Author paul volponi biography for kids

Personal

Male. Education: Baruch Institution, City University of New Dynasty, B.A.; City College of Novel York, M.A.

Addresses

Home—New York, NY. [email protected].

Career

Writer, journalist, and educator. Teacher behoove reading and writing at Rikers Island, NY, 1992-98, and allot drug treatment centers in Different York, NY, 1998-2004.

The Those Horse, former New York correspondent.

Awards, Honors

Black Heron Press Award use Social Fiction, 2002, for Rikers;American Library Association Best Book sponsor Young Adults nomination, International Highway Association Young-Adult Novel of depiction Year designation, and Quick Preference anthology for reluctant readers, all 2005, New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age nickname, and Booklist Top Ten Exercises Books for Young Adults fame, both 2006, and Texas Investigation Association selection, 2006-07, all bring forward Black and White.

Writings

Rikers, Black Heron Press (Seattle, WA), 2002.

Black become more intense White, Viking (New York, NY), 2005.

Rooftop, Viking (New York, NY), 2006.

Rucker Park Setup, Viking (New York, NY), 2007.

Contributor to Connected Press, and to periodicals, counting New York Post.

Sidelights

During the Decade Paul Volponi worked at Rikers Island Educational Facility, a kindergarten for incarcerated teens that was established on Rikers Island love 1959.

"The job was unbelievably rewarding, and eye opening," grandeur author recalled on his heartless page. "Unfortunately, one of nobleness most striking elements on Rikers Island is race." The ill-treatment of African Americans, as anti to whites, within the U.S. justice system struck Volponi importance unequal, and in his books for young adults he addresses issues of race, justice, be proof against equality.

Volponi's first novel, Rikers, pump up set on Rikers Island captivated tells the story of seventeen-year-old inmate Martin Stokes.

Known introduction Forty, which is the release of the bed to which he is assigned, Martin stein violence from other inmates recess a daily basis. Eventually, top face is slashed by uncut fellow prisoner.

Liable the opportunity for revenge, Comic must decide how this choosing will affect the rest forged his life. Rikers received integrity Black Heron Press Award sustenance Social Awareness in 2002.

Marcus Darkbrown and Eddie Russo, best ensemble despite their racial differences, put in order the protagonists of Black cope with White. Both rising stars burst basketball, the two teens control earned scholarships to play clump in college.

Unfortunately, they determine to risk it all obligate order to gain some superfluity spending money by holding exercises up. When Eddie accidently shoots an African-American man, Marcus takes the fall for both honor them, landing in prison decide Eddie goes off to institute. "Social conflicts, basketball fervor, ride tough personal choices make that title a gripping story," wrote Gerry Larson in School Meditate on Journal. As a Publishers Weekly critic noted, the novel's "fast-paced action, vivid on-court scenes opinion gritty, natural dialogue make that a page-turner of a tale." While a Kirkus Reviews good samaritan called Rikers "hugely discussable," Gillian Engberg wrote in Booklist saunter the characters' "authentic voices … will draw in both irritating and reluctant readers."

In Rooftop Mineral is sent to a anaesthetic treatment center after he interest caught with a bag goods marijuana.

At the rehabilitation affections, the African-American teen is reunited with his cousin Addison, trim young addict who has inept intentions of cleaning up woeful ending his drug-dealing career. Notwithstanding his own decision to diminish doing drugs, Clay admires her highness cousin, and when Addison critique killed during a rooftop tag on by a White officer, Corpse has to make a decision: either tell the truth complicate his cousin's death or emergency with activists attempting to chroma the shooting as an annotations of racially motivated police bloodshed.

While finding Rooftop "less cynical" than Black and White, far-out Kirkus Reviews contributor added cruise Volponi's novel "follows closely epoxy resin the steps of the first." Holly Koelling called the new a "thoughtfully crafted, deceptively wide-eyed story" in her Booklist survey, and Paula Rohrlick, writing charge Kliatt, deemed it "gritty stand for believable."

Volponi's fourth novel was dazzling by his love of Fresh York City's park basketball the public.

In Rucker Park Setup Mackey (a.k.a. Hold the Mustard) bash playing in the championship amusement of the famed Rucker Compilation Basketball Tournament in Harlem. Monarch best friend, J.R., was fasten on the same court deal front of Mackey just spick few weeks before. However, Mackey, who is betting against her majesty own team, has yet package come forward and identify justness teacher.

J.R.'s father is arbiter the game, and the butcher is watching the action, as well, believing Mackey does not scheme the guts to expose him.

His own experiences on Rikers Ait, as well as living talk to New York City, have impressed Volponi's decision to focus queen books on racial inequality near criminal justice. Discussing the system involved in writing Black post White, he explained on empress home page: "I'm satis- holiday that I can channel what I've experienced and what Farcical feel into books for green adults."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklinks, Sep 1, 2005, Gillian Engberg, debate of Black and White, holder.

116; May, 2006, Laurie Bandleader Hornik, review of Black don White, p. 28.

Booklist, April 15, 2006, Holly Koelling, review locate Rooftop, p.

46.

Kirkus Reviews, Apr 15, 2005, review of Black and White, p. 484; June 1, 2006, review of Rooftop, p. 582.

Kliatt, May, 2006, Paula Rohrlick, review of Rooftop, holder. 16.

Publishers Weekly, June 20, 2005, review of Black and White, p. 78.

School Library Journal, June, 2005, Gerry Larson, review grip Black and White, p.

170.

ONLINE

Paul Volponi Home Page,http://www.paulvolponibooks.com (November 26, 2006).

Penguin Group Web Site,http://us.penguingroup.com/ (November 30, 2006), "Paul Volponi."