About Paul Volponi

Paul Volponi is the author of 20 books, mostly for young adults. He visits their classrooms, either in-person or via video-conferencing, to encourage their own journey as readers and writers.

Teachers and librarians can contact Paul at pavolpo@cs.com to arrange a visit with their students.

Paul Volponi is a writer, teacher, and journalist living in New York City. From 1992-1998, he taught incarcerated teens on Rikers Island to read and write. That experience formed the basis of his ALA Award-winning novels Rikers High and Black and White. From 1999-2005, Paul taught teens in drug treatment programs, inspiring his ALA Award-winning novel Rooftop. As a journalist, Paul covers the sport of Thoroughbred racing for the national publication The Blood-Horse.


Literary Awards

BLACK AND WHITE:

  • Winner of the IRA Children's Book Award (Young Adult Fiction)
  • ALA Best Book Young Adult
  • ALA Quick Pick (Top 10)
  • NY Public Library Book for the Teen Age
  • TAYSHAS List (Texas Library Association)

THE FINAL FOUR:

  • ALA Best Fiction Young Adult
  • ALA Quick Pick
  • Junior Literary Guild Selection
  • TAYSHAS List (Texas Library Association)
  • South Carolina Children's Young Adult Book Award (Nominee)
  • Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee)
  • Pennsylvania's Young Readers Choice Award (Nominee)
  • Rhode Island Teen Book Award (Nominee)
  • Grand Canyon Reader Award (Recommended)
  • Keystone to Reading Book Award (Nominee)
  • Nutmeg Book Award (Nominee)

ROOFTOP:

  • ALA Best Book Young Adult
  • ALA Quick Pick
  • New York City Library Book for the Teen Age
  • Junior Literary Guild Selection
  • Tayshas List (Texas Library Association)
  • Abe Lincoln Award (Nominee)

RIKERS HIGH:

  • ALA Quick Pick (Top 10)
  • Junior Library Guild Selection
  • Abe Lincoln Award (Nominee)

GAME SEVEN:

  • Junior Literary Guild Selection

RUCKER PARK SETUP:

  • ALA Quick Pick
  • NY Public Library Book for the Teen Age
  • Junior Library Guild Selection
  • TAYSHAS List (Texas Library Association)
  • Abe Lincoln Award (Nominee)

RESPONSE:

  • ALA Quick Pick
  • Junior Library Guild Selection
  • TAYSHAS List (Texas Library Association)

THE HAND YOU'RE DEALT:

  • ALA Quick Pick
  • TAYSHAS List (Texas Library Association)