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Playing the Cards You're Dealt
Literary powerhouse and Coretta Scott King Honor- and Boston Globe / Horn Book Honor-winning author of The Parker Inheritence Varian Johnson explores themes of toxic masculinity and family legacy in this heartfelt, hopeful story of one boy discovering what it really means to be a man.
SECRETS ARE ALWAYS A GAMBLE
Ten-year-old Anthony Joplin has made it to double digits! Which means he's finally old enough to play in the spades tournament every Joplin Man before him seems to have won. So while Ant's friends are stressing about fifth grade homework and girls, Ant only has one thing on his mind: how he'll measure up to his father's expectations at the card table.
Then Ant's best friend gets grounded, and he's forced to find another spades partner. And Shirley, the new girl in his class, isn't exactly what he has in mind. She talks a whole lot of trash -- way more than his old partner. Plus, he's not sure that his father wants him playing with a girl. But she's smart and tough and pretty, and knows every card trick in the book. So Ant decides to join forces with Shirley -- and keep his plans a secret.
Only it turns out secrets are another Joplin Man tradition. And his father is hiding one so big it may tear their family apart...
SECRETS ARE ALWAYS A GAMBLE
Ten-year-old Anthony Joplin has made it to double digits! Which means he's finally old enough to play in the spades tournament every Joplin Man before him seems to have won. So while Ant's friends are stressing about fifth grade homework and girls, Ant only has one thing on his mind: how he'll measure up to his father's expectations at the card table.
Then Ant's best friend gets grounded, and he's forced to find another spades partner. And Shirley, the new girl in his class, isn't exactly what he has in mind. She talks a whole lot of trash -- way more than his old partner. Plus, he's not sure that his father wants him playing with a girl. But she's smart and tough and pretty, and knows every card trick in the book. So Ant decides to join forces with Shirley -- and keep his plans a secret.
Only it turns out secrets are another Joplin Man tradition. And his father is hiding one so big it may tear their family apart...
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2021
49 people are currently reading
3124 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
October 7, 2021
This book is like a winning hand in spades. Have you ever played spades? My family has always been about games. We have played more card games than anything else. I still remember the 10-point pitch games my uncles used to play at Christmas gatherings. And the trash talk. . . it can really start flying. I do hope that the kids in the target audience for this book are still able to spend time playing cards with their families like Ant does. Ant's story is narrated for us by an unknown individual who refers to him as Youngblood and seems to know the family history very well. Clues will lead you to the true identity so you may guess before the big reveal like I did. Along with spades strategy, this book touches on friendship, loyalty, sibling relationships, parenthood, alcoholism, gambling, and healthy masculinity. I hope this makes its way onto some award lists in the days to come.
Thank you to Scholastic for a paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Scholastic for a paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2021
What a great book. Excellent narration, amazing voice, great MC, wonderful female rep, lots of humor, and lots of heart. Basically: it’s got everything.
August 1, 2021
Richie’s Picks: PLAYING THE CARDS YOU’RE DEALT by Varian Johnson, Scholastic Press, October 2021, 320p., ISBN: 978-1-338-34853-8
“Spades is a trick-taking card game devised in the United States in the 1930s...The object is to take the number of tricks (also known as ‘books’) that were bid before play of the hand began. Spades is a descendent of the Whist family of card games, which also includes Bridge, Hearts, and Oh Hell. Its major difference as compared to other Whist variants is that, instead of trump being decided by the highest bidder or at random, the Spade suit always trumps, hence the name.”
-- Wikipedia “Spades (Card Game)”
“Love the girl who holds
The world in a paper cup
Drink it up
Love her and she’ll bring you luck”
-- Kenny Loggins, “Danny’s Song” (1971)
In PLAYING THE CARDS YOU’RE DEALT, author Varian Johnson deftly addresses both addiction and consent in a heartwarming contemporary middle grade novel appropriate for 8-12 year-olds.
Short-statured, fifth grader, Ant (Anthony) Joplin is a pretty good spades player. His big brother Aaron, now away at college, is the two-time reigning champion of the town’s annual spades tournament. The two brothers have spades in their blood--their father Roland taught them well.
