Cardturner

Title: The Cardturner
Author: Louis Sachar
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

You will like this book if:

• You are a fan of Holes.
• You are competitive and like to root for the underdog.
• You have ever been suckered into doing a job for your parent.
• You like playing card games (euchre, bridge, hearts, etc.).
• You skip sections of books as you read because you find them boring.

You will not like this book if:

• You prefer to read books that have a fantasy element.
• You don't care for card games.
• You don't want to learn as you read.

Summary:

I know what you are thinking...what is Bridge?  Bridge is a game mostly associated with old people.  However, Sachar takes a topic that seems boring and irrelevant and makes it exciting and easy to understand.  To make it even better he gives you a key to know what parts involve so much "Bridge speak" that you can literally skip right over them.

Alton Richards needs a summer job.  His mom needs to make sure that his family gets in with their rich uncle before he dies so that they get a generous portion in his will.  The best solution to both problems is for Alton to become Trapp's cardturner.  You see...Trapp is an expert Bridge player who just happens to be on top of his game despite the fact that he is blind.  As Alton lays down hand after hand of cards for a man that can remember (without seeing) every card and hand he has ever played, Trapp stops becoming his "favorite uncle" in words only.  Throw in a little romance and some inspired guidance and just maybe Alton will follow in my uncle's footsteps.