PIG-HEART BOY by Malorie Blackman
PAPERBACK
Author: Malorie Blackman
Powerful, thought-provoking, and deeply moving, PIG-HEART BOY is a groundbreaking novel that explores life, ethics, and what it truly means to be human, told with sensitivity, honesty, and heart.
Cameron is thirteen, and he wants what most teenagers want: friends, school, swimming, family, and a chance at a normal life. But Cameron’s heart doesn’t work properly, and without a transplant, his future is frighteningly uncertain.
Then a doctor offers a radical possibility. Cameron could take part in an experimental and controversial procedure - receiving a pig’s heart in a human body. It’s risky. It’s never been done before. And the decision doesn’t just affect Cameron - it changes how the world sees him.
As Cameron wrestles with fear, hope, and the pressure of an impossible choice, he discovers that not everyone believes his life is worth saving in this way. Public opinion, media scrutiny, and ethical debates swirl around him, forcing Cameron to confront questions far bigger than himself.
Written by Malorie Blackman, this unforgettable novel introduces young readers to complex ideas around medical ethics, identity, and compassion, while keeping Cameron’s voice honest, relatable, and full of humanity.
Ideal for upper middle-grade and early teen readers, Pig-Heart Boy is a novel that stays with readers long after the final page - challenging us to ask not just what is possible, but what is right.