New Monkey Girl Readers Guide

In a springtime ritual repeated in thousands of communities across the country, the school board in Dover, Pennsylvania, convened for the seemingly innocuous task of adopting new science texts. Instead, Dover became the first school district in America to mandate the teaching of a new and controversial blend of science and the supernatural known as “intelligent design.” This 21st century take on creationism attempts to poke holes in evolutionary theory with a vision of a universe designed by a guiding intelligence – while avoiding any mention of God or the Bible. Could this new approach pass constitutional muster? Was it legitimate science or artful sham? The maelstrom that followed became the subject of a media fixation, a sensational trial, a town torn down the middle, and a still-raging national debate over a seemingly eternal conflict: What happens when science and religion collide?

With my new Monkey Girl Readers Guide, your book group or class can explore the cases presented by both sides in this modern-day Scopes Monkey Trial, examine the implications for scientific progress, religious freedom, and public school reform, and learn more about the characters depicted in Monkey Girl. Enjoy!