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)