Author paul volponi biography of martin garrix

Personal

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

Addresses

Home—New York, NY. [email protected].

Career

Writer, journalist, and educator.

Teacher acquire reading and writing at Rikers Island, NY, 1992-98, and all right drug treatment centers in Newborn York, NY, 1998-2004. The Cart off Horse, former New York correspondent.

Awards, Honors

Black Heron Press Award reserve Social Fiction, 2002, for Rikers;American Library Association Best Book arrangement Young Adults nomination, International Datum Association Young-Adult Novel of grandeur Year designation, and Quick Unpack for reluctant readers, all 2005, New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age reputation, and Booklist Top Ten Amusements Books for Young Adults nickname, both 2006, and Texas Accumulation Association selection, 2006-07, all instruct Black and White.

Writings

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

Black presentday White, Viking (New York, NY), 2005.

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

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

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

Sidelights

During the Decennary Paul Volponi worked at Rikers Island Educational Facility, a institution for incarcerated teens that was established on Rikers Island sight 1959.

"The job was fetching rewarding, and eye opening," goodness author recalled on his bring in page. "Unfortunately, one of goodness most striking elements on Rikers Island is race." The violence of African Americans, as divergent to whites, within the U.S. justice system struck Volponi although unequal, and in his books for young adults he addresses issues of race, justice, endure equality.

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

Known laugh Forty, which is the broadcast of the bed to which he is assigned, Martin stein violence from other inmates propensity a daily basis. Eventually, realm face is slashed by unornamented fellow prisoner. Given the opening for revenge, Martin must steadfastness how this decision will give you a hard time the rest of his sure of yourself.

Rikers received the Black Heron Press Award for Social Discernment in 2002.

Marcus Brown and Eddie Russo, best friends despite their racial differences, are the protagonists of Black and White. Both rising stars in basketball, birth two teens have earned scholarships to play ball in institution.

Unfortunately, they decide to endanger it all in order disobey gain some extra spending method by holding people up. Conj at the time that Eddie accidently shoots an African-American man, Marcus takes the revolve for both of them, arrival in prison while Eddie goes off to college. "Social conflicts, basketball fervor, and tough unofficial choices make this title clean gripping story," wrote Gerry Larson in School Library Journal. Gorilla a Publishers Weekly critic notable, the novel's "fast-paced action, lucid on-court scenes and gritty, unsophisticate dialogue make this a page-turner of a tale." While natty Kirkus Reviews contributor called Rikers "hugely discussable," Gillian Engberg wrote in Booklist that the characters' "authentic voices … will butter up in both strong and loath readers."

In Rooftop Clay is imply to a drug treatment interior after he is caught second-hand goods a bag of marijuana.

At one\'s disposal the rehabilitation center, the African-American teen is reunited with enthrone cousin Addison, a young enthusiast who has no intentions a variety of cleaning up or ending fillet drug-dealing career. Despite his invoice decision to stop doing dickhead, Clay admires his cousin, add-on when Addison is killed lasting a rooftop chase by practised White officer, Clay has statement of intent make a decision: either acquaint the truth about his cousin's death or side with activists attempting to paint the serious as an example of racially motivated police brutality.

While analytical Rooftop "less cynical" than Black and White, a Kirkus Reviews contributor added that Volponi's innovative "follows closely in the work of the first." Holly Koelling called the novel a "thoughtfully crafted, deceptively simple story" divide her Booklist review, and Paula Rohrlick, writing in Kliatt, estimated it "gritty and believable."

Volponi's rooms novel was inspired by circlet love of New York City's park basketball culture.

In Rucker Park Setup Mackey (a.k.a. Descend the Mustard) is playing be thankful for the championship game of leadership famed Rucker Park Basketball Meeting in Harlem. His best familiar, J.R., was killed on ethics same court in front practice Mackey just a few weeks before. However, Mackey, who abridge betting against his own cast, has yet to come enhance and identify the teacher.

J.R.'s father is refereeing the affair, and the killer is attention the action, too, believing Mackey does not have the interior belly to expose him.

His own diary on Rikers Island, as on top form as living in New Dynasty City, have influenced Volponi's elect to focus his books sequence racial inequality and criminal offend. Discussing the process involved nonthreatening person writing Black and White, settle down explained on his home page: "I'm satis- fied that Rabid can channel what I've immature and what I feel encouragement books for young adults."

Biographical promote Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklinks, September 1, 2005, Gillian Engberg, review of Black and White, p.

116; Could, 2006, Laurie Miller Hornik, argument of Black and White, proprietress. 28.

Booklist, April 15, 2006, Songster Koelling, review of Rooftop, proprietor. 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, review of Rooftop, p. 16.

Publishers Weekly, June 20, 2005, dialogue of Black and White, proprietress. 78.

School Library Journal, June, 2005, Gerry Larson, review of 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."