Popular Clone: The Clone Chronicles #1 [Hardcover]

M.E. Castle (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 24, 2012 | Age Range: 8 and up | Series: Clone Chronicles (Book 1)

"Castle’s debut, the first in a planned series, strikes just the right balance of humor and action and is sure to keep young readers turning the pages. Fisher’s struggles to fit in, to relate to girls and to uncover and preserve his true self feel genuine, making him a misfit and unlikely hero worth rooting for."—Kirkus Reviews

Meet Fisher Bas: 12 years-old, growth-stunted, a geeky science genius, and son of the Nobel Prize-winning creators of the Bas-Hermaphrodite-Sea-Slug-Hypothesis. No surprise: Fisher isn't exactly the most popular kid in his middle-school, tormented daily by the beefy, overgrown goons he calls The Vikings. But he senses relief when he comes upon the idea of cloning himself--creating a second Fisher to go to school each day while he stays at home playing video games and eating cheetos with ketchup. It's an ingenious plan that works brilliantly, until Fisher's clone turns out to be more popular than him--and soon after gets clone-napped by the evil scientist Dr. Xander.

Also available in simultaneous e-book edition (ISBN 978-1-60684-301-7).

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Fisher has inherited his parents’ scientific genius as well as their social awkwardness, and he becomes determined to put the former to use in combating the latter after tiring of being invisible to everyone except a gang of bullies. Sneaking a supply of his mother’s experimental accelerated-growth hormone, he creates Fisher Two, a clone he deputizes to deal with middle school (while the real Fisher stays home playing video games). Complications and humor ensue as “Two” proves to be far better liked than the original, getting involved with girls, pranks, a Palo Alto controversy concerning french fries and ducks, and a mysterious bad guy who is after the aforementioned hormone. Throughout, Fisher offers observations (“in science, there are rules for everything. But people don’t behave according to rules”) and drawings of his inventions and secret plans. The story is quick flowing and if first-time author Castle can clone this fun in future sequels, he’ll be popular for sure. Grades 4-7. --Andrew Medlar

Review

Castle’s debut, the first in a planned series, strikes just the right balance of humor and action and is sure to keep young readers turning the pages. Fisher’s struggles to fit in, to relate to girls and to uncover and preserve his true self feel genuine, making him a misfit and unlikely hero worth rooting for.

An inventive new take on the traditional bully story.  – Kirkus Reviews

Heavy doses of self-deprecating humor, high-tech wizardry, and goofy middle-school antics add up to an amusing and action-packed adventure.  – Publishers Weekly
 
Endearingly awkward and eminently likable (despite what his classmates might think), Fisher is a protagonist to root for, and his ultimate triumph over both the bullies and Dr. X offers a pleasing bit of wish fulfillment to any kid who has ever dreaded the beginning of the school week…[R]eaders will likely end up fantasizing about what they could get away with if only they too had a Two.  – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Debut author M.E. Castle's humorous novel about a geeky science genius will impress middle-grade boys everywhere… Paired with illustrations, Popular Clone is accessible to new chapter book readers and just right for fans of Michael Buckley's NERDS series.  – ShelfAwareness for Readers

This fun novel is for kids who like Anthony Horowitz’s “Alex Rider” series (Philomel) and can handle the challenging scientific vocabulary.  – School Library Journal

I recommend Popular Clone for middle school aged students and anyone who can relate to just wanting to avoid bullies and conflict. Anyone who has ever faced a crisis in self-esteem will see a little bit of themselves in Fisher.  – YahooVoices

This is the first book from a new author in what promises to be a very entertaining series, full of humor, suspense, middle school drama and nifty high-tech gadgetry.  – The Buffalo News

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: EgmontUSA (January 24, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1606842323
• ISBN-13: 978-1606842324
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.1 x 8.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #613,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It held my 9 year old spellbound until he finished!!! February 12, 2012

By BMAR

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Fisher Bas is a boy who was bullied relentlessly and after not being able to take it another day, he makes a clone of himself using his scientist mother's sample of a special growth hormone. Fisher's plan is to send the clone to school so that he could avoid the bullying. It all seems to be going well, apart from the fact that for some reason his clone is so much more popular than he, as Fisher gets to stay home playing games and having fun rather than dealing with bullies. Then things fall apart as a mad scientist named Dr. X steals Fisher's clone in order to get his hands on the rare growth hormone. Fisher, then, goes an epic adventure to get his clone back.

