Full House: 10 Stories About Poker - Hardcover

Hautman, Pete; Pascal, Francine P.; Going, K. L.; Phillips, Gary; Weaver, Will; Sorrells, Walter; Logue, Mary; Stemple, Adam; Fitzhugh, Bill; Flinn, Alexandra

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399245286 ISBN 13: 9780399245282

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile, 2007

Synopsis

Is there any greater thrill than staring down your opponent across the poker table, waiting for the card that will make or break your hand? Acclaimed YA novelist Pete Hautman would know—he’s been a poker fanatic for thirty years. And with poker now an international TV phenomenon, the time seems right for an anthology about this most exciting game.

From a contest that pits a hapless teen against his girlfriend’s redneck family, to a midnight game with the Devil, to an Internet poker scheme gone horribly wrong, the stories here brilliantly reveal how poker can both irrevocably affect and eerily imitate teenage life.

About this title

About the Author

K. L. Going lives with her family in the Hudson Valley area of New York State. Since graduating from college she has worked as an adult literacy tutor, a ticket agent for a major airline, a front desk clerk at a resort hotel, and an assistant in a Manhattan literary agency. She has lived in Maine, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and New York. K.L. is the author of many books, including Fat Kid Rules The World, The Liberation of Gabriel King, and Dog in Charge. Her first novel, Fat Kid Rules the World, was a YALSA Michael L. Printz honor book.

Reviews

Grade 7 Up—Popular young adult authors, including Alex Flinn, K. L. Going, and Walter Sorrells, contributed to this fast-paced compilation of stories about teenage encounters with poker. The characters find themselves in high-stakes situations: playing with the Devil, competing in a scholarship game, fighting to defeat a deadbeat stepdad, and staying one step ahead of an Internet poker company. The authors depict a variety of endings from the thrill of winning newfound respect to the consequences of losing a girlfriend. At the same time, each story interweaves the elements of both strategy and luck as the players compete in what is ultimately a game of chance. The stories vary from the eerily realistic to amusingly far-fetched. In all cases, teen poker players will recognize themselves and their opponents in this diverse collection. A glossary and brief description of the poker hands will help readers who are new to the game. However, some stories are so saturated with jargon that only experienced players will be able to appreciate the pace and tension in them. The popularity of the game among teens will make this collection a surefire hit with its many fans. Suggest it to teens who have enjoyed Hautman's other poker novels such as All-In (2007) and The Prop (2006, both S & S).—Lynn Rashid, Marriots Ridge High School, Marriotsville, MD
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Hautman deals a winning hand with this entertaining collection of short stories about poker, a game soaring in popularity among teens. Ten talented authors who play the popular American game explore its many aspects. K. L. Going's subtle opening tale presents a young man who underestimates both the game of poker and the game of life; Adam Stemple offers a new twist on the old story about trying to outwit the devil; and in a tale laced with street slang, Bill Fitzhugh depicts poker as a tool for vengeance. The nicely balanced collection, which ranges from the light humor of a girl debating about whether to win a heart or a hand to a cautionary selection about poker's addictive potential, is a sure bet for teens familiar with the game. For those who aren't, a glossary of terms and ranking of poker hands will help. Ante up for this full house of good stories, and then lead readers to Hautman's novels about poker player Denn Doyle, Stone Cold (1998) and All-In (2007). Rutan, Lynn

Edition details

• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0399245286
• ISBN 13: 9780399245282
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 192