Rooftoppers

Starred review from July 29, 2013
A baby found floating in a cello case in the English Channel, and Charles Maxim, a scholar and fellow survivor of a mysterious shipwreck, become an unconventional family, guided by the philosophy that “You should never ignore a possible.” Permissive but caring, Charles lets the baby, whom he names Sophie, write on walls, eat off books, climb things, and indulge in “mother-watching” as the years pass, until unwanted attention from the National Childcare Agency sends them in search of Sophie’s cello-playing mother. In Paris, 12-year-old Sophie takes to the rooftops, guided by irrepressible roof-dweller Matteo, an orphanage escapee who literally shows her the ropes; in one breathtaking scene, he walks her on a tightrope between buildings (“Grip with your toes. Left. Stop. Do not look down”). Eccentric, tactile food imagery appears throughout, from Charles’s pork pie served on the Bible to Matteo’s fresh-cooked rat. While the children’s uncanny survival skills take occasionally graphic turns, as in a brutal fight between rooftopper tribes, the beauty of sky, music, and the belief in “extraordinary things” triumph in this whimsical and magical tale. Ages 8–12. Agent: Claire Wilson, Rogers, Coleridge & White.

Sophie is a shipwreck survivor, found floating in a cello case in the English Channel. With no clue other than the case, she and her unorthodox guardian set out to find Sophie's mother, who is presumed dead. Employing believable accents and creating engaging characterizations, Nicola Barber takes listeners on a linguistic flight of fancy that moves from staid England to the dreamlike but treacherous rooftops of Paris. There Sophie enlists the help of Matteo, a young scamp, and his ragtag band of homeless "rooftoppers." Barber transitions seamlessly from Sophie's earnest, determined tone and English accent to the polite discourse of her guardian and the unrefined yet cosmopolitan French spoken by the rooftoppers. L.T. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

February 1, 2014

Gr 3-7-A child's life started anew on its first birthday when she was found floating in a cello case after a shipwreck in the English Channel. After being rescued by a fellow passenger, Charles Maxim, she was named Sophie, and she had a happy though unconventional childhood with Charles. He was a memorable guardian: eccentric, loved and loving, and unmarried. None of this presented a huge problem until Sophie's 12th birthday when Sophie's trousers, lack of training in womanly arts, and other idiosyncrasies of the household were no longer acceptable to a rigid child welfare investigator, and Charles is informed that she will no longer be allowed to live with him; young ladies must have proper training, which is more readily available in an orphanage. Uncovering a clue in her cello case, Charles and Sophie set off to find Sophie's long-lost mother. Their quest takes them to Paris, where Charles pursues conventional lines of inquiry, while Sophie heads to the roofs of the city with a new friend, Matteo, and other "rooftoppers," orphaned children who live high above the city streets. Rich description brings scenes vividly into focus, as does the humorous interplay between characters. The mystery and magic of this exciting story (S & S, 2013) are enhanced by Nicola Barber's perfectly paced reading, well delivered all the way to the tale's satisfying conclusion.-Maria Salvadore, formerly of District of Columbia Public Library

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.