Unfortunately, their father has serious problems--drinking and gambling addictions. I’ll leave it to you to judge their father for what is gradually revealed, but he’s gotten caught at it again and Ant’s mom has kicked him out--again:
“‘Ant sat up. ‘He was really drinking?’
She nodded. ‘His trunk is full of liquor bottles. There are probably more at his office.’
Ant blinked, willing himself not to cry. He did not want to break. To be weak. Not now.
‘I’m so glad I overheard you talking,’ she continued. ‘If you hadn’t woken me up, there's no telling how long this would have gone on.’
That didn’t make Ant feel better at all. It wasn’t like he planned on waking her up. He had wanted to figure this problem out for himself--to get his father to confess--before getting his mother involved.
She downed the rest of her coffee. ‘Sweetie, how much do you remember about when your dad was drinking? You know...before?
Ant thought about it. ‘Not much. My first real memory of him is of us walking to school on the first day of kindergarten.’
His mom smiled, and for a second, all those creases and wrinkles melted away. ‘He was so happy. So proud of you! And you loved him so much. It was easy for you to accept your father coming back home. Both you boys.’
‘Dad told me that he never went to one of those treatment centers.’ Ant began to trace invisible words into the table with his index finger. ‘But then how did he stop drinking? Where was he? Six weeks is a long time to be gone.’
Ant’s mother watched as his fingers fluttered across the table. ‘Your father wasn’t gone for six weeks,’ she finally said. ‘He was gone for two years.’
Ant’s eyes sprang open. Wait. What? But--’
‘I know. He just couldn’t give it up. And I couldn’t let him stay. Drinking--it can change a person. Turn them into someone you barely recognize. You were so little when he left, and somewhere along the way, you heard that famous celebrities go to those clinics for six weeks to get over their addictions. I wasn’t brave enough to burst your bubble.’”
Meanwhile, Ant had planned on entering the youth division of the spades tournament with his best friend Jamal. But Jamal started a fight at school and now is not allowed to play. The fight takes place right after Shirley moves to town and becomes the new kid in Ant and Jamal’s class.
Shirley and Ant have a forgotten bond--they played together as rugrats because their moms were old friends who will now get to reconnect. Ant is really impressed and intrigued by Shirley. She’s sharp and an excellent spades player. They end up agreeing to partner up for the tournament. But is it just a card deal...or the real deal, as in girlfriend and boyfriend? Young readers will glean some good advice about consent on the fifth grade level (as in hand-holding and kissing). The interactions and developing trust between Ant and Shirley really touched me.
Over the course of the pandemic, I’ve been reading books aloud over the phone to my eight-year-old grandson. Varian Johnson’s THE PARKER INHERITANCE remains one of his favorites. This one is another winner.
Thanks to Ant and Shirley, me and my grandson (mostly me) have been frequenting an online site https://playspades-online.com/, where one can get up to speed by playing spades alongside a trio of computer-generated celebrity players (like Einstein and Beyonce).
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
https://twitter.com/richiespicks
richiepartington@gmail.com
“Spades is a trick-taking card game devised in the United States in the 1930s...The object is to take the number of tricks (also known as ‘books’) that were bid before play of the hand began. Spades is a descendent of the Whist family of card games, which also includes Bridge, Hearts, and Oh Hell. Its major difference as compared to other Whist variants is that, instead of trump being decided by the highest bidder or at random, the Spade suit always trumps, hence the name.”
-- Wikipedia “Spades (Card Game)”
“Love the girl who holds
The world in a paper cup
Drink it up
Love her and she’ll bring you luck”
-- Kenny Loggins, “Danny’s Song” (1971)
In PLAYING THE CARDS YOU’RE DEALT, author Varian Johnson deftly addresses both addiction and consent in a heartwarming contemporary middle grade novel appropriate for 8-12 year-olds.
Short-statured, fifth grader, Ant (Anthony) Joplin is a pretty good spades player. His big brother Aaron, now away at college, is the two-time reigning champion of the town’s annual spades tournament. The two brothers have spades in their blood--their father Roland taught them well.
Unfortunately, their father has serious problems--drinking and gambling addictions. I’ll leave it to you to judge their father for what is gradually revealed, but he’s gotten caught at it again and Ant’s mom has kicked him out--again:
“‘Ant sat up. ‘He was really drinking?’
