Rooftop

Rooftop is another excellent book by Mr. Volponi. I'm very shocked there is only review for this amazing book. Once again Mr. Volponi is able to capture the harsh reality of inner city life without being preachy or condescending. Clay is arrested for smoking pot while his cousin Addison is a crack dealer. Both attend Daytop, which is a day treatment program to help teens stay away from drugs and make better choices. Clay struggles to stay clean and tries to get his GED. Meanwhile, Addison has a harder time of leaving his past behind and goes back to his old ways. One night, Addison chases another teen who owes him money. Up on the rooftop a terrible incident occurs and Addison is shot by a white police officer in front of Clay. Clay has to make a choice. Does he fold to community pressure or does he tell the truth about what really happened that night? Students who liked Black & White will enjoy Rooftop. I highly recommend this book. The characters are gritty and real. The language, while may shock some, is realistic and needed in this book. Overall, this was a great book and one teenage boys will love. I look forward to Hurricane Song later this year.

In ROOFTOP, Clay, arrested for drug possession, is enrolled in a special program called Daytop. It's for teens on parole. Kids report to the Daytop Center during the day where counselors (recovering drug offenders themselves) run a strict program complete with a philosophy statement, chores and responsibilities, study time for the GED, and a sense of family most of the kids are missing. At Daytop, Clay runs into a cousin he hasn't seen in awhile. The two are happy to be back together, but there is tension because Addison still lives in the projects and is actively involved in some nasty stuff. Clay's goal is to get free of drugs and make something of himself. His father is his role-model. Clay's dad has been able to beat the odds and build a laundry business from scratch and move his family out of the housing projects to the other side of the street. His dream is to see Clay not only earn his GED, but also go on to college. Even though Clay's home life is better than Addison's, he is still surrounded by less desirable elements on the streets and in school. He struggles to stay clean and pass his urine/drug tests. Another run-in for smoking pot and he'll be in jail for real. Running with Addison one night, Clay ends up on a rooftop chasing Clorox, who owes Addison money. Clorox gets away, but when the two cousins try to follow him, they are met by the police. Thinking the cops are really Clorox and his gang, Addison grabs his wallet and fakes that it is a gun. The cops open fire, and Addison is hit by a fatal shot in the chest. Having a seemingly innocent kid shot by the cops doesn't sit well in the projects. Family and friends are out to get the guilty cop sent to jail. The entire community becomes involved in trying to settle the score. Volponi draws the reader into the tough lives of his characters. Vivid action and rough language paint a clear picture of life on the inner city streets. Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"