Rucker Park Setup

Author: Paul Volponi

Bibliographic Info:

Volponi, Paul. (2007). Rucker park setup. New York: Speak.

Descriptive Summary:

Mackey must find the strength and courage to come forward after his friend and basketball teammate, J.R., is stabbed to death. But those qualities aren't so quick to come to the fore, especially given Mackey's role in J.R.'s murder. In basketball, everyone's counting on Mackey to come up big, that's the easy part. The hard part is coming up big when he knows he'll be letting everyone down.

Evaluative comments with rating:

5/5 TVs - TVs are dated, reading isn't - pick up this book!

Volponi's (and Rucker Park Setup's) strength is dialogue. Often when reading YA novels, the dialogue sticks out like a sore thumb and seems dated, that isn't the case with Volponi. His characters speak like kids speak, they think like kids speak and that's what makes his work so realistic. It's also precisely why the stakes in Rucker Park Setup matter, the reader cares about the characters because they're believable. Volponi's writing is deft and difficult, the conclusion of Rucker Park Setup isn't happy, pat, or simplistic, but it is very real and that's why this is book is worth recommending.

Suggested Audience (age range): 12-16 (some strong language and violence)

Readers’ advisory notes:

Appeal factors: Issue-oriented, disturbing, emotionally intense, suspenseful, slang-heavy, moving

Readalikes: Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm - Percy Carey, Snitch - Allison van Diepen, The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton, Bluford High: Blood is Thicker - Paul Langan, Bronx Masquerade - Nikki Grimes

Booktalking hook:

From page 11:

"Stove's got the game ball under his arm and a whistle hanging from his neck. Only J.R.'s not here—because I fucked up so bad. And his killer's standing right there, cool as anything, like he doesn't have to think twice about me giving him up."

Reason for inclusion: Familiarity with the book and author from shelving it

Category:  Urban Fiction/Street Lit/Thriller/Murder/Realistic

Response

Author: Paul Volponi

Bibliographic Info:

Volponi, Paul. (2009). Response. New York: Speak.

Descriptive Summary:

Three high school friends, in need of quick cash, devise a low risk plan to steal a Lexus and pass it off to a local chop shop. The fast cash is alluring to Noah, who is a already a father, and too hard to pass up. Things don't go quite as planned and Noah winds up on the receiving end of a baseball bat from a white attacker. Was Noah a victim of a hate crime? Is Noah ready to be a man and take responsibility for his own actions?

Evaluative comments with rating:
4/5 TVs - Much better than after school special/movie of the week

Volponi's dialogue and experiences with the justice system are his strengths in Response - a quick meaningful read that explores issues of coming of age and racism. Response isn't quite as strong as Rucker Park Setup and it might be because the territory seems slightly well-worn and the ending seems just a little too easy. That's not to say that Volponi isn't lobbing any softballs when it comes to race relations here. Response reads like a modern-day version of Do The Right Thing, but only maybe with a little more realism (if that's possible). Volponi does his best with a complicated issue, it's not his best work, but it's a far sight better than a lot of attempts at understanding the complex nature of hate crimes. A worthy read for anyone with an interest in Urban Fiction.

Suggested Audience (age range):14-18 (some strong language and violence)

Readers’ advisory notes:

Appeal factors:
Issue-oriented, disturbing, emotionally intense, suspenseful, dialogue-rich, reflective

Readalikes: The Skin I'm In - Sharon Flake, The Bully/The Gun - Paul Langan, Monster - Walter Dean Myers, Dark Dude - Oscar Hijuelos, You Don't Even Know Me: Stories and Poems About Boys - Sharon Flake, After Tupac and D Foster - Jacqueline Woodson

Booktalking hook:

To what extent do you think hate crimes occur in Nova Scotia? What about in Halifax?

Reason for inclusion: Familiarity with the author from shelving.

Category: Urban Fiction/Street Lit/Race Relations