The Hand You're Dealt

By Volponi, Paul

Publishers Summary:
When Huck Porter's dad suddenly dies, it feels like nothing will ever make sense again. Huck's "best friend" thinks that Huck should just get over it, the girl he likes won't give him the time of day, and his mom now works all hours at a roadside diner to make ends meet. The only thing that still makes sense for Huck is the game his dad taught him, the game they spent hours playing together: Texas hold'em. Worse than all of that, though, is Huck's math teacher, Mr. Abbott -- a hungry card shark with an ego to match his appetite. He now wears the local poker tournament's first prize, a silver watch that Huck's dad wore proudly for three years. So Huck hatches a plan to knock Abbott off his throne and win back the watch. Only, bluffing his way into the tournament will mean lying to everyone Huck knows. But as Huck gets deeper in the tournament and starts to lose himself in the cards, he begins to wonder who he'll be when the last hand is played. Raw and gritty, Paul Volponi's novel about grief, family, and poker is an adrenaline rush that starts with a bang and doesn't let up until the final page is turned. A coming-of-age story set at a card table, The Hand You're Dealt will leave readers wondering what they would risk in a game.

 Not Rated. Be the first to rate this product!

ISBN
978-1-41693-989-4
Publisher


REVIEWS

School Library Journal

Reviewed on September 1, 2008

Gr 9-Up Caldwell, CA, is a 90-minute drive from Las Vegas, but this down-on-its luck town and its close-knit residents are in another universe. Mr. Abbott is a conceited math teacher and a genuinely unpleasant individual. He is so low that he has stolen the coveted poker tournament trop...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Horn Book Guide

Reviewed on January 1, 2008

Huck is determined to win his late father's poker title back from egomaniacal Mr. Abbott, Huck's high school math teacher...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Junior Library Guild

Reviewed on February 1, 2009

Opening with an attention-grabbing heist scene and concluding with a high-stakes poker duel, The Hand You’re Dealt is a fast-paced tale about settling a score. As Huck raises and folds his way to a showdown with Abbott, he meets and beats a slew of eccentric poker players with names such as Mr. Nobody, the Human Calculator, and Rooster. Abbott, the snarky math teacher who humiliates his students in class and boasts interminably at the poker table, is a memorable villain. Every stu...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Become a Pro


This feature is only available to Pro subscribers. Please log in, or upgrade your subscription.

Add To My List

cover
by

This feature is only available to Pro subscribers. Please log in, or upgrade your subscription.

Export


This feature is only available to Pro subscribers. Please log in, or upgrade your subscription.

Save List Search Query


This feature is only available to Pro subscribers. Please log in, or upgrade your subscription.

Follow Lists


This feature is only available to Pro subscribers. Please log in, or upgrade your subscription.