Ship Breaker 

• Genre: Fiction; science fiction; young adult dystopian 
• Originally Published: 2010 
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 690L; grades 7-10 
• Structure/Length: Approximately 324 pages; audiobook length around 9 hours, 5 minutes
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The protagonist, Nailer, is a teenage boy working as a ship breaker on the Gulf Coast, scavenging parts from grounded oil tankers. The central conflict arises when he discovers a luxury ship with a wealthy girl aboard, leading to a high-stakes adventure involving loyalty, survival, and the stark divide between rich and poor in a dystopian future. 
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Child abuse, addiction, poverty, enslavement and exploitation; violent and perilous situations; environmental degradation; class struggles

Paolo Bacigalupi, Author 

• Bio: Born 1972; American science fiction and fantasy writer; known for his works that explore issues of environmental degradation, corporate greed, and climate change; his writing often features dystopian settings and complex moral dilemmas; a significant voice in contemporary speculative fiction 
• Other Works: The Windup Girl (2009); The Water Knife (2015); The Drowned Cities (2012); Tool of War (2017) 
• Awards: National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (finalist, 2010); Michael L. Printz Award (2011) Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book (2011)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Families of Blood Versus Families of Choice
• Loyalty Threatening and Aiding Survival
• Destiny Versus Free Will