Module 5-How I Live Now/Ship Breaker

Module 5-Other Award Winners

Michael Printz Award Winners:

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

ISBN:  978-0-3859-0908-0

Audience (according to School Library Journal): grade 8 and up

Rosoff, M. (2004). How I live now.  New York, NY: Wendy 
     Lamb Books.

Pricing (as of 10/12):

            Amazon:        Hardcover:  $10.00

                                    Paperback:  $7.99

                                    Audio CD:     $38.00

                                    Audible Audio Edition:  $16.95

Book Summary

         Anorexic and unhappy, Daisy leaves New York, her father, and her pregnant stepmother who she has dubbed Davina the Diabolical.  She lands in England and meets her four cousins, Isaac, Osbert, Edmond, and Piper, and hears about her aunt who is away dealing with political rumblings.  Daisy forms an immediate attachment to sweet Piper and is drawn to the mysterious Edmond.  This initial curiosity turns to a secret passion and a feeling of love that Daisy so desperately craves.  Within days of her arrival, however, war with an unnamed foe breaks out and the English countryside becomes a battle zone.  The cousins are eventually separated and the family farmhouse confiscated. Piper and Daisy are sent to one location and the boys to another.  As Piper and Daisy struggle to escape from their temporary home, a bond develops between them that brings out a warmth and nurturing in Daisy that is unexpected.  The girls manage to find their way back home, finding it empty and ravaged.  As the war ends and before the cousins are reunited, her father abruptly whisks Daisy back to New York.  Her unhappiness in the states apparent, she is allowed to return to England and finds that the Edmond she fell in love with has been left traumatized by his experiences. Ultimately, her heart assures her that this is the place that she will now call home and that she will be patient and wait for Edmond to heal and reciprocate her feelings once again.

APA Reference

Rosoff, M. (2004). How I live now.  New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.

Impressions

            Rosoff creates a delightfully different dystopian book by using the first person voice of Daisy throughout.  Daisy's tone, vocabulary, and voice are unique and her pain and growth throughout her wartime experiences are profound.  Rosoff focuses more on these changes than on the unnamed enemy or the death and destruction that war typically brings.  The realities of the war are present, but are not an overwhelming element of this riveting YA book.  For those who are concerned with the fact that the 15-year-old heroine begins a sexual relationship with her first cousin, the details of their affair are scant.  The language of the characters is moving and emotions are strong without resorting to ubiquitous profanity.  Readers will love warm, sweet Piper, hurt for Daisy and hope that she finds a haven for her damaged heart, and will likely forget that the love between Daisy and Edmond is viewed by most of society as wrong.

Professional Reviews

            << Impending war, parental rejection, and anorexia are Daisy's concerns as she steps off the plane in England where she's been sent to stay with her Aunt Pen and her four cousins. The 15-year-old has landed in a chaotic but supportive country household where she is immediately intrigued by her cousin, Edmund. In this novel (Wendy Lamb Books, 2004), Meg Rosoff explores what happens when war leaves these five youngsters to fend for themselves….Though the novel has disturbing elements, Rosoff handles the harshness of war and the taboo of incest with honest introspection. This Printz award winner is a good choice for book discussions as it considers the disruption of war both physically and emotionally and should be on every high school and public library shelf.

Wysocki, B., & Mandell, P. L. (2005). How I live now. School Library Journal,

     51(8), 68-68. Retrieved from http://slj.com.

            << This first novel is intelligent, funny, serious, and sweet; a winning combination of acerbic commentary, innocence, and sober vision…. Refreshingly, Rosoff understates Daisy's transformation from self-absorbed, defensive anorexic to generous, loving hero, but that inner evolution is always apparent in her bracing wit and intense response to beauty, both human and natural. Hilarious, lyrical, and compassionate, this is, literarily and emotionally, deeply satisfying.

Baker, D. F. (2004). How I live now (book). Horn Book Magazine, 80(5), 597-580. Retrieved from http://www.book.com.