It was an excellent book and he couldn't stop reading it. I had to wrench it from his hands the two nights he was reading and he finished it on the third.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good for boys who dont like to read February 22, 2012

By K. Hernandez VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

My ten-year-old son reads well, but only when I force him to. And he would rather re-read something he has already read than start something new. It is a challenge to find books that are long enough to keep him interested for a few days and yet not so long that he gets intimidated by them. So I was pleased to find this book, and extra-pleased to find it will be a series. He loved it, and is already asking when the sequel will be published.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Daughter enjoyed it. February 16, 2012

By Jim Bernheimer VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

As part of my participation in the Amazon Vines program, I received a copy for review and had my 9 year old daughter read it and give me her impressions of the book.

Laura liked the story and read it quicker than any Amazon book I've gotten for her so far. She enjoyed rooting for the main character, Fisher, as he outsmarted the bullies, who he calls "The Vikings." His parents are scientists and Fisher "aquires" one of his mom's experiments and uses it to create a clone of himself and decides to send the clone to his place while he lounges at home. Needless to say, things don't go as Fisher hoped they would. As a parent, I liked that Fisher learns some lessons along the way.

Overall it was a good selection for my 9 year old daughter.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny story, good for kids who are reluctant readers January 20, 2012

By L. Jonsson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

"Popular Clone" is an excellent book for boys age 8 to 12 that are somewhat reluctant to read. It has action, humor, a fast pace-and a flying pig.

Fisher Bias is a 12 year old who is very likeable. He is short and bullied, which he hates. However, he has genius parents, and he is no slouch in the brains department himself-he is a science genius. Fisher decides to end the bullying of himself in school once and for all. Bias creates a clone of himself.

The clone survives, and surpasses, the real Fisher Bias in impressing people and making friends. This plan to increase his popularity backfires when the evil nemesis scientist (yes, even 12 year olds have evil nemesises) Dr. Xander kidnapps his clone. Fisher then must unleash a plan to free his clone.

The illustrations that are shown in the book are great and enhance the contents-this is an advanced readers copy, so I just wish there were more of the illustrations to look at. The book is a quick and easy read, perfect for a boy who does not like to read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A flyng pig?! December 28, 2011

By Terry LC

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

There is a flying pig in this story for Pete's sake, so you know it has to be fun.

This is an enjoyable, amusing story that moves along quickly. The likeable, geeky main character, preyed upon by many, finds his courage when he needs it, but comes out of the ordeal different than he went in. Will fame ruin him? Will his enemies continue to torment him? Will the flying pig save the day?

Hard to tell really, unless you read the book.

This is a fun book to read. I enjoyed it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Popular Clone - Popular with young and old September 11, 2012

By BG2.0

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I first bought this book for myself, as a grandmother, I wanted to see what is out there for the young people. I enjoyed the story and the plot immensely.

A friend mentioned she was having a hard time getting her 4th grader to read during the summer, so I sent him the book. It was a huge hit with Alex. He is waiting for the next adventure. As am I.

The book has a great idea, cloning yourself to avoid school? How many kids would want to do that. There is also suspense and just the right amount of humor.

Buy it, read it, get a copy for a friend! You won't be disappointed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent April 7, 2012

By Doggymcnuggets VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Popular Clone is the story of Fisher Bas, a brilliant but nerdy student whose abnormal intelligence, lack of self-confidence, and general sense of awkwardness and social isolation have made life miserable. Fisher uses his brain power to solve his problems by cloning himself and sending his double off to school in his place. A seemingly fool-proof solution: let the clone deal with life's problems. The problems begin, however, when Fisher's clone begins to display far more courage and ability to find his way through the trials and tribulations of middle school, creating a completely unforeseen dilemma - the clone is actually popular! This social disparity between Fisher and his clone form the foundation for the story that eventually involves an evil scientist and his plot to take down Fisher and his family and, ultimately, the world.
This is a wonderfully written story that captures perfectly that awkward time in life where children are beginning to face some of life's more harsh realities, particularly those involving social acceptance and independence. The tone is spot-on and the dialog is knowing and witty. My 7 year old son loved every minute of it and we both laughed often and eagerly anticipated the unfolding of the plot. The author does a wonderful job of making Fisher extremely likable in spite of (actually because of) all of his insecurities. The plot also unfolds at just the right pace, has plenty of surprising but logical developments, and even raises some pretty mature questions involving technology and the implications of pursuing science to its extremes.
But at its heart, this is the story of an underdog kid and his realization that he is capable of handling life's challenges.... With a great message at its core, a great story to take us there, and a knowing tone to put us in our young protagonist's shoes, Popular Clone is a winner. Recommended! Read more ›