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Parents' Guide to

Ship Breaker

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Gripping but bloody dystopian tale will make teens think.

Book Paolo Bacigalupi Science Fiction 2010
Ship Breaker Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

ShaunL
ShaunL Adult
October 21, 2011
age 11+

Challenging ideas of comfort

Having not read "sci-fi" since I was a young teen, I was blown away by this novel for many reasons. It's fast paced, and thus likely to keep the attention of the video game generation, the protagonist is not only "street smart" but has deep moral values, and he is able to build the possibility of a better life for himself by understanding that family, friendship and loyalty are choices and not givens. This book is iconoclastic, in the broad sense and I loved it for that.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

The story takes place somewhere along the Gulf of Mexico, sometime in the future. The hero, Nailer, lives a gritty, desperate life scavenging copper wire from the ducts of beached oil tankers while dreaming of sailing away on one of the high-tech clipper ships that are bound for higher seas and a better world. Much like a character from Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist, Nailer finds safety and survival by being part of a crew of scavengers, but he has to make quota each day to keep his place. On top of that, his father is a mean, raging abuser of alcohol and crystal slide, all of which does not make his life any easier. When Nailer stumbles upon a beached clipper ship and its lone survivor, a swank girl from one of the wealthiest trading families, he must make a string of hard choices.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (5 ):

From the first page to the last, one adventure after another will keep readers turning pages. Swash-buckling evil characters seem to be in charge, and around
every turn. Just as no escape seems possible, the heroes find a way. Just as they nearly break away, they are caught again and again.

But beyond the adventure, this book will challenge teens to mull over the bleak world of the ship breakers: How did their society come about? How can we avoid this fictional world becoming a reality? Readers will appreciate the difficult ethical choices the heroes, especially Nailer, struggle with -- and be relieved that the good ultimately manage to come out on top. 

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about dystopian novels. Why are these sorts of novels popular right now -- like the Hunger Games series? Why is it important to read books about our possible futures?

  • This book was a finalist for the National Book Award. Do you think it deserved this prize? Have you read any of the other books on this year's list, like Mockingbird or One Crazy Summer?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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