Ship Breaker
Ship Breaker
Paolo Bacigalupi
Nailer lives on a beach on the Gulf Coast, but his life is anything but easy. Great waves, called City Breakers, have devastated coastal cities in much of the world, and life in those areas is tough. To survive Nailer and the other children of the beach must crawl inside shipwrecks, scavenging scraps of wire and anything else that can bring small fortune to their crew. One day, after a terrible storm, Nailer discovers the wreck of a yacht...and in it a beautiful rich girl. His upbringing tells him to kill her for her rings and riches, but having recently barely survived another person's greed, Nailer can't bring himself to do it. Instead he decides goes up again scores of powerful enemies, including his drug addicted father, to help the girl connect safely with her family.
A bleak and believable science fiction tale that will capture teens with its rough action, and keep them riveted with the picture it paints of genetically modified dog-men, true devastation of New Orleans, and what it might take for ordinary people to survive in such terrible times. Great for discussions and fans of science fiction and adventure. Suitable for middle school and up, with plenty for high school students to chew on too.