Rooftoppers

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The plot follows the two as they flee the authorities to France to search for Sophie's lost mother. Sophie discovers a secret world on the roofs of Paris where dirty, poor, clever "rooftopper" children run free from the watchful eyes on the streets. I don’t really have that much to say about this book because I just really enjoyed it and it’s pretty much as simple as that. From the first line [ “On the morning of its first birthday, a baby was found floating in a cello case in the middle of the English Channel” ] I was tangled up in this gorgeous, unique and extremely heart-warming story about a girl with hair the colour of lightning who is searching for her mum after being rescued from a sinking ship by an eccentric man named Charles*. A brilliant new edition to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Katherine Rundell's modern classic tale of wild hope and thrilling adventure on the rooftops of Paris. This limited edition features the celebratory cover roundel and an extra letter from Katherine Rundell. Let me just talk about my love for the characters. Sophie and Charles were impossible not to grow fond of. When Sophie was a baby Charles found her floating on the English Channel in a cello case and took her in to raise her in his humble, book-filled apartment. numerous descriptions of the Paris skyline from the rooftops, yet not a single mention of Tour Eiffel and Sacre Coeur, the two landmarks that are visible from any high point in the city.

Charles and Sophie go to the police station to find out if Vivienne was on the records of the sinking ship. The police refuse to let them see the ship’s records, which makes Charles and Sophie suspicious . Mostly, though, it made me think of A Little Princess, with a very different sense of social justice: no romanticizing of the diamond mines into something out of The Arabian Nights; no meek and grateful poor children, and no patient suffering. Sophie is a wonderful character, the rooftoppers she meets are heartbreaking and yet so strong, and I fell head over heels with Charles. It's whimsical and funny, too, which I don't think of A Little Princess as being, and yet ... that rooftop feast, for hungry Matteo (and Sophie, though hers was a voluntary hunger!), had the same emotional payoff as the one from the earlier book.

The setting moves between the rooftops of London and Paris as our charming pair of criminals run from the authorities who wish to take Sophie away. Behind this, though, is the search for Sophie's mother and all they have to lead the way is the cello and it's music. From a plaque on her cello case, Sophie believes that her mother lives in Paris, so they decide to travel to France to escape the authorities who want to take Sophie away from Charles. I loved this quote, which takes place when a lady from the authorities comes to their house to say that Charles cannot look after Sophie because it really shines a light on Charles' character: "Your powers of observation are formidable," said Charles. "You are a credit to your optician." They have to travel very carefully to avoid being caught and Sophie has to cover her head because her hair is described as "being the colour of lightning" and therefore very recognisable.

There are thousands and thousands of things we have not believed that turned out to be true. [...] One should not ingore the smallest glimmer of possiblity."This would be a beautiful gift for a mother to give to her young daughter, but it goes deeper and is so much more than that, unwritten, unspoken, unbroken bond. It is about the power of love, in all its many forms, all of them fierce and loyal. Embrace possibility and let Sophie’s music take you to the rooftops of Paris. It is about hope and belief, about following your inner voice, listening to your senses and letting the music play on, play on, play on. All wrapped up in luscious, chocolaty prose. Book Genre: Adventure, Childrens, Cultural, Fantasy, Fiction, France, Historical, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Mystery, Young Adult

An inspirational topic to inspire KS2 children to follow their dreams. A fabulous new children's classic by Katherine Rundell. Sophie looked down at herself. She fingered the material. It felt quite normal to her; still a little stiff from the shop, but otherwise fine. "How can you tell it's not a girl's shirt?" she asked. I do, I'm afraid, understand books far more readily than I understand people. Books are so easy to get along with. The prose may seem at times a little condescending toward kids and preachy, but I must point out again that its intended audience is 10 years old kids, and not fifty-somethings. Adjectives like 'bouncy' , 'twirling', 'skipping'. 'dancing' and 'singing' are a good indicator for a happy story, yet the author is skillful enough to introduce in the text powerful critical comments about the way we treat orphans and the way we stifle imagination in young children. There were a few missteps that pulled me out of the story several times, but they all can be dismissed as grown-up foibles, so I decided to put them in spoilers, and not to detract from the overall positive impression this short story left.several times the claim is made that women rarely play the cello. I am not sure what the intended timeline of the story is, but I would like to point out that my favorite virtuoso on the instrument is Jacqueline du Pre.

Hopeful, inspiring and thrilling in equal measure, this is a classic adventure story about pursuing your dreams and never ignoring a possible.

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It's true that this is a children's book, but I think readers of all ages will be able to enjoy it. The setting is in England and France and the descriptions of the cities are gorgeous—French pastry shops, parks, bridges, and streets.