle of violence and destruction—but it will only be possible if he chooses the right people to trust.

About The Author

Photo Credit:

Nancy Farmer has written three Newbery Honor books: The Ear, the Eye and the ArmA Girl Named Disaster; and The House of the Scorpion, which also won the National Book Award and the Printz Honor. Other books include The Lord of OpiumThe Sea of TrollsThe Land of the Silver ApplesThe Islands of the BlessedDo You Know MeThe Warm Place, and three picture books for young children. She grew up on the Arizona-Mexico border and now lives with her family in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona.

About The Reader

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.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (September 3, 2013)
  • Runtime: 11 hours and 31 minutes
  • ISBN13: 9781442362437
  • Grades: 9 and up
  • Ages: 14 - 99

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Awards and Honors

  • ILA Young Adults' Choices
  • Volunteer State Book Award Nominee (TN)
  • ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults - Nominee
  • Los Angeles Public Library Best of Year: Children's Books
  • MSTA Reading Circle List
  • Green Earth Book Award Shortlist

Resources and Downloads

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More books from this author: Nancy Farmer

More books from this reader: Raul Esparza

More books in this series: The House of the Scorpion