She nodded. ‘His trunk is full of liquor bottles. There are probably more at his office.’
Ant blinked, willing himself not to cry. He did not want to break. To be weak. Not now.
‘I’m so glad I overheard you talking,’ she continued. ‘If you hadn’t woken me up, there's no telling how long this would have gone on.’
That didn’t make Ant feel better at all. It wasn’t like he planned on waking her up. He had wanted to figure this problem out for himself--to get his father to confess--before getting his mother involved.
She downed the rest of her coffee. ‘Sweetie, how much do you remember about when your dad was drinking? You know...before?
Ant thought about it. ‘Not much. My first real memory of him is of us walking to school on the first day of kindergarten.’
His mom smiled, and for a second, all those creases and wrinkles melted away. ‘He was so happy. So proud of you! And you loved him so much. It was easy for you to accept your father coming back home. Both you boys.’
‘Dad told me that he never went to one of those treatment centers.’ Ant began to trace invisible words into the table with his index finger. ‘But then how did he stop drinking? Where was he? Six weeks is a long time to be gone.’
Ant’s mother watched as his fingers fluttered across the table. ‘Your father wasn’t gone for six weeks,’ she finally said. ‘He was gone for two years.’
Ant’s eyes sprang open. Wait. What? But--’
‘I know. He just couldn’t give it up. And I couldn’t let him stay. Drinking--it can change a person. Turn them into someone you barely recognize. You were so little when he left, and somewhere along the way, you heard that famous celebrities go to those clinics for six weeks to get over their addictions. I wasn’t brave enough to burst your bubble.’”
Meanwhile, Ant had planned on entering the youth division of the spades tournament with his best friend Jamal. But Jamal started a fight at school and now is not allowed to play. The fight takes place right after Shirley moves to town and becomes the new kid in Ant and Jamal’s class.
Shirley and Ant have a forgotten bond--they played together as rugrats because their moms were old friends who will now get to reconnect. Ant is really impressed and intrigued by Shirley. She’s sharp and an excellent spades player. They end up agreeing to partner up for the tournament. But is it just a card deal...or the real deal, as in girlfriend and boyfriend? Young readers will glean some good advice about consent on the fifth grade level (as in hand-holding and kissing). The interactions and developing trust between Ant and Shirley really touched me.
Over the course of the pandemic, I’ve been reading books aloud over the phone to my eight-year-old grandson. Varian Johnson’s THE PARKER INHERITANCE remains one of his favorites. This one is another winner.
Thanks to Ant and Shirley, me and my grandson (mostly me) have been frequenting an online site https://playspades-online.com/, where one can get up to speed by playing spades alongside a trio of computer-generated celebrity players (like Einstein and Beyonce).
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
https://twitter.com/richiespicks
richiepartington@gmail.com
January 17, 2022
Oof. This book is hard to read as an adult. Hard because Johnson did such a great job creating characters you truly feel for, and as an adult, you see where it's all going from a mile away. It hurt. I do love that we have a MG book dealing with familial complications resulting from one member's addictions that focuses on gambling. As it is a rising problem, this book will both help build empathy in young people and show so many of them they are not alone. The relationship between Ant and his brother is so heartwarming, and the friendship complications hit exactly the right note for 5th grade.
It is just shy of being a 5 star book for me because the narration was completely distracting. (This is totally a me problem.) I can't stand being talked to by the narrator. Those slips into second person pull me out of a story everytime, and with this it also highlighted that who is narrating the story is a big secret, which was also distracting me from the story. (I suspected correctly where that was going, and it's not my favorite device. I hate it when author's try to get creative with narrators. Rarely does it work for me as a reader as anything other than a distraction from the narrative itself.)
It is just shy of being a 5 star book for me because the narration was completely distracting. (This is totally a me problem.) I can't stand being talked to by the narrator. Those slips into second person pull me out of a story everytime, and with this it also highlighted that who is narrating the story is a big secret, which was also distracting me from the story. (I suspected correctly where that was going, and it's not my favorite device. I hate it when author's try to get creative with narrators. Rarely does it work for me as a reader as anything other than a distraction from the narrative itself.)
