Ship Breaker

Set in the future along the Gulf Coast, Ship Breaker (Little Brown, 2010) by Paolo Bacigalupi, is a fast-paced adventure for young adults.  In the future oil is scarce but the Gulf Coast beaches have been abandoned after years and years of off-shore oil drilling have destroyed the once beautiful shores.  Oil rigs and ships have been left to rot and to be scavenged for any and all parts.  Two of the main characters work on one of these scavenger ships on the light crew.  Pima and Nailer are still young and small enough to fit through the air ducts to scavenge enough for their daily quota.  It is a rough life with very little food and no real shelter.  Nailer's father has become a drunk and drug addict after the death of Nailer's mother.  Nailer's real family is with his crew.  When a "city killer" hurricane washes a clipper ship ashore, Pima and Nailer think their dreams have been realized with all the expensive items they can scavenge off the ship.  They didn't expect to find a rich girl clinging to life.  Nailer makes the decision to keep her alive and help return her to "her people."  He will have to live smart and lucky to survive all the adventure that will come along with it.  After being kept captive by Nailer's father, the two decide to escape and make a run to Orleans where Nita, the rich girl, believes people will be able to help her.   They must find work to survive while they wait in Orleans for the right ships to arrive. The ending leaves you wanting more.

While reading this Ship Breaker I thought of another book that is very similar.  I believe the fans of the Hunger Games trilogy will also enjoy this page-turner.  After last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, I believe even more readers will find a relationship with this book.  I wonder though if some of the little details of the book will even be noticed by young people.  (Red Chinese money worth more than dollars, north pole has melted with the melt off changing the landscape of our country)  This book could be used with an Earth Science class and students could discuss the need to recycle.  Students should be aware of the consequences of what happens to our trash and how it affects the Earth's water.