I first heard Paul Volponi speak at the 2006 ALAN Conference as one of the New Voices in Young Adult Literature.
I remember him being passionate about writing realistic books that would connect with reluctant readers. At the time, I was teaching English in a school for kids who had exhausted all their other public school options. Consistently throughout my fifteen year tenure in that school, over ninety per cent of my students were male struggling and reluctant readers. Many of them had been in detention. Most had intense home lives either living with their families, in foster care, or group homes. I was always on the lookout for books that would speak to them.
Paul Volponi’s books did not disappoint me. For six years Paul taught incarcerated teens on Rikers Island to read and write. He’s the real deal and has won a slew of awards for his YA novels.
Here’s a quote from his 2006 presentation: “Books for reluctant readers have to grab you around the throat in the first couple of pages and not let go.”
Paul has authored eight Young Adult novels. I’m giving away three of them. And yeah, they all grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let go!
Black and White
Marcus and Eddie are best friends who found the strength to break through the racial barrier. Marcus is black; Eddie is white. Stars of their school basketball team, they are true leaders who look past the stereotypes and come out on top. They are inseparable, watching each other’s backs, both on and off the basketball court. But one decision—one mistake—will change their lives forever.
Rooftop
Cousins Clay and Addison were like brothers, growing up together in the projects, until they were ripped apart by a family argument. When they are reunited in a drug-treatment program, they try to work out their issues like a family. But one night, one wrong decision, leaves Clay shaken and Addison dead. And in the rash of events that follow, the truth of what actually happened on the rooftop of the apartment building is caught up in a clash of politics and racial issues. Will Clay be able to rise above the lies and face the truth?
Rucker Park Setup
Rucker Park—a place where some of basketball’s greatest pro players go up against street legends. Best friends Mackey and J.R. have waited their whole lives to win the basketball tournament here. But when the day of an important game arrives, J.R. is fatally stabbed. And while Mackey didn’t wield the knife, he feels responsible. Now he has a score to settle, but the killer is watching his every move. Caught between two opposing forces, Mackey is determined to finish the final game of the Rucker Park Tournament on his own terms. The question is, can he do it?
Three winners will be chosen randomly.
To enter:
1. Leave a comment by midnight EST June 25th, telling me which book you’d like to win (if you have a preference), and I’ll try to accommodate your choice.
2. If you can think of one, please leave a title to a book you’ve read that you think would engage a reluctant or struggling reader. You can still enter the contest either way:-)
Thanks for stopping by!
I used to work in a library, and I always recommended Paul Volponi to kids or parents looking for books for reluctant boy readers.
1. I have not yet read Rooftop, so I would love to win that!
2. Walter Dean Myers is another great author for reluctant readers. I have also recommended Crank by Ellen Hopkins. It’s a gritty novel written in verse and because the experience is not as much as reading a dense page of text some reluctant readers feel more comfortable with this style.
A book that would engage a reluctant reader? How about The Hunger Games? The Lightning Thief? Rick Riordan never fails to engage. Or, Son Of The Mob by Gordon Korman.
I’d like Roof Top. All Paul’s books sound wonderful. And you know what? I’ve never read any of his books. But I will now. Thanks for filling me in about this author, Paul. =)
Thanks for hosting this contest. I’m intrigued by the fact that the author taught at Rikers Island.
1-This is tough, but I’ll say my preference is Black and White.
2-I pick Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. It’s a fast, engaging read.
I’d like to read Black and White. 🙂
A book I would recommend is “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman -it’s absolutely captivating, and even reluctant readers can get into it fast.
Okay, well first of all, Paul sounds amazing. I think all his books sound great, but if I had to pick which I’d start with, I’d pick Rooftop.
I’m racking my brain trying to think of a book I’d recommend to a reluctant reader and I’m not sure I can do it. I never was a reluctant reader and only one of my boys is and he’s enticed by Captain Underpants so I don’t think his choices would exactly meet your criteria, lol.
Can I still enter to win anyway? Great giveaway Paul!
My son really liked Tentacles by Roland Smith. The first book in the series, Cryptid Hunters, was good, but all the action in Tentacles really pulled him in. He’s also a huge fan of the Alex Rider books by Anthony Horowitz and the Skulldugery Pleasant books by Derek Landy.
He’s sounds like a terrific writer! I didn’t want to enter the contest as I don’t have anyone around me to read that particular genre and I don’t write it but wanted to tell you that YES you come across on your blog as a down-to-earth kind of guy:))
Reading any of those three books would be great.
Most of the youth I know are enthusiastic readers, even the guys, who seem to bend toward the likes of Gaiman.
This book is not gritty and the cancer stuff would have some put down but book… BUT, Dede Crane’s “Poster Boy” begins with a guy who has a pretty sweet life: the basement is his suite, AKA his “sweet”, casual drugs, pool, about to get lucky…
Then his little sister is diagnosed with cancer and he goes into overdrive, wanting to be the man and fix it all, even leaving the family to live on his own in the woods and becoming a local celebrity, a poster boy. Kinda cool, this narrator taking control of his life and the family.
I remember as a kid (but not a reluctant reader) being taken in by Claude Brown’s “Manchild in the Promised Land”, sooooooo different from my life, then of course “Catcher” and “Less Than Zero” (which I instantly loved but then in a month hated), both closer to lives I could related to.
Hey PG, Thanks for the kind words about my work. I have a new novel out this year called Rikers High, based on my six years of teaching on Rikers Island in NYC, the world’s largest jail. I feel like it is my best work to date, and there is very little fiction in the book, almost everything in there happened in front of my eyes. Anyone interested in reading an excerpt of Rikers High, or of any on my YA novels can do so at paulvolponibooks.com. I’ve had a wonderful time connecting with teens in library programs and English classrooms across the country concerning the new novel via Skype. It’s always great to talk with teens from different places and see how the feel about so many things. Again, thanks for the kind words PG, and I even saw an Alaska license plate on the road here in NYC a few days ago–Paul Volponi
Nice post. Paul sounds wonderful. Very cool that he helped incarcerated kids.
1. They all sound great, but my first pick would be BLACK AND WHITE.
2. THE LIGHTNING THIEF was what first came to mind. It’s awesome. Some books I have not yet read but have heard are fabulous for reluctant readers are books by Anthony Horowitz. I heard him speak once and he was amazing. Plus he made every kid who came up for his autograph (and there were a lot at the signing) feel special.
I am excited to learn about Paul Valponi… he’s new to me! I will check him out at the library!
I also wanted to share my blog post on Favorite Books for Reluctant Boy Readers (grades 3-6) at http://www.pragmaticmom.com/?page_id=1899
Hope this helps a reluctant boy find a book he loves!
Pragmatic Mom
Type A Parenting for the Modern World
http://PragmaticMom.com
I blog on children’s lit, education and parenting
wow, I’m impressed with both of you Pauls for the work you did with kids. Grateful to you, as well.
My first pick would be Rooftop, and for a rec I wonder if reluctant readers would enjoy MT Anderson’s FEED.
I came back to tell you that I have a blog award for you.
[…] YA Giveaway ends at midnight tonight. Just leave a comment on the Giveaway Post to participate. I’ll […]
I told the boys in the summer reading group I’m running about The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex and they are hopping excited to read that one. I’ve got a bunch of copies on order so we can read it asap.
If I’ve made it in under the wire, I’ll leave choosing which book up to you if I win, Paul. They all sound like books I’d like to check out.
Great contest, btw!
Thanks for commenting and entering my giveaway. I’ll be announcing the winners on Sunday or Monday:-)