May 26, 2022
5/20/2022 4.5 stars. Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
5/26/2022 Oh my heart. This was one of the sweetest, most tender, yet still emotionally honest and unflinching middle grade novels I've yet had the privilege of reading. Little wonder that Varian Johnson has won so many awards with prose and plotting like this!
Our hero is ten year-old Anthony "Ant" Joplin, who plans to team up with his best friend Jamal to win the local annual spades tournament, in the kids division at least. Joplin men have traditionally dominated at spades, which makes his first-round exit last year especially humiliating. Ant plans on spending the lead up to this year's tournament getting in as many practice rounds as he can, and is confident of performing much better this year than last.
But when Jamal is barred from playing in the tournament after getting into a fight at school, Ant has to come up with a new partner fast. With his beloved older brother Aaron away at boarding school, and his other guy friends either not very good or unavailable for that date, it looks like the only option he has left is Shirley, the new girl, whose skill at the game impresses even him. At first, he's reluctant to admit to anyone that his new partner is a girl. But trouble at home could render any concerns about cooties moot, as Ant discovers that spades aren't the only legacy Joplin men have held onto.
I genuinely cannot remember ever reading anything that described and rebuked the insidiousness of toxic masculinity while still managing to be as cute and humorous as this. Ant is the sweetest kid, and his burgeoning friendship with Shirley, as well as the way her home life opens his eyes to different ways of being, was just so wonderfully depicted. The game of spades, ofc, plays a central role in all this, bringing me back to my own heyday playing, much like Shirley, as anchorwoman for "Team Doreen and Some Guy", snagging whichever random partner I could find to play against a pair of dedicated spades players (who, like the younger Ant and Jamal, were shockingly bad at cheating -- not that that ever stopped them from trying!)
But you don't have to be familiar with spades to enjoy this terrific novel, that I'm planning to foist on my own fifth-grader as soon as I can. Mr Johnson does an excellent job of describing the game and its culture for readers who might be unfamiliar with it, or who might need a refresher (such as myself -- my heyday was quite a while back.) More importantly, Playing The Cards You're Dealt tackles complicated issues faced by contemporary kids and navigates them with both sensitivity and aplomb. It's a terrific read for anyone who can manage a novel, and is definitely on my list of best books I've read so far this year.
Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson was published October 5 2021 by Scholastic Press and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
5/26/2022 Oh my heart. This was one of the sweetest, most tender, yet still emotionally honest and unflinching middle grade novels I've yet had the privilege of reading. Little wonder that Varian Johnson has won so many awards with prose and plotting like this!
Our hero is ten year-old Anthony "Ant" Joplin, who plans to team up with his best friend Jamal to win the local annual spades tournament, in the kids division at least. Joplin men have traditionally dominated at spades, which makes his first-round exit last year especially humiliating. Ant plans on spending the lead up to this year's tournament getting in as many practice rounds as he can, and is confident of performing much better this year than last.
But when Jamal is barred from playing in the tournament after getting into a fight at school, Ant has to come up with a new partner fast. With his beloved older brother Aaron away at boarding school, and his other guy friends either not very good or unavailable for that date, it looks like the only option he has left is Shirley, the new girl, whose skill at the game impresses even him. At first, he's reluctant to admit to anyone that his new partner is a girl. But trouble at home could render any concerns about cooties moot, as Ant discovers that spades aren't the only legacy Joplin men have held onto.
I genuinely cannot remember ever reading anything that described and rebuked the insidiousness of toxic masculinity while still managing to be as cute and humorous as this. Ant is the sweetest kid, and his burgeoning friendship with Shirley, as well as the way her home life opens his eyes to different ways of being, was just so wonderfully depicted. The game of spades, ofc, plays a central role in all this, bringing me back to my own heyday playing, much like Shirley, as anchorwoman for "Team Doreen and Some Guy", snagging whichever random partner I could find to play against a pair of dedicated spades players (who, like the younger Ant and Jamal, were shockingly bad at cheating -- not that that ever stopped them from trying!)
But you don't have to be familiar with spades to enjoy this terrific novel, that I'm planning to foist on my own fifth-grader as soon as I can. Mr Johnson does an excellent job of describing the game and its culture for readers who might be unfamiliar with it, or who might need a refresher (such as myself -- my heyday was quite a while back.) More importantly, Playing The Cards You're Dealt tackles complicated issues faced by contemporary kids and navigates them with both sensitivity and aplomb. It's a terrific read for anyone who can manage a novel, and is definitely on my list of best books I've read so far this year.
Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson was published October 5 2021 by Scholastic Press and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
May 23, 2021
Varian Johnson, writer of The Parker Inheritance (Coretta Scott King Honor book) and more, digs into his own experiences for the lynch pin of this book—the game of spades. 12 year old Anthony (aka Ant) doesn’t view playing cards as merely a way to pass the time but as a family tradition and one he must continue. His father’s skills were legendary and so are his older brother’s. But following in those footsteps is particularly difficult when Ant views himself as only a shadow of the older Joplin men and not just in playing cards. Johnson tackles self-esteem, substance abuse, family secrets, authentic friendship, and gender roles/expectations in “Playing the Cards You’re Dealt” and does it honestly and in a way that will strike cords in the hearts of middle grade students all over and from a variety of ethnic and economic backgrounds. Sprinkled throughout is laugh out loud humorous relief and a unique, omniscient narrator whose identity is hinted at, but not fully revealed until the very end. With its many opportunities to stop and discuss big issues, this Johnson work is perfect for literature circles, class read alouds and even as a one school/one book choice. Highly recommended with no content reservations. Thanks for the early look, Scholastic!
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September 13, 2021I should've finished this terrific novel a lot sooner, but school started and ate up my energy. I just loved this one. I am terrible at cards and still have no idea what spades is, but I adored Ant's devotion to the game and thought the family dynamics, as well as the school dialogue were all spot-on. Ant is an appealing mc. There's a lot of humor here as well as poignant moments. Growing up is hard and Varian Johnson depicts this with so much respect and authenticity for his audience.
November 1, 2021
Playing the Cards You're Dealt is a middle grade contemporary written by Varian Johnson. It addresses themes of toxic masculinity, family, and legacy in this vividly told novel centering Black 10-year-old card shark Anthony Arnold "Ant" Joplin.
As he starts the fifth grade in South Carolina, Ant is preparing for the Oak Grove annual spades tournament. The game is a family tradition in the Joplin house, and Ant, whose play was "less than satisfactory" the previous year, wants to live up to his champion brother’s success and make their father proud.
Ant practices with the help of his trash-talking best friend, Jamal, and meets new schoolmate Shirley, from Texas, who proves to be just as good at spades as Ant. However, as Ant's father, who holds a limited view of masculinity, begins to spiral into online gambling and alcohol abuse, and Jamal’s teasing becomes hurtful, Ant teams up with Shirley for the game, juggling compassion and disappointment as things grow worse on all sides.
Playing the Cards You're Dealt is written extremely well – it is far from perfect, but comes rather close. The narrative is written in a charismatic omniscient perspective, which explains the intricacies of the game and its venerable position in Black American culture. Jackson deftly and realistically portrays family, friends, classroom dynamics, and community portrayals give a difficult story a great amount of heart.
All in all, Playing the Cards You're Dealt is a wonderful narrative about showing great courage and perseverance when life gets shuffled.
As he starts the fifth grade in South Carolina, Ant is preparing for the Oak Grove annual spades tournament. The game is a family tradition in the Joplin house, and Ant, whose play was "less than satisfactory" the previous year, wants to live up to his champion brother’s success and make their father proud.
Ant practices with the help of his trash-talking best friend, Jamal, and meets new schoolmate Shirley, from Texas, who proves to be just as good at spades as Ant. However, as Ant's father, who holds a limited view of masculinity, begins to spiral into online gambling and alcohol abuse, and Jamal’s teasing becomes hurtful, Ant teams up with Shirley for the game, juggling compassion and disappointment as things grow worse on all sides.
Playing the Cards You're Dealt is written extremely well – it is far from perfect, but comes rather close. The narrative is written in a charismatic omniscient perspective, which explains the intricacies of the game and its venerable position in Black American culture. Jackson deftly and realistically portrays family, friends, classroom dynamics, and community portrayals give a difficult story a great amount of heart.
All in all, Playing the Cards You're Dealt is a wonderful narrative about showing great courage and perseverance when life gets shuffled.
June 1, 2025
Playing the Cards You're Dealt was NOT what I expected. The way the author used the game of spades to address heads on the struggles of life.