Library Uses

1.   .   This book would be an excellent choice to include in a display or book talk on award winning YA literature.  It has a unique voice and should appeal to both male and female high school students.  The display should include a summary with each book and the one for How I Live Now should focus on the war and forbidden aspects in order to capture the attention of the reluctant reader.
2.   .   As writing is emphasized in all classes with the new emphasis on short answer and compositions in the EOC exams, the librarian should provide examples of varying points of view to encourage students to try more creative uses of voice in their writing.  How I Live Now would be a title to promote with ELA teachers especially, but this title would find a niche in the History class as well.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

ISBN:  978-0-316-05621-2

Audience (according to School Library Journal):  grade 7 and up

Bacigalupi, P. (2010). Ship breaker. New York, NY: Little, 
     Brown and Company.

Pricing (as of 10/12)

Amazon:        Hardcover:  $11.38

                        Paperback:  $9.99

                        Audio CD:     $11.59

                        Audible Audio Edition:  $21.95  

Book Summary

            Set on America’s Gulf Coast sometime in the future, teenaged Nailer works on a light crew, stripping grounded oil tankers of anything of value.  His crew scavenges in order to make quota or face the consequences from a merciless company.  Crewmembers swear to stick by on another no matter what, but the hope of someday making a Lucky Strike pushes some to turn their backs on solemn oaths.  Nailer’s life is further complicated by the death of his mother, an abusive and alcoholic father, and the trials of a poverty stricken society.  Finding a ship wrecked clipper ship, Nailer and his friend and light crew partner, Pima, face a difficult decision:  find a way to strip the ship and claim their own “Lucky Strike” or save the unfortunate survivor, a beautiful heiress.  The book takes readers through swamps and cities nearly underwater and leaves them on the edge of their seat as Nailer tries to evade his angry father, make a future for himself, and do the right thing.

APA Reference

Bacigalupi, P. (2010). Ship breaker. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

Impressions

            Paolo Bacigalupi does a magnificent job of writing a book that will appeal to young adults who crave “on the edge” material without actually crossing the line into poor taste.  The futuristic world of light crew is rough and full of those who will do or say anything in order to survive and while the language of the characters is realistic to this time period, it is not overly crass.  The character of Nailer is conflicted throughout the book—needs to survive, to fit in with his crew, to be accepted by his father, to leave the poverty of his life, and yet to honor his conscience all join together to make the reader cheer when something go right for the young hero and sigh when life hands him another lemon.  In this book, Bacigalupi also demonstrates great skill in keeping the reader guessing. Twists and turns and unexpected events abound In this award-winning book.

Professional Reviews

            << …Exciting and sometimes violent, this book will appeal to older fans of Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies" series (S & S) and similar action-oriented science fiction.

Bass, H. (2010). Ship breaker. School Library Journal, 56(6), 94-94. Retrieved from              http://slj.com.

            << This YA debut by Bacigalupi, a rising star in adult science fiction, presents a dystopian future like so many YA sf novels. What is uncommon, though, is that although Bacigalupi’s future earth is brilliantly imagined and its genesis anchored in contemporary issues, it is secondary to the memorable characters…Clearly respecting his audience, threading the backstory into the pulsing action.  The characters are layered and complex, and their almost unthinkable actions and choices seem totally credible.  Vivid, brutal, and thematically rich, this captivating title is sure to win teen fans for the award-winning Bacigalupi.

Rutan, L. (2010). Ship breaker. Booklist, 106(18), 50. Retrieved from http://www.booklist.com.

Library Uses

1.    Coupled with How I Live Now, The Maze Runner, Uglies, and The Hunger Games, a great book talk could be created to stimulate interest in dystopian fiction.  Book trailers are available for all via YouTube or TeacherTube.

2.    Genre lessons-The above titles and many more would be listed on signage in the library promoting and identifying the genre of futuristic or dystopian literature.  For libraries that use the bookstore method of classifying and shelving books, signage such as this is a must.