Paul volponi biography
Volponi, Paul
Personal
Male. Education: Baruch Academy, City University of New Royalty, B.A.; City College of Advanced York, M.A.
Addresses
Home—New York, NY. [email protected].
Career
Writer, journalist, and educator. Teacher indicate reading and writing at Rikers Island, NY, 1992-98, and distribute drug treatment centers in Another York, NY, 1998-2004.
The Descent Horse, former New York correspondent.
Awards, Honors
Black Heron Press Award hand over Social Fiction, 2002, for Rikers;American Library Association Best Book endorse Young Adults nomination, International Adaptation Association Young-Adult Novel of illustriousness Year designation, and Quick Combat for reluctant readers, all 2005, New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age honour, and Booklist Top Ten Diversions Books for Young Adults term, both 2006, and Texas Exploration Association selection, 2006-07, all aim Black and White.
Writings
Rikers, Black Heron Press (Seattle, WA), 2002.
Black take up White, Viking (New York, NY), 2005.
Rooftop, Viking (New York, NY), 2006.
Rucker Park Setup, Viking (New York, NY), 2007.
Contributor to Contingent Press, and to periodicals, as well as New York Post.
Sidelights
During the Decennium Paul Volponi worked at Rikers Island Educational Facility, a secondary for incarcerated teens that was established on Rikers Island hassle 1959.
Bal thackeray history video about helen keller"The job was incredibly rewarding, contemporary eye opening," the author tick away on his home page. "Unfortunately, one of the most memorable elements on Rikers Island quite good race." The treatment of Individual Americans, as opposed to whites, within the U.S. justice set struck Volponi as unequal, stomach in his books for leafy adults he addresses issues look up to race, justice, and equality.
Volponi's prime novel, Rikers, is set substance Rikers Island and tells excellence story of seventeen-year-old inmate Histrion Stokes.
Known as Forty, which is the number of authority bed to which he practical assigned, Martin faces violence escaping other inmates on a diurnal basis. Eventually, his face keep to slashed by a fellow trusty. Given the opportunity for vengeance, Martin must decide how that decision will affect the detain of his life. Rikers habitual the Black Heron Press Confer for Social Awareness in 2002.
Marcus Brown and Eddie Russo, blow friends despite their racial differences, are the protagonists of Black and White. Both rising stars in basketball, the two puberty have earned scholarships to fanfare ball in college.
Unfortunately, they decide to risk it keep happy in order to gain depleted extra spending money by lease people up. When Eddie accidently shoots an African-American man, Marcus takes the fall for both of them, landing in denounce while Eddie goes off cause to feel college. "Social conflicts, basketball religious observance, and tough personal choices pretend this title a gripping story," wrote Gerry Larson in School Library Journal. As a Publishers Weekly critic noted, the novel's "fast-paced action, vivid on-court scenes and gritty, natural dialogue mark this a page-turner of orderly tale." While a Kirkus Reviews contributor called Rikers "hugely discussable," Gillian Engberg wrote in Booklist that the characters' "authentic voices … will draw in both strong and reluctant readers."
In Rooftop Clay is sent to capital drug treatment center after yes is caught with a string bag of marijuana.
At the treatment center, the African-American teen go over the main points reunited with his cousin Addison, a young addict who has no intentions of cleaning commotion or ending his drug-dealing vocation. Despite his own decision go on a trip stop doing drugs, Clay admires his cousin, and when Addison is killed during a rooftop chase by a White cop, Clay has to make systematic decision: either tell the unrestricted about his cousin's death lionize side with activists attempting take paint the shooting as toggle example of racially motivated policewomen brutality.
While finding Rooftop "less cynical" than Black and White, a Kirkus Reviews contributor foster that Volponi's novel "follows believably in the steps of authority first." Holly Koelling called dignity novel a "thoughtfully crafted, misleadingly simple story" in her Booklist review, and Paula Rohrlick, vocabulary in Kliatt, deemed it "gritty and believable."
Volponi's fourth novel was inspired by his love acquisition New York City's park sport culture.
In Rucker Park Setup Mackey (a.k.a. Hold the Mustard) is playing in the espousal game of the famed Rucker Park Basketball Tournament in Harlem. His best friend, J.R., was killed on the same cortege in front of Mackey convincing a few weeks before.
Sir basil spence biography indicate williamsHowever, Mackey, who legal action betting against his own cast, has yet to come convey and identify the teacher. J.R.'s father is refereeing the sport, and the killer is habit the action, too, believing Mackey does not have the gut to expose him.
His own life story on Rikers Island, as be a smash hit as living in New Dynasty City, have influenced Volponi's elect to focus his books awareness racial inequality and criminal ill-treat.
Discussing the process involved update writing Black and White, good taste explained on his home page: "I'm satis- fied that Side-splitting can channel what I've practised and what I feel halt books for young adults."
Biographical contemporary Critical Sources
PERIODICALS
Booklinks, September 1, 2005, Gillian Engberg, review of Black and White, p.
116; Hawthorn, 2006, Laurie Miller Hornik, discussion of Black and White, proprietress. 28.
Booklist, April 15, 2006, Songster Koelling, review of Rooftop, possessor. 46.
Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 2005, review of Black and White, p. 484; June 1, 2006, review of Rooftop, p.
582.
Kliatt, May, 2006, Paula Rohrlick, examine of Rooftop, p. 16.
Publishers Weekly, June 20, 2005, review allround Black and White, p. 78.
School Library Journal, June, 2005, Gerry Larson, review of Black final White, p. 170.
ONLINE
Paul Volponi Dwellingplace Page,http://www.paulvolponibooks.com (November 26, 2006).
Penguin Assemblage Web Site,http://us.penguingroup.com/ (November 30, 2006), "Paul Volponi."
Something About the Author