I connected with Ant and the game. Everyone knew where to look for a deck of cards in middle school...ME! lol!
We all hid behind something in life because we can't accept or dont want to accept the truth. Spades and his budding friendship with Shirley were Ant's comfort zone. No judgement, no shame. Aaron and their mother tried to create a space, but their secrets and baggage prevented it. They were triggered to protect & shelter. Healing for them was but on the back burner for Ant.
The author addressed the addictions head on and did a great job acknowledging that addiction isn't a fairy tale, looking different on everyone. I was hoping the bullying/peer pressure got addressed differently. He showed how each young man handled their hurt, rejection and abandonment differently, leading to a different outcome in life: bitterness vs peace. Ant wasn't "happy", yet he had level of peace about his situation.
Shirley allowed him to see he can make it through this. He wasn't the only one dealing with this. Jamal showed him the disappointment, shame and negativity, keeping him stuck. Jamal used both of theirs situations against Ant..misery loves company...Shirley embraced it, showing better days are ahead.
With Growth, comes change. Which side will land on? Trauma bonds get mistaken for friendships, causing hurt people to hurt others. Taj & Jamal only know hurt and are happy to share. Shirley and Aaron know hurt, yet choose to walk differently.
I connected with Ant and the game. Everyone knew where to look for a deck of cards in middle school...ME! lol!
We all hid behind something in life because we can't accept or dont want to accept the truth. Spades and his budding friendship with Shirley were Ant's comfort zone. No judgement, no shame. Aaron and their mother tried to create a space, but their secrets and baggage prevented it. They were triggered to protect & shelter. Healing for them was but on the back burner for Ant.
The author addressed the addictions head on and did a great job acknowledging that addiction isn't a fairy tale, looking different on everyone. I was hoping the bullying/peer pressure got addressed differently. He showed how each young man handled their hurt, rejection and abandonment differently, leading to a different outcome in life: bitterness vs peace. Ant wasn't "happy", yet he had level of peace about his situation.
Shirley allowed him to see he can make it through this. He wasn't the only one dealing with this. Jamal showed him the disappointment, shame and negativity, keeping him stuck. Jamal used both of theirs situations against Ant..misery loves company...Shirley embraced it, showing better days are ahead.
With Growth, comes change. Which side will land on? Trauma bonds get mistaken for friendships, causing hurt people to hurt others. Taj & Jamal only know hurt and are happy to share. Shirley and Aaron know hurt, yet choose to walk differently.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2022
I connected with this book through the main character learning the card game, Spades, from his grandfather, although I learned a slightly different card game from my grandmother, who was also quite proud of her card-counting skills.
Anthony Joplin is 10 and wants to compete in the annual Spades tournament, but he and his best friend are starting to see the world very differently. When a super-smart, tall and gorgeous Spade-playing girl starts at their school, and the other boy makes fun of her height and she stands up for herself, that just drives the wedge even deeper between the boys.
Ant's also dealing with his father losing clients at his accounting business. Pretty soon his father comes home drunk and he's gambling again, something his father hasn't done in Ant's memory, but his older brother and mother both remember all too well what happened the last time his father went on a bender like this.
The boys split and Ant accepts the new girl as his Spades partner for the tournament. Until he gets the idea that he can "fix" the situation with his dad by pairing up for the tournament with his older brother, who won it the year previous.
I won't spoil how it ends, or what happens. This was a great, quick read, and made me nostalgic for sitting around a table, playing rounds of cards late into the night. It's something I don't think many kids get and just like the Spades tournament in the book, is slowly dying.
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Anthony Joplin is 10 and wants to compete in the annual Spades tournament, but he and his best friend are starting to see the world very differently. When a super-smart, tall and gorgeous Spade-playing girl starts at their school, and the other boy makes fun of her height and she stands up for herself, that just drives the wedge even deeper between the boys.
Ant's also dealing with his father losing clients at his accounting business. Pretty soon his father comes home drunk and he's gambling again, something his father hasn't done in Ant's memory, but his older brother and mother both remember all too well what happened the last time his father went on a bender like this.
The boys split and Ant accepts the new girl as his Spades partner for the tournament. Until he gets the idea that he can "fix" the situation with his dad by pairing up for the tournament with his older brother, who won it the year previous.
