It seems a couple of high schools have chosen "The Blending Time" as a discussion book for their students. I didn't expect that to happen, but am pleased because I think the book (and the rest of the trilogy) has a lot of social issues that teens should be concerned with and discuss. The book is a near-future dystopia in which a lot of things might indeed happen. Global climate change; famines and the subsequent battles for resources are already happening in parts of Africa. The next 50 years could see chaos or not--depending on the actions we take locally and globally.
Questions teachers might want to have their students discuss:
-- How might climate change effect them in 10-20 years?
-- Would climate change and scarce resources cause a breakdown of technology?
-- Can you think of a 'magic bullet' that might 'fix' such a dysfunctional world?
-- Could a world government (Like the Global Alliance) be effective... sort of a 'super' United Nations with teeth? What pitfalls might such a global government have?
-- How can we avoid such a future as portrayed in "The Blending Time?"
-- Any thoughts on the racial issues raised in the book? Will we become or or less racial and class tolerant in the future?
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