Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

From the inside flap of Ship Breaker, "In America’s Gulf Coast region, where grounded oil tankers are being broken down for parts, Nailer, a teenage boy, works the light crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quota–and hopefully live to see another day. But when, by luck or chance, he discovers an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces the most important decision of his life: Strip the ship for all it’s worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl who could lead him to a better life. . . ."

Winner of the 2011 Michael L. Printz Award for young adult literature, the novel opens as Nailer Lopez is scavenging in the shipwrecks off the coast of a post apocalyptic world characterized by greed and environmental disasters. He is part of the Crew that must meet quota of scrap copper and metal. Nailer hits the jackpot when he discovers a pocket of oil that could be his ticket out of life on Bright Sands Beach where he lives in a shanty with his abusive and drug-addicted father. But the Fates have a different plan and an horrendous hurricane strikes the area. During the course of the storm, a luxurious clipper ship is beached and Nailer and his friend come upon it. The find that it is filled with treasures that will surely provide a means out of their horrible existence. They will have the leverage to scavenge the wealth and store the food. But in the midst of the wreckage, they find a beautiful girl, "Swank Girl," who presents them with a real dilemma. Barely conscious, she convinces them she can lead them to more wealth when she will be rescued by those who will come looking for her. But then, Nailer and Pima won't be able to take the items from the ship. Add to this picture, Nailer's father who also finds the wreckage and is determined to stand in the way of his son's good fortune.

The journey to escape leads to places beyond the shore and to the city of Orleans. Pursued by half men, masters and patrons, Nailer has one thing on his mind to save himself and his friends. It is a dystopian society that is presented. At times it seems futuristic and at other times, very much in the past. There are technological advances and genetic engineering. Political statements are made. There is the tension of a great science fiction novel and the characters are well developed and dynamic. The ending leaves the reader with the notion that there will be at least one sequel and it will be anxiously awaited.

Young adults will love this book, the excitement, and discovering a world that could be. It comes on the heels of The Hunger Games trilogy and will be as exciting to teens as those books were. It was a good book, and if I really liked this genre, a great book. I am not sure if I was disappointed by the book itself or by the fact that the book has been so hyped.

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

Winner of the 2008 Prinz Award, The White Darkness is an unforgettable read. Not only is the story multifaceted, but the language is rich in structure and words. Symone Wates is a 14 year old English girl who is fascinated, or should we say obsessed with all thing Antarctica. Her bookshelves are full of accounts of the geography and expeditions to the continent at the bottom of the world. Her best friend and spiritual partner is Titus Oakes, a captain who died nearly 90 years ago in the failed Capt. Robert Scott expedition. Her father has just died and her Uncle Victor has stepped in to take his place. Sym believes that her father never really liked her anyway, so to have a doting uncle gives her a small bit of comfort. Imagine Sym's excitement when Victor decides to take her mother and her to Paris for the weekend, especially since it is approaching exam time. But wait, at Waterloo station Sym's mother can't find her passport and not wanting to spoil the others' getaway, decides to remain in England. (How did the passport really end up in Victor's possession?)

Uncle Victor also is fascinated with Antarctica and believes in the theory that there is a hole that lead to the hollow earth that can be reached from there. What a coincidence that it is called Symme's Hole. With the trip to Paris being a ruse, Victor now makes the final preparation to travel with Sym to Antarctica to begin his own exploration. They travel to South America and meet up with the Pengwings Tour Group. He also meets up with Manfred Bruch, a film producer from Norway, and his son Sigurd, just a few years older than Sym. He offers to pay Victor a huge sum for filming the ultimate discovery. But wait, members of the tour are getting sick, a plane has exploded as an evacuation is planned. What is happening?

As the novel continues it is an adventure and survival story extraordinaire. Victor, Sym, Magred, and Sigrud set off across the continent in a Hagglund all terrain vehicle searching for Symme's Hole. It is a journey through the White Darkness complicated by fog, blinding snow storms and a very limited fuel supply. Throughout her life and this story Sym has confided in and trusted the judgement of Titus. Her conversations ARE real and now at a life and death crosswords she has to decide whether she should put her trust in him, or Uncle Victor, who has been a mentor and has loved her when her father didn't, or Sigrud, who has shown her that she is young woman who does not have to be awkward around the opposite sex. In the end we all hope that she has made the right choice.

An author's note at the conclusion of the book explains the fate of the Scott expedition and is a helpful addition.