The Ketchup Deal Level 31

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, The Ketchup Deal explores a gripping scenario where Earth has been devastated, and children have formed tribal societies to survive. In this powerful science fiction narrative, an urban tribe sends a lone searcher on a mission to find food, only for the searcher to be captured by a rural tribe-triggering conflict and negotiation. Told from a first-person perspective, the story delves into survival, resilience, and diplomacy among young people in a fractured world. Richly descriptive, it uses a traditional narrative arc, complete with orientation, problem, climax, resolution, and conclusion. Language features such as italics, dashes, exclamation marks, and technical vocabulary like inverter, barter, and wind turbine give the text texture and authenticity. The book also encourages critical thinking about problem-solving and community dynamics. It is ideal for discussing genre conventions and exploring science fiction as a lens to view social issues.

Educational Benefits:

• Enhances understanding of narrative structure and plot progression
• Builds vocabulary with technical and genre-specific terms
• Supports inference and prediction through detailed descriptions
• Encourages comparison of contrasting settings and perspectives

Classroom Ideas:

• Create a survival plan in groups using items from the book's world
• Write a journal entry from the perspective of a captured searcher
• Compare this fictional setting with historical or real-world disasters
• Debate the ethics of decisions made by each tribe in the story

Safety & Information:

• Suitable for ages 10+
• Book dimensions: 210mm x 148mm
• Contains themes of survival and conflict-teacher guidance recommended
• Durable softcover format with high-contrast text for readability