Ship+Breaker

Discussion page for //Ship Breaker// by Paolo Bacigalupi

This novel caught me by surprise. I don't normally read sci-fi boy novels, but this one was amazing. The loyalties in this novel show greatly of friendship values. I think this book will appeal to both boys and girls of even the youngest reaches of YA who are looking for a gritty adventure story that takes them through a decrepit southern U.S. I really think this one should make the list. It was such a great read. Brittany Moore Hall Memorial Library

This book about Nailer, a boy who lives in a kill or be killed future America, scavenging metal off ships to survive moves quickly into a great novel with chase scenes, adventure, a bit of romance, and a lot about what makes family. It is an exciting read which should certainly make our list. This year it won the Michael L. Printz award for excellence in YA fiction. Fabulous! Sharon Flesher-Duffy, Nashua High South

A "Best of the Year" quality story that I finished well after midnight. //Ship Breaker// is set in a desperate post-global-warming Louisiana coast, where entire cities have been swallowed by the oceans, while the gap between haves and have-nots has grown to staggering proportions. What remains is an impoverished existence where tattooed children crawl through tiny dank, dusty and dark spaces to retrieve precious resources for multinational corporations. Cultural institutions like universal education, professional health care, public transportation and elected governments don't exist for the vast majority of people. Only family, clan and crew matter in Nailer's world, and these prove challenging... even more so after rescuing the shipwrecked daughter of a wealthy business owner. Wally Keniston, Oyster River High School Library.