Travis & Freddy's Adventures in Vegas [Hardcover]

Paul Hoppe (Author), Henry Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Travis has the million-dollar smile. Freddy has the million-dollar brain. Together the two buddies—one the coolest kid and the other the biggest brain at Walla Walla Junior High—set out to save Travis’s dad from disaster by winning big in Las Vegas, armed only with Travis’s charm and Freddy’s latest invention: a pair of glasses wirelessly connected to a laptop programmed with his homemade guaranteed-to-win-at-blackjack software.

Safely ensconced in the Elvis Suite in their hotel, room service flowing freely, everything looks good until they meet Johnny Large, the meanest— and shortest—gangster in Vegas. Once Johnny Large is on the scene, it’s going to take a lot of luck (and some help from Sam, their sassy new lady cabdriver friend) to get out of Vegas alive! Buckle up for a funny, scary thrill ride, as our heroes try to come of age with their heads still attached to their bodies.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7-Best friends Travis and Freddy are looking forward to their promised 13th-birthday vacation. So, when Travis's dad loses all his money on a disastrous gambling bet, the boys decide to win it back. They con their way aboard a flight to Las Vegas, planning to use Freddy's high-tech inventions to beat the blackjack tables at the Excalibur Casino. In Vegas, they connect with Sam, a savvy cabdriver who is out to get Johnny Large, the mob boss who framed her father. Since Large runs the Excalibur, Sam agrees to help the boys with their scheme. Wearing Freddy's cyber-rigged glasses, she places blackjack bets according to instructions relayed from his specialized computer program. Unfortunately, her phenomenal winning streak attracts the attention of Large and his goons, who don't take kindly to being flimflammed. Can Sam and the boys get out of Las Vegas alive? There is a lot of middle-school insult dialogue and body humor and several instances of insensitively stereotyped peripheral characters, including a hard-of-hearing elderly couple. There is also a disturbing focus on dishonesty. The boys use the cyber-glasses to cheat on a math test as well as to rig the blackjack game. They also steal Travis's dad's credit card, lie to airline and hotel personnel, and hack into the casino computer system. While this is all played for laughs, there is no indication of either conscience or consequences, beyond the fear of getting caught. While the raucous comedy and sarcastic dialogue may attract some readers, there are many better choices available.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. After his dad gambles away the family home, 12-year-old Travis and his best friend, Freddy, con their way onto a plane headed to Las Vegas. Freddy is a math whiz, and he devises a way to win at blackjack. With the help of a young woman named Sam, the boys manage to win big, only to run afoul of the diminutive mob boss Johnny Large. Although tiny himself, the mobster has some huge henchmen who dangle Freddy and Travis (in their underpants) from a hotel window before sending them on their way. Not to be defeated, Freddy and Travis turn around and rescue Sam and an FBI agent, before heading home with the money. The pace is fast, and everything is played for laughs. Travis, who is a bit dim, and his genius buddy make an amusing double-act, and an omniscient voice, which is frequently interjected into the story, provides some funny asides. This is a winner. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (April 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525476466
• ISBN-13: 978-0525476467
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,846,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Travis and Freddy's Adventures in Vegas by Paul Hoppe and Henry Johnson is a fabulous book., January 12, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Travis & Freddy's Adventures in Vegas (Hardcover)

Travis and Freddy are best friends. They are actually more like brothers; they were born on the same day and in the same year. Except that they're all different. For instance Travis is the best at every thing he had the game-winning goal, touch down and hit all in the same day. He also has a MILLION dollar smile. Freddy has a ten-cent smile. They go to Vegas and get into a lot of trouble.

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun read for children, May 31, 2006

By 

A Customer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Travis & Freddy's Adventures in Vegas (Hardcover)

Was there ever such a pair as Travis and Freddy? Born on exactly the same day and same year, they seem to be more like brothers than friends. Freddy is the geek --- big into computers, software and the latest high-tech gizmos. Travis is the one with the gift of gab and the most winning smile anywhere. Together they manage to get in and out of trouble, but on this occasion they get in over their heads. It all starts when Travis's dad loses everything in a gambling game. Travis and Freddy put their spiky heads together and decide that they can figure out just what to do --- and do they ever come up with a plan!

In a series of most unlikely events, they manage to board a plane and make their way to Las Vegas where they plan to win the money back. With Freddy's brain and trusty tech toys, they are sure they can beat the system, pack the money in a bag and be back home before they will even be missed. Of course, they are not counting on the unhappy presence of one mobster named Johnny Large who happens to sound like the comic book guy on "The Simpsons" or the awful experience of being dangled --- yes dangled --- head down from a tall building. All of this is the result of walking away with too much money and their involvement with an attractive lady taxi driver named Sam and then an unlikely federal agent named Carl. Despite their smart talk and clever antics, Travis and Freddy almost don't make it back home.

While there are lot of fun moments and scary ones too, there are several situations of questionable antics by these two mischievous boys. Stealing Travis's dad's credit card, telling lies left and right, hacking into computers and cheating at the casino are just a few of the things that would probably raise the eyebrows of any parent. As good-hearted as their intentions are, there seems to be no indication that they feel they might really get into trouble. With the neat little ending --- as all turns out great --- there is still a question as to whether or not these modern-day Tom Sawyers know they were out of line.

TRAVIS & FREDDY'S ADVENTURES IN VEGAS is a fun little read that will probably have great appeal among the elementary school group. Today's kids are likely to read it as a total fantasy adventure and be excited for the return of Travis and Freddy.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts

5.0 out of 5 stars Cool Guy and Geek Guy Team up to Beat the Bad Guy!, May 5, 2006

By 

Hot flash Mom (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Travis & Freddy's Adventures in Vegas (Hardcover)

This is an unlikely dynamic duo that will take anyone on a great adventure. From the airport scandal to the Elvis Suite, the fun just keeps going. Boys will love this book, especially middle school aged.