I won't spoil how it ends, or what happens. This was a great, quick read, and made me nostalgic for sitting around a table, playing rounds of cards late into the night. It's something I don't think many kids get and just like the Spades tournament in the book, is slowly dying.
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
February 2, 2022
This book is so wonderful and engaging and thoughtful and layered - and it makes me so, so happy to think about kids growing up with stories like this one ❤️
The way it talks about serious issues like toxic masculinity, addiction, and gambling is phenomenal, as well as things like consent and friendships and crushes and the complicated ways we can love people who disappoint or hurt us while still taking care of ourselves. And I also loved the emphasis on asking for help when you need it, and the fact that emotions and tears are not weaknesses.
Truly a brilliant and important book that is also a fantastic, often funny story. Highly recommend, even if you don’t normally pick up middle grade contemporaries!
CW: Alcoholism, gambling addiction, toxic masculinity, sexism, homophobic language, references to: child neglect and abandonment, drug addiction
The way it talks about serious issues like toxic masculinity, addiction, and gambling is phenomenal, as well as things like consent and friendships and crushes and the complicated ways we can love people who disappoint or hurt us while still taking care of ourselves. And I also loved the emphasis on asking for help when you need it, and the fact that emotions and tears are not weaknesses.
Truly a brilliant and important book that is also a fantastic, often funny story. Highly recommend, even if you don’t normally pick up middle grade contemporaries!
CW: Alcoholism, gambling addiction, toxic masculinity, sexism, homophobic language, references to: child neglect and abandonment, drug addiction
July 22, 2021
The third-person narrator literally helps the story move along at points. Loads of crazy/expected things in the life of a new 5th grader. "Know when to hold them...". Lots of spades and cards references throughout, so get used to them.
Side note: the book does a great job of teaching the reader how to play spades. So you have no excuse by the end to not know how to play.
- addiction, abandonment, new relationships, failing friendships, & fighting all play a role in this book.
Side note: the book does a great job of teaching the reader how to play spades. So you have no excuse by the end to not know how to play.
- addiction, abandonment, new relationships, failing friendships, & fighting all play a role in this book.
March 21, 2022
This one was great and FANTASTIC on Audio! This is the 1st Middle Grade Novel I've read dealing with alcohol and gambling addictions. Really loved the ending where it revealed who was narrating the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2022
There’s something about Varian Johnson’s books that I always feel safe inside of. There’s remarkable respect for children and their emotions, for the importance of their relationships with their families and with adults, and just an incredibly creative but familiar warmth about his writing. Loved this!
June 24, 2022
Who doesn't remember the challenges of becoming more independent and having to deal with adult issues when you're trying to figure out your own space in the world? The guiding voice of the grandfather as narrator gives the reader some insight into the family dynamic, the legacy of card playing and how Anthony is able to step up and be brave in a challenge circumstance. I see Anthony in the faces of my students and children in my community so helping them find their voices and provide tools such as a safe space to talk and work through their feelings whether about school, relationships etc., is important.
November 16, 2021
Spades is as much a game of partnership and trust as it is about cunning and trash talk, but when the deck seems stacked against Anthony, he’s forced to consider what it means to be a good card player as well as a good (young) man. [from Kirkus Reviews]
November 13, 2021
I've been a fan of Varian Johnson's work since his The Great Greene Heist because of the complexity of his characters, but this newest title has to be his best work yet. Honestly, he just keeps getting better and better at storytelling. It's so good that if you have it on your to-read pile, you will want to move it to the top or head to the library and check it out. The book's title can be appreciated on multiple levels, referring, of course, to the cards dealt during a card game, but also to life's fortunes and misfortunes. Obviously, the story covers a lot of territory that will resonate with readers in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade in particular. Ten-year-old Anthony (Ant) Joplin comes from a long line of skilled card players. His older brother Aaron was a spades champion at the annual Oak Grove tournament, and Ant is itching to make up for his own poor showing the previous year. When his best friend Jamal is unable to play, Ant, who is short in stature compared to his classmates, decides to pair up with Shirley, a skilled card player and new entry to the fifth grade. She's also tall for her age. They practice and slowly start to trust one another while a rift develops between Ant and Jamal. But even while Ant is focused primarily on spades, his whole world comes crashing down when it becomes clear that his father is drinking and gambling, two things his mother cannot abide. As the truth about his father is revealed, Ant feels conflicted, but he still loves the man and wants his approval. In a desperate bid to bring his father back into the fold, Ant throws Shirley under the bus. This book examines toxic masculinity, sexism, addiction, and friendship. While I often dislike intrusive narrators, in this case, the storyteller, who refers to Ant as "youngblood," is an astute observer and occasional commentator who isn't above a tiny bit of meddling. The last two pages in this book are everything as they point out to readers that just because someone is dealt a bad hand doesn't mean that he/she/they should give up; instead, that person can try playing a new or different game that suits his/her/their strengths or the cards they are holding. Honestly, I can't think of a better lesson for any of us. Maybe, just maybe, we need not change our selves but the game we are playing.
