Shipbreaker and Ellen Foster

Our little club has been reading up a storm this summer.  In June and July, we read Shipbreaker by Paulo Bacigalupi and Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons.


Shipbreaker is set in a future America where the environment as we know it has been irreparably damaged and crews of children and adults scour abandoned tankers and oil derricks for salvageable materials to sell.  What ensues is an adventure story with a young hero who takes on forces beyond his control in order to try to save a friend and himself.  While we are getting a wee bit tired of dystopian fiction, Shipbreaker was nevertheless compelling and well-written, and created scenarios that are interesting to ponder given that it's not too late for us to still make positive change around our use of energy on our planet.

Ellen Foster is a book of a completely different type, and follows the life of the tenacious and spirited title character.  She uses her impressive personal resources to overcome her dysfunctional family and situation, and ultimately perseveres to make herself a safe and loving place in the world.  Ellen Foster is beautifully written and not necessarily intended for a young adult audience, though the main character is a little girl and it is told entirely through her voice.  Our group had a lively discussion that lasted almost two hours, unraveling the complexities of the story and discussing the choices Ellen makes and the consequences of those choices.  While not everyone loved the book, it made for an excellent discussion that had everyone actively involved.

Now we're gearing up for school to start again in August, and will look to September for our next meeting.