Books with author Paul Volponi

Martin was sitting on the front stoop of his apartment building minding his own business when he was arrested for something he didn?t even mean to do. Five months later, he?s still locked up on Rikers Island, in a New York City jail. Just when it seems things couldn?t get much worse, Martin is caught between two warring prisoners, and his face is slashed. Now he?ll be forever marked with a prison scar. One good thing comes from the attack: Martin is transferred to a different part of Rikers where inmates are required to attend high school. If Martin opens up to a teacher who really seems to care, perhaps he?ll learn a lesson more valuable than any taught in class. An award-winning author, Paul Volponi is uniquely qualified to tell Martin?s story because he taught on Rikers Island for six years. He originally wrote Rikers for an adult audience. The book has been revised for young adults and is being republished as Rikers High.

Huck Porter’s dad was the best poker player in town, and when he dies suddenly, Huck finds that nothing makes sense anymore—except for the game Texas Hold ’em. Huck’s dad was the town champion for three years running, but now that title belongs to Mr. Abbott, Huck’s deplorable math teacher who ridicules his students and dreams of hitting it big in Las Vegas. Huck plans to reclaim his father’s title at the annual local poker tournament—even if it means lying to everyone he knows and loves. As his lies build and the stakes get higher, will Huck even recognize himself by the end?

Clay is committed to cleaning up his act. He’s at Daytop, a drug treatment facility, working towards getting his GED and kicking his drug habit. Then one day his estranged cousin, Addison, shows up at the program. Addison’s a bigger, bolder version of Clay: he’s older, he’s into harder drugs, and he’s in more trouble.That trouble comes to a head one tragic night on a rooftop when Addison is shot by the police as Clay stands just a few steps away. Addison wasn’t armed. He didn’t deserve to die. But was he completely innocent? And what will prove more difficult for Clay—living a lie, or facing the truth?

When Huck Porter's dad suddenly dies, it feels like nothing will ever make sense again. Huck's "best friend" thinks that Huck should just get over it, the girl he likes won't give him the time of day, and his mom now works all hours at a roadside diner to make ends meet. The only thing that still makes sense for Huck is the game his dad taught him, the game they spent hours playing together: Texas hold'em. Worse than all of that, though, is Huck's math teacher, Mr. Abbott -- a hungry card shark with an ego to match his appetite. He now wears the local poker tournament's first prize, a silver watch that Huck's dad wore proudly for three years. So Huck hatches a plan to knock Abbott off his throne and win back the watch. Only, bluffing his way into the tournament will mean lying to everyone Huck knows. But as Huck gets deeper in the tournament and starts to lose himself in the cards, he begins to wonder who he'll be when the last hand is played. Raw and gritty, Paul Volponi's novel about grief, family, and poker is an adrenaline rush that starts with a bang and doesn't let up until the final page is turned. A coming-of-age story set at a card table, The Hand You're Dealt will leave readers wondering what they would risk in a game.

How did author Edgar Allen Poe influence the naming of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens? What major historical events inspired the naming of the Philadelphia 76ers, San Francisco 49ers, and Oklahoma Sooners? And what caused the NBA’s Washington Bullets to change their name to the Wizards? In That’s My Team! The History, Science, and Fun behind Sports Teams’ Names, Paul Volponi shares the answers to these questions and more. Leading readers on a fast-paced journey through different parts of the United States and the world, Volponi reveals fascinating pieces of information on pop culture, history, science, literature, and a slew of other subjects through the lens of sports. While examining how teams from a variety of sports received their names, he also includes segments on Native Americans, minorities overcoming prejudice, and the growth of women’s sports.That’s My Team! features fifteen challenges that test the knowledge readers have gained through the chapters, while three “timeouts” provide readers with opportunities to create meaningful names for their own brand new sports teams. Both reluctant and sports-crazed readers, teens and preteens alike, will find this book an exciting way to learn about a variety of subjects through their favorite sports teams.

Hurricane Katrina is raging and you are inside the Superdome! Miles has only lived in New Orleans with his dad, a musician, for a few months when Hurricane Katrina hits. Father and son haven?t exactly been getting along. Miles is obsessed with football; his dad?s passion is jazz. But when the storm strikes, they?re forced to work through their differences to survive a torturous few days in the Superdome. Paul Volponi, known for writing books that capture the pulse of urban life in New York City, creates a gripping hour-by-hour portrayal of what life was like for those left behind once the floodwaters began to rise.

When Huck Porter's dad suddenly dies, it feels like nothing will ever make sense again. Huck's "best friend" thinks that Huck should just get over it, the girl he likes won't give him the time of day, and his mom now works all hours at a roadside diner to make ends meet. The only thing that still makes sense for Huck is the game his dad taught him, the game they spent hours playing together: Texas hold'em. Worse than all of that, though, is Huck's math teacher, Mr. Abbott -- a hungry card shark with an ego to match his appetite. He now wears the local poker tournament's first prize, a silver watch that Huck's dad wore proudly for three years. So Huck hatches a plan to knock Abbott off his throne and win back the watch. Only, bluffing his way into the tournament will mean lying to everyone Huck knows. But as Huck gets deeper in the tournament and starts to lose himself in the cards, he begins to wonder who he'll be when the last hand is played. Raw and gritty, Paul Volponi's novel about grief, family, and poker is an adrenaline rush that starts with a bang and doesn't let up until the final page is turned. A coming-of-age story set at a card table, The Hand You're Dealt will leave readers wondering what they would risk in a game.

Best friends Mackey and J.R. have waited their whole lives to win the basketball tournament at Rucker Park, where their favorite pro ballers squared off against street legends. But the day of their big game, J.R. is fatally stabbed—and it’s Mackey’s fault, even though he didn’t wield the knife. Now Mackey has a score to settle, but the killer is watching his every move.

Noah and his friends go to a predominantly white neighborhood with a plan: steal a car, sell it to a chop shop, and make some fast cash. But that never happens. Instead, Noah, a teen father, is the victim of a vicious beating that leaves him with a fractured skull. Was the attacker just protecting his turf, or did he assault Noah because he?s black? Awardwinning author Paul Volponi, known for his brutally honest portrayals of the moral complexities of urban life, uses alternating perspective to give readers a fascinating and chilling insight into the minds of those on both sides of a hate crime.