Big Slick by Eric Luper

All in all, sixteen-year-old Andrew Lang has been dealt a pretty good hand in life. Sure, he has to spend his afternoons slaving away in the hellhole that is his dad's dry-cleaning business, but even that's not so bad with Jasmine, the seriously hot Goth-chick senior, working right beside him. So what if she's got a boyfriend? Plus, Andrew's got an ace up his sleeve - he's good at poker. Very good. Unfortunately, all it takes is one bad beat at Shushie's illegal poker club to turn Andrew's bankroll from huge to nonexistent. And Andrew's pretty sure that sooner or later his dad's going to notice that $600 he "borrowed" from the register. Andrew thinks he may know how to get the money back, but it's a little bit crazy, and a little bit dangerous . . .

In this breakneck-paced novel about gambling and growing up, the stakes are high, and Andrew must ask himself: What does going all in really mean?

Reviews

"Plenty of action, smart quips, and a little steamy sex give this a cinematic flair that teens will love. Luper's strong suit, though, is Andrew's authentic voice as he tries to justify his actions and deny his gambling addiction." - Booklist

"Luper's authentic first-person narrative captures teen frustrations, feelings of confinement and the mottled world of poker... powerful momentum, upping the ante and racing the reader's pulse like an amphetamine." - Kirkus Reviews

"BIG SLICK is an action-filled tale involving hot girls, hot cars, very dangerous people, serious desperation, and some seriously bad choices. . . . I'm betting that BIG SLICK is going to be both extremely popular and a great new title for reluctant readers." -Richie's Picks

"...Amazing writing. The book has it all: strong characters, witty dialogue, driving action, and vivid descriptions. This debut author has no worries. As long as he keeps writing, people will keep reading!" - Young Adult Books Central

"The book is action-packed and exciting . . . fast cars and faster lives will stoke the imaginations of even the most reluctant readers." - Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literature

Download the teacher's guide for Big Slick.

Ages 13 and up
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Hardcover ISBN-10: 0374307997
Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-0374307998

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