All-in
Pete Hautman
All-in
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Pete Hautman
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is very intense with mature or graphic material.
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About This Book
Here's a secret: Denn Doyle has a special gift for reading people — a talent that has made him a fortune at poker before he even turned eighteen. But now, he's almost out of luck and cash, facing a million-dollar tournament he can’t enter without a huge buy-in. What will Denn risk when everything depends on just one final hand? But that's only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
All-in follows seventeen-year-old Denn Doyle, a skilled but underage poker player who navigates the high-stakes world of gambling and danger. The story explores themes of addiction, family abuse, loss, and crime, with mature content including parental abandonment, substance abuse, stalking, and death. Suitable for mature teens aged 13 and up who can handle complex social issues and emotional intensity.
Why we rated All-in 11VE
All-in is written at a Level 6 reading level across 208 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, All-in works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate All-in as 11VE ("Vivid — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Very Intense" range — very intense or graphic content — peril, violence, trauma, or mature themes treated head-on. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Child abandonment, Child abuse, Parental abuse, Substance abuse, Stalking, Death.
Thematically, All-in explores law & crime, sports & recreation, social issues, family, and addiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about law & crime, sports & recreation, social issues.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11VE — Vivid — EmotionalGraphic or sustained depictions of trauma, violence, or mature content.
Content Flags
Was our "Very Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781416913269
- Pages
- 208
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Published
- September 2, 2008
- Type
- Fiction