Ten-year-old Anthony Joplin, known as Ant, prepares to compete in the annual Spades tournament in his small town of Joplin, South Carolina. Success in the card game is a family legacy, passed down from his father, who expects Ant to uphold the Joplin name through strategic play and memory. When his best friend is grounded, Ant finds a new partner in Shirley, a girl who recently moved to town and displays impressive talent at the card table. Their practice sessions reveal cracks in Ant’s family life, specifically his father’s struggles with gambling and alcohol. As the tournament approaches, Ant must decide how to handle his father’s dishonesty and whether he can build a bridge toward his own identity while remaining loyal to his neighbors and friends.
Middle grade readers who enjoy tactical sports stories and internal family dynamics will find this narrative practical and grounded. The book appeals to those interested in the social intricacies of card games and the pressure of meeting parental expectations. Readers walk away with a clear understanding of how to maintain personal integrity and set boundaries when trusted adults fail to meet their responsibilities. It provides a realistic look at how a young person navigates secrets, the nuance of inherited tradition, and the courage required to tell the truth in difficult circumstances.
- Published
- 2021
- Language
- EN
