Paris, France, orphan, 19th Century, adventure, music, family
Rooftoppers
by Katherine Rundell
Key information
Author: Katherine Rundell
Release Date:7th March 2013
Book type: Chapter, 288 pages, paperback
Star rating: ★★★★★
Reader level: Confident reader (content 8+)
Age: Year 3+
Overview
Everyone tells Sophie that she was orphaned in a shipwreck - found floating in a cello case on the English Channel on her first birthday. But Sophie is convinced her mother also survived.
When the Welfare Agency threatens to separate her from her guardian and send her to an orphanage, Sophie takes matters into her own hands, starting with the only clue she has - the address of a cello-maker in Paris. On the run from the authorities, Sophie finds Matteo and his network of rooftoppers - urchins who walk tightropes and live in the sky. In a race across the rooftops of Paris, will they be able to find her mother before it's too late?
Hopeful, inspiring and thrilling in equal measure, this is a classic adventure story about pursuing your dreams and never ignoring a possible.
Key themes/concepts
- Orphan
- Family
- Determination
- Stereotypes
- Love
- Friendship
- Bravery
Considerations
- Drowning
- Loss of parents
- Orphan
Curriculum links
Geography - France, Paris
Additional teaching opportunities
1. Writing
- Setting description
- Character description
- Dialogue (between Sophie and Charles)
- Letter (from the Welfare Agency to Sophie)
- Diary entry (Sophie or one of the Rooftoppers)
- Newspaper article (sinking of the ship/Sophie missing)
2. Art
- French landscape
- Paris landscape
- Famous artwork (The Louvre)
- Eiffel Tower
3. PSHE
- Families
- Morality (Should Sophie be able to stay with Charles?)
- Stereotypes (how does Sophie challenge traditional female protagonists?)
Vocabulary
Rooftoppers has a variety of rich vocabulary to explore making it an excellent resource in classrooms
| Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|
| orphan, scholar, participants, assume, extraordinary, acquiring, ward, temporary, bewildered, impenetrable, extravagant | Cello, Paris, Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Welfare Agency, English Channel, aristocratic, |
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