Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Michael L. Printz 2011 Award Winner

Age Range:  Young Adult

This was a wonderful, fast-moving, science fiction novel.  The entire book is action packed and you want to root for Nailer, the main character, the entire book.  The book is set in the future, on the Gulf Coast.  Cities like New Orleans have been destroyed by category 6 hurricanes.  Many people are left to make their living by scavenging old oil tankers for any copper or parts they can find--they are ship breakers.  Nailer works on the light crew and scavenges for copper.  After a horrible hurricane, Nailer and Pima find a ship that has been destroyed.  They think they have made a great scavenge, when they find Nita, a young-very rich girl that has survived the storm.  Nailer decides to keep her alive.  To escape Nailer's horrible father and his crew, they flee to Orleans by train hopping.  Nita tries to make it back to her people and is on the constant look-out for her own ships.  The ending is even more action-packed than the beginning of the book.  I loved the way things turn out for Nailer and his real family.

Ship Breaker has the elements of metafiction because of how the book is set in a futuristic society.  It makes the reader question if this is where the world is headed.  Will children in our future end up like Nailer and Pima? 

Here is a video from the author, Paolo Bacigalupi, where he talks about this book.

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

Age Range:  Grades 5-8

Countdown is the first of a trilogy based on the 1960's.  This documentary novel, features what people of the 1960's dealt with and their feelings during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  The main character, Franny is 11 years old and lives with her parents, older sister, younger brother, and her Uncle Otts.  The book begins with Franny's class being at recess and hearing sirens for an air-raid.  All of the children have to duck and cover.  The feelings and fear of the students and teachers can be easily felt.  Franny just wants to be a normal 11 year old, but lives in constant fear that she is going to die and the world is going to end.  Her Uncle Otts, is a war veteran, and continues to deal with the stress of having been at war.  He tries to dig a bomb shelter in their front yard and then collapses suddenly.  Franny has to find her way through issues with her old best friend, Margie and attempt to live a normal life with her family when the world is full of chaos.

Metafiction is present in the book by the way the author brings in real life photos from the 1960's, advertisements, songs, and speeches.  These things are woven through the book and help better explain what Franny and her family are experiencing.  This novel will give students a real glance into what life was like in the 1960's. 

Here is a book trailer that I found on Book Trailers For All (http://booktrailersforall.com/) made by Sandy Noles. 

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann

1996 Caldecott Medal Winner

Age Range:  K through 3rd grade

Officer Buckle and his police dog Gloria make a hilarious team in this book.  Officer Buckle shares his safety tips with the students of Napville School.  The children are usually very bored and often fall asleep--that is until Gloria comes along one day.  Gloria begins to add comedy and acts out the tips Officer Buckle is saying.  The kids fall in love with the team  and other schools begin to ask to hear Officer Buckle and Gloria's safety tips. 

Metafiction is present in this book through the playfulness that Gloria brings into the book.  Gloria adds comedy to the book and the kids love her as she helps the author get several safety tips across in this book.

It's a Book by Lane Smith

Age Range:  K through 3rd grade

With the way so many people read today moving to digital formats such as the Nook or Kindle, kids will love this book about a book.  There are two main characters in this book, a jackass and a monkey (a mouse plays a minor part).  The jackass and the monkey have a dialogue back and forth about the book the monkey is reading. The jackass tries to understand how the book works through asking questions like if it scroll's down, can it text or tweet, and does it need a password.  The jackass eventually reads the book and doesn't want to give it back to the monkey. 

This book is a great example of metafiction because it is a book that reflects on what a book is.  There is also a page from the book the monkey is reading featured in the book.  The book is playful through the dialogue between the jackass and the monkey. 

