Ship Breaker takes the Printz!
Monday, January 10, 2011 | 4:41 pm
I picked up Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi to take with me during my holiday travels, and was gearing up to write a glowing review when I woke up this morning to find that it has been awarded the 2011 Michael L. Printz award!
I must stay that I absolutely agree with the committee on this win. This is a fantastic read! Ship Breaker is the story of Nailer and his salvage crew, teenagers who make their living stripping copper from wrecked oil tankers in a postapocalyptic United States, near the drowned city of New Orleans and the ravaged Gulf Coast. Nailer and his friends live a hand to mouth existence, so when they find a luxury yacht beached after a horrific storm, they are thrilled at the riches inside. But while going through the salvage, Nailer finds a survivor, and a moral dilemma; grab the riches and run, or help a wealthy heiress regain her birthright.
So, what can I say at this point, except, everyone thinks this books is amazing! Read it!
Here is a little snippet from the selection committee:
“This taut, suspenseful novel is a relentless adventure story featuring nuanced characters in thought-provoking conflicts. Bacigalupi artfully intertwines themes of loyalty, family, friendship, trust and love,” said Printz Award Committee Chair Erin Downey Howerton.
If you are unfamiliar with the Printz award, it is the Newbery-equivalent for teen fiction. As a relatively new award, it doesn’t quite command the same financial or prestige benefits, but getting a Printz is a great boost for any writer, and the selection committee has highlighted and supported several new and upcoming YA authors.
To learn about this and other Printz winners and honor books, check out the YALSA website here.
—HeadCardigan
(posted in Book Reviews | tagged Book Reviews, Printz, Ship Breaker, YALSA)
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1 Response to “Ship Breaker takes the Printz!”
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Madigan says:
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 | 5:19 am
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I remember the first year of the Printz Award. Everyone was like, “Who needs another award, when we’ve got the Newbery?” It’s been really interesting to see how it’s played out. The Newbery still feels like the “most prestigious” award, but the Printz definitely has carved out a space of it’s own. There are many years where I’m more excited about the Printz than the Caldecott or Newbery.