Rooftop

This book should be on your high school reading list.
It's a well written account of one boy's struggle to overcome his circumstances.

Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

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 show more 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. show less

Clay meets up with a long-lost cousin, Addison, who used to be almost like a brother to him. The two inadvertently reunite when both are in a drug-treatment program in New York City called Daytop. Addison is worried about this own little brother, who is wanting to deal crack, and about his own debts dealing drugs. One night, on the way to a celebration at Daytop, Clay and Addison chase Clorox-- another Daytop member who owes Addison money-- to the rooftop of an apartment building in their urban housing area. Addison is accidentally shot and killed by a white police officer, touching off racial tensions in the community and emotional struggles within Clay as he tries to understand everything. Like Black and White, Rooftop is a show more suspenseful book that raises more questions than it answers. The reader is left to analyze the character's decisions and future outcomes, which makes the book stronger as it forces the reader to be actively involved in the thought processes of characters that we care about. Can Clay get past the half-truths and self-promoters, and does he have the courage to say what really happened that night on the Rooftop? show less

This turned out better than I expected it would be. I loved the portrayal of Clay's emotional conflict and the eventual resolution. Not the best book, but not a bad one either.

Clay and Addison are cousins. They both live in the projects. They are both in rehab. However, their path out of rehab will be quite different. Clay, who has been in the Daytop program for awhile has already sworn off drugs, forged friendships and is on the path to pass the GED and attend college. Addison is still dealing drugs and will never get a chance to take the GED. One night, up on a rooftop, he is shot by a police officer as Clay watches helplessly. The family and the community are outraged. But Clay knows Addison is not completely innocent. Does Clay dare say what he knows and risk the community's anger? This is a realistic story of the pressures placed on teens who grow up in the projects and provides a realistic if not wholly show more satisfying conclusion. show less

Good urban boy read. The dog element of the story was odd, but it all makes sense in the end. You feel very torn with the character's conflicts--I don't know if I agree with his choices, but I still understand them.

Volponi, author of Black and White, is back on the streets with another tale of teens caught up in drugs, crime, and a shot at redemption. Like in Black and White, the book spins on the central question of working up the nerve to tell the truth. Clay and his cousin Addison meet up in the same drug program. A disagreement about money with another teen (Clorox) leads Clay and Addison to the rooftop of a building where a tragedy occurs. Addison is accidentally shot by the police, and Clay must decide how much, and to whom, to tell the truth. With echoes of real life events and people (an Al Sharpton clone is central to the story), and issues regarding racism dealt with head on, Volponi's quickly paced story should attract reluctant and show more avid readers. Review originally appeared in Novelist. show less