Rooftop

by Paul Volponi

Book Review

Publishers Weekly :

Terms of Use:

After 17-year-old Clay's parents catch him smoking pot, they pull him from Long Island City High School and enroll him at a day treatment facility, where he gets counseling for addiction while working towards a GED. Five months into the program, Clay's estranged 18-year-old cousin, Addison, shows up. The two instantly reconnect as buddies, but Addison doesn't share his cousin's commitment to staying clean, nor does he intend to give up his job-dealing on corners. The talky (and rather plodding) first half of the novel, narrated by Clay, doesn't prepare readers for the pivotal moment in the story, in which a rookie white cop shoots Addison dead on the rooftop of the title. At this point, the novel veers into painful but overly familiar territory, as Clay, the only witness, gets co-opted by a charismatic mayoral wanna-be and pressured into shaping his account of what happened to make it seem worse than it was, in order to serve the mayor hopeful's race-baiting political agenda. While readers may find this a disappointing follow-up to Volponi's debut, Black and White, the author nonetheless demonstrates again his accessible narrative style, replete with street slang. The book will likely have no trouble finding an audience among teens, given the raw discussion material it provides on hot-button topics such as drugs, race, poverty, violence and doing the right thing. Ages 12-up.

distributed by Syndetics Solutions, LLC.:

Book Review
:

School Library Journal :

Terms of Use:

Gr 9 Up - Clay, 17, a pot abuser, and his cousin Addison, 18, a crack dealer, both attend Daytop, a day-treatment program in New York City. At one time close, then separated by a family feud, the teens are now working through their problems together. Their parents have just begun to put their dispute behind them when Clay sees Addison shot by the police on the rooftop of the projects where he lived and the incident becomes the focal point of a campaign for racial justice. The pace of the story slows a little just before the shooting, but quickly picks up as the community rallies around the perceived injustice. Delving into the psychological trauma of Clay and the comparison of how he and Addison's younger brother deal with the killing, the author gives readers a realistic look at individuals, family dynamics, and moral dilemmas. The raw language is in keeping with the story's events. Parallels can be drawn between this fast-paced novel and Walter Dean Myers's Monster (HarperCollins, 1999), and a classroom unit could easily be developed about the treatment of minorities within the U.S. justice system. The many facets of life in the projects are revealed through excellent character development, which enables this novel to shine.–Dylan Thomarie, Johnstown High School, NY

distributed by Syndetics Solutions, LLC.:

Book Review
: BookList :

Terms of Use:

*Starred Review*

Gr. 8-11. After Clay makes some poor choices, his parents enroll him in a drug program and day school for teens, and now he is clean and studying for the GED. Then his first cousin, Addison, is admitted to the same program, where the childhood buddies reconnect. Drug-dealer Addison may have been “into shit on the streets,” but Clay finds much to admire in his cousin, who is confident, funny, and caring. Their reunion is cut short when Addison is killed by a cop on a project rooftop, with Clay as a witness. Here Volponi's intimate, detailed story of the challenges facing poor, urban youth swells to encompass broader racial and political realities: Addison was a black teen killed by a white officer, and the ensuing investigation becomes a focus for activists protesting the arguably corrupt justice system. Under pressure, Clay lies about Addison's role in the shooting. He cannot undo the lie, but he begins to seek redemption in smaller ways. Despite some overdone symbolism, this thoughtfully crafted, deceptively simple story knits together a high-interest plot, a readable narrative crackling with street slang, and complex personal and societal issues that will engage teen readers.
HollyKoelling.

distributed by Syndetics Solutions, LLC.: