Skysteppers: World Book Day 2021

by Katherine Rundell

High above the streets of Paris live the rooftoppers, a secret gang of children who eat, sleep and tumble amongst the chimney pots.

But for Matteo and Mercedes the adventure is only just beginning, as the pair find themselves on a wild hunt across Paris - tearing over the roofs in search of hidden treasure in a race against an enemy who would seek to destroy that which they love best.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Contemporary, Adventure, Short Stories

Paperback

Published February 25, 2021

About the author

Katherine Rundell was born in 1987 and grew up in Africa and Europe. In 2008 she was elected a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford. Her first book, The Girl Savage, was born of her love of Zimbabwe and her own childhood there; her second, Rooftoppers, was inspired by summers working in Paris and by night-time trespassing on the rooftops of All Souls. She is currently working on her doctorate alongside an adult novel.

Source: Katherine Rundell

Reviews

[Jessica Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading a Rundell book is like embracing a warm hug. Her voice, her stories, are SO good for the soul. And I always come away with a sense of my inner child wonder rekindled. (It was also utterly joyous to step back into the world of Rooftoppers.) Rundell is one of the greatest children's writers in my eyes. A classic. A genius. And certainly one of my biggest inspirations.

[memo · Rating 5 out of 5]

have i mentioned how much i love katherine rundell's books?

[Lesley Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you get a free £1 book, you don't feel like you can really expect much from it. If it's rubbish, oh well, it was free. Well, this book was AMAZING. We loved Rooftoppers so much we've bought it as a gift for a friend's birthday, and this prequel was everything you could wish for. We loved hearing about Matteo's earlier life, and bumping into familiar characters and settings. I think it helps that we've been to Paris so we can picture ourselves in the locations, but they're so well described anyway. Sophie Anderson has a really delightful way of combining words and phrases to create unexpected images and ideas. We giggled lots about the Tree Girls and again when Matteo was eating the gold leaf.

[Elsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book and full of adventure.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book for World Book Day! I am now reading Rooftoppers because I really liked it! I have also read The Explorer and The Girl Savage which are really good books! I actually like this one a bit more! 😀

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

To begin with, I was not expecting much from this book. I was looking forward to the storyline, however, as it is short it seems hard to expect a high quality read. Despite this, the book did not disappoint. I enjoyed the lighthearted feel to the story and the welcoming felling when you read a Rundell book. Her stories are captivating and beautifully written. What a wonderful book and a nice short story. As they say, quality over quantity.

[Meshua Arcieri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skysteppers è un racconto prequel di ‘Sophie sui tetti di Parigi’ incentrato su Matteo e i bambini che vivono sui tetti di Parigi.

Questa lettura è stata una sfida con me stessa: da anni volevo leggere qualcosa in lingua e finalmente ce l’ho fatta. Lo so che sono solo poco più di 100 pagine, ma comunque per me è una sfida portata a termine.

Tornando alla storia posso dire che ho apprezzato molto questo racconto incentrato su Matteo e sugli altri bambini/ ragazzi. Mi ha fatto molta tenerezza leggere di queste creature che già così piccole si trovano senza nessuno che si occupi di loro e che quindi devono imparare ad affrontare la vita da soli. Mi sarebbe piaciuto conoscere qualcosa di più sulle loro vite, mentre l’autrice si è concentrata più sull’azione.

Matteo conosce Mercedes, un’altra bambina che come lui vive sui tetti e insieme a lei decide di aiutare due donne sfrattate da casa loro da un uomo violento. Scoprono che quest’uomo è alla ricerca del tesoro del Conte di Montecristo e allora decidono di trovarlo prima di lui per poter aiutare le due donne.

Quando mi capita di trovare degli elementi in comune tra i libri che leggo mi piace pensare ad una sorta di ‘serendipity’. Quindi vi lascio immaginare il mio stupore quando ho visto il nome del Conte di Montecristo, libro che ho iniziato negli scorsi mesi e che ancora non ho portato a termine. Mi piace molto trovare queste coincidenze nei libri, penso sia una sorta di segno del destino.

Comunque in conclusione posso dire che la Rundelle si riconferma come una delle scrittrici per ragazzi più talentose scoperte fino ad ora. Anche in un racconto di poco più di 100 pagine è riuscita a tenere alta l’attenzione e a creare una storia con qualcosa da raccontare.

[Rachel Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been in a bit of a slump since reading Addie LaRue, so I thought a Middle Grade short story would help.

I finished Skysteppers yesterday and used the #CAWPILE system for the first time to rate this book (created by Book Roast).

Although I only gave this book 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I think it was a wonderful story and perfect for its Middle Grade audience. It’s diverse, and fun, plus Katherine Rundell managed to pack a lot into 150 pages.

However, Skysteppers didn’t capture my interest like it might have done for someone of the target age, and the narrative wasn’t as fast paced as I’d hoped to pull me out of my slump. So, that’s why it averaged out as a 3 for me on the CAWPILE system.

I went into this book without knowing much about it, but despite my three star rating, I would definitely recommend this book if you want something light to read.

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

High above the streets of Paris live the rooftoppers, a secret gang of children who eat, sleep and tumble amongst the chimney pots. But for Matteo and Mercedes the adventure is only just beginning, as the pair find themselves on a wild treasure hunt across Paris with an greedy enemy in tow...

This was a great little read and reawakened the child in me that loved these kind of stories when I was a kid! It made me want to watch an old BBC kids movie called The Theif Lord - similar but based in Venice! A really great little adventure read with some comedy moments. I think an adult will love reading this as much as their kids do!

'Matteo, without knowing it, had spent his life homesick for the sky, and he had come home to it, and he flew through it: running, leaping, skystepping.'

[Xena Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short children's book that is set in Paris. We follow two characters a boy named Matteo who finds a new world up in the air on top of roofs. One night he meets mercedes a cat lover that believes in being the guardian angel to two old women. When their home is repossessed they have nowhere to go but the streets. With homelessness being illegal, A mystery to unravel and a greedy villan. This book is perfect for kids and adults alike. It had me laughing and wondering. All in all its the perfect short book to make you feel like a child again. I would also like to recommend this author as a whole. As her books truly show us what it feels like to be an innocent and playful child.

[Haley Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a HUGE katherine Rundell fan!! I've read every book she has written and never been disappointed and this was no different.

A short book that can be read with before or after roof toppers (after for me as I had previously read rooftoppers) but again I was hooked from the first page!! A brilliant story of children who live on the roofs of some of the most famous building in Paris, who have next to nothing to their name, but embark on an adventure to find treasure which will help 2 elderly women survive

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short World Book Day book from the fabulous Katherine Rundell. As with all of Katherine's books, this has adventure at its heart. Set a few years before Rooftoppers*, the reader is introduced to Matteo who escapes among the Paris roof tops and meets others who make their lives there.

A quick but fabulous read, which is being enjoyed by many in my class.

*It doesn't matter if you read this before, after or at the same time as Rooftoopers - the stories stand aline.

[Denise Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matteo lives on the rooftops in Paris. One day he meets a girl called Mercedes and discovers a whole community of roof dwelling children. Add in two old ladies who have been cheated out of a fortune and so begins a race across the rooftops to solve a puzzle and find the treasure before it’s too late to save them.

This is a great little adventure story.

[Kell · Rating 3 out of 5]

52 Book Challenge 2021
#41. Endorsement from a famous author on cover

Fun little novella, published for World Book Day 2021, featuring homeless children in Paris (although a time period isn't specified, it feels like Victoriana). A mystery is waiting to be solved, and it will take all the rooftop urchins working together to solve it and save the day.

[Klara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit wary of this book when I first received it, but now I can say that it's fantastic. The plot and characters are amazing, I love Leo and his optimism, and I love Matteo and his weird sense of humour and his witty and sarcastic comebacks. Truly well done to Ms. Rundell for producing such a magnificent story.

[Ciara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a nice book with unusual adventures in the aim of saving two women from being homeless from danglers. I felt the ending was a bit rushed and Mercedes had just left in the end all of a sudden. Matteo was my favourite as he was brave and fearless. The girls in the tree were very funny and Mercedes came across to me as very intelligent. A good read overall for a short read.

[Raygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally think that Skysteppers is an extraordinary, gripping book, and is so fabulous - the characters are amazing, the setting is dazzling, and the plot is so incredible that I don't even know how to explain it!

I would've rated this book 5/5, however I wish it was (a bit) longer!

[Mrs Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!! I am still on the fence over Rooftoppers and haven’t been a fan of all the World Book Day short stories. This however has COMPLETELY changed my opinion. Skysteppers is everything and more. I love the back story of Matteo, the mystery and the true friendship shown!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This was a quick, cute, fun read. I loved the setting of mid to late 1800s Paris and the hints of history added into the story. It seems like a brilliant concept and I can many younger readers enjoying this, and also maybe Rooftoppers. Speaking of, I will have to pick this up when I can.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. The characters were fantastic and worked well together.
It's a great plot.

[Rebecca Stevenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book I liked almost all the characters and I thought the plot was actually really good for such a small book.I will definitely be picking up the second book.

[Esmae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick, easy book to read perfect for 8-12 year olds. This was a great World book day choice!

[donna craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

as with all Katherine's books I loved this one .only problem is it wasn't long enough looking forward to her publishing more

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost a five-star book - definitely better than the last four-star book I added.

[RuthyMB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little book!

[Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absoloutely loved it!

[Kim Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally brilliant! Who wouldn’t enjoy a book where a child picks her nose and wipes it on a passing squirrel?

[Pia]

IT WAS GREAT

[EdenB15 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good enuff for the price

[lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This blew me away (considering the size) and I cannot wait to read rooftoppers