Student Question
Is "The Chrysalids" part of the curriculum in the United States, similar to The Giver?
Quick answer:
"The Chrysalids" is not as commonly part of the U.S. curriculum as "The Giver," but it is included in some advanced reading lists for high school students. While not widely taught, it is known among educators and has themes similar to contemporary young adult fiction like "The Whisper" by Emma Clayton. Wyndham's works tend to have a stronger following in the UK than in the U.S.
Well, I'm in the United States and I've read it! But I know that's not what you're talking about. I learned about it after a friend in England recommended Wyndham's more popular novel, The Day of the Triffids. It seems to me that Wyndham has much more of a UK following than a US one.
Although I am not personally teaching it, I know that The Chrysalids is on the GT reading list of possible stories/novels for the high school curriculum. I teach eighth grade, so I always try to pay attention to what is in store for my students. The Chrysalids reminds me of a new young adult fiction novel out right now called The Whisper by Emma Clayton. There is also a sequel called The Roar, and the two books deal with the same kind of content as The Chrysalids--a post-apocalypse Earth, mutants versus regular people, and telepathy. Clayton's novels, in terms of themes and content, are much less intense than The Chrysalids.
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