Here is a link for the book trailer from Amazon for this book:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m358EIEJ2K6MC1/ref=ent_fb_link. 
Here is a link for a clip from the author about this book:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m23D7IGMH6ISVL/ref=ent_fb_link

A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

Age Range:  Young Adult

Wow--this book is a completely new twist on a classic fairy tale.  The author, Adam Gidwitz, ties together different stories from the Brothers Grimm using the classic story of Hansel and Gretel.  Young adults that have heard the traditional version of Hansel and Gretel will enjoy hearing how their story really began and what happens to them after they leave the old ladies house that tries to cook them in the oven and then eat them.  Their story continues and many exciting and scary events happen to them.  Gretel has to cut off her own finger and has a part in a man being boiled alive.  Hansel gets turned into a beast that is shot and goes to Hell himself.  There is even a dragon they have to battle near the end of this book.  Throughout the book, the reader will wonder if Hansel and Gretel will get their happily-ever-after.

This book is a great example of metafiction.  The author directly interacts with the reader throughout the book.  The bold typed words that are interjected throughout the book are when the author directly talks to the reader.  By using this format, the author makes the book more interactive, suspenseful, and adds to the reader's understanding of the story.  Young adults will be drawn into this suspenseful and sometimes gory story and enjoy a new, creative way to read a fairy tale.

The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston

Age Range:  Young Adult

The Freak Observer is a book about coping with tragedy and finding a way to move past it. The main character, Loa is 16 years old and had to deal with several tragedies over the last few years.  The book begins with her coping with the death of her friend, Esther.  Loa was there when Esther died and has a hard time moving past this incident.  After Esther's death, Loa is given an extra credit project in her physics class to make up points.  She chooses The Freak Observer (Boltzmann Brain) and the book often refers back to this assignment.  Throughout the book Loa also explains the tragedy that occurred in her own family.  Her younger sister, Asta,  had Rett Syndrome and had to be constantly cared for by each member of the family.  Asta becomes the center of the family.  Once she dies the family falls apart as each of them tries to find a way to cope and move past this death.  Loa has PTSD and cannot sleep.  When she does she has awful nightmares and dreams of the Bony Guy (death). She tries to constantly stay awake so that she does not have nightmares.  She has a relationship with her debate partner, Corey, who suddenly has to move to Europe.  He periodically sends her postcards from abroad.  Her new friendship with Jack helps her move on.

Metafiction is present in this book through the opening page to each chapter.  A physics theory typically opens the chapter that makes the reader wonder how the chapter will tie in with the theory.  The book also provokes the question about whether Loa will be alright and be able to cope with her life.  In the end, the reader gets to see a small change in Loa that gives a glimmer of hope that she will be OK.

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan

Pura Belpre Award Winner

Age Range:  Grades 5-8

This book recently won the 2011 Pura Belpre Award.  This is an amazing work of fiction based on the life of the world-known poet, Pablo Neruda. The book has many poems throughout with unique illustrations.  The entire book is printed and illustrated with green tones.  Pablo Neruda only wrote in green ink because it is the color of hope.

The book begins with the younger years of  Neftali Reyes.  He loves books and often writes down words that he likes on scrap pieces of paper that he keeps in a drawer.  He lives in Chile with his family.  Neftali constantly daydreams and often becomes distracted.  His father works for the railroad and is very strict on the children. They all seem afraid of him and rarely see a gentle side to him.  He is very intimidating and makes Neftali focus on his studies.  His father does not value Neftali's talent for writing and poetry.  Neftali always remains true to himself and finds time, even during the summers his family would spend at the beach, to read and write.  Neftali is later sent to the university to study business.  He eventually changes his name to Pablo Neruda so that his writing will no longer bring disappointment to his family.  Neftali goes on to be one of the most well-known poets in the world.  Metafiction is present in this book through Neftali himself.  The book provokes questions and makes the reader wonder if Neftali will ever be able to escape his father and write the way he wants to be able to.  It also makes the reader think of the open imaginary possibilities about what Neftali may become one day.  The poems themselves within this book are playful and often form their own picture in the book.  It was amazing to see a glimpse of this great poet's life through this book.