Ship Breaker, Paolo Bacigalupi

YA * Michael Printz Award 2011; National Book Award Finalist 2011

Nailer has absolutely nothing to lose when he finds a wrecked clipper ship and it's lone survior, a "swank", except for his own life. Life as a "ship breaker" really isn't much of a life anyway. You live in a make shift shelter on the beach and your food and the security of keeping your job depends on how much salvage, copper wiring, you can strip from wrecked oil tankers and give to your crew boss.

Does Nailer trust Nita to mean what she says that her family can help him? Nita is extremely wealthy whose value to several is enormous. The risk of escape is huge for Nailer, but the risk of staying on the beach is just as great. Nailer's life is worth nothing to many, several could kill him at any time, including his own father.

Suspenseful with unexpected twists throughout, Bacigalupi's Ship Breaker will have you holding your breath at moments and turning the pages all the way to the end. This book is not for the squeamish or timid!