January 7, 2022
Absolutely loved this book. The narration was so strong it pulled me right in. I loved all the times the narrator interjected and offered their opinion. I cried very real tears when their identity was revealed. The book brought a smile to my face often and more than a few laughs.
There's plenty of heavy content in the book, however. Ant's dad is an alcoholic and a gambling addict. It's hard to read at times and watch his family as Roland relapses. The mom is such a strong character. She really handled things in such a thoughtful way. The tone for his older brother felt very realistic to me...wanting to protect Ant and be very grown-up, but also still being a kid himself and getting frustrated at times.
One of my favorite things to read in books this age is about those first crushes kids get. Johnson handled it so well. First there's Ant's confusion and denial, then his slow acceptance that Shirley is important to him. Even if it means outgrowing his best friend.
Honestly, I wouldn't mind some sort of sequel to this book...or maybe a companion story about Jamal. While he made some bad choices, he's also coming from a place of hurt and abandonment. I really felt for the kid.
All in all, a book I can't wait to recommend!
There's plenty of heavy content in the book, however. Ant's dad is an alcoholic and a gambling addict. It's hard to read at times and watch his family as Roland relapses. The mom is such a strong character. She really handled things in such a thoughtful way. The tone for his older brother felt very realistic to me...wanting to protect Ant and be very grown-up, but also still being a kid himself and getting frustrated at times.
One of my favorite things to read in books this age is about those first crushes kids get. Johnson handled it so well. First there's Ant's confusion and denial, then his slow acceptance that Shirley is important to him. Even if it means outgrowing his best friend.
Honestly, I wouldn't mind some sort of sequel to this book...or maybe a companion story about Jamal. While he made some bad choices, he's also coming from a place of hurt and abandonment. I really felt for the kid.
All in all, a book I can't wait to recommend!
June 19, 2023
Ant’s (fifth grader Anthony Joplin) been playing spades his entire life. That’s what Joplin men do, they play spades, they play spades and WIN! They specifically win in the local Spades Tourney: his grandfather, his father, his older brother! However when Ant and his best friend get ready to enter the local tournament they feel destined to win everything begins to go wrong.
This South Carolina Book Award Nomination was tremendously powerful and dealt with overwhelming challenges and hardships many middle schoolers face. Ant has to determine which secrets are meant to be kept from friends and family and knowing that trusting those who truly love you is the greatest , safest gift you can be given. He learns which friends are meant for reasons, seasons and lifetimes. He learns how a real man takes care of family and follows the rules.
I really found this book powerful and think it is one of the best nominations I’ve read so far.
This South Carolina Book Award Nomination was tremendously powerful and dealt with overwhelming challenges and hardships many middle schoolers face. Ant has to determine which secrets are meant to be kept from friends and family and knowing that trusting those who truly love you is the greatest , safest gift you can be given. He learns which friends are meant for reasons, seasons and lifetimes. He learns how a real man takes care of family and follows the rules.
I really found this book powerful and think it is one of the best nominations I’ve read so far.
December 31, 2021
Ant is starting his first day of 5th grade, but he is more excited for the upcoming Labor Day Festival where he plans to compete in the spades tournament. Members of his family have been entering (and winning) for a long time, and he plans to continue the tradition. But he faces some stumbling blocks: he has a crush on the new girl (Shirley), his normal spades partner is a bully, and his dad is having addiction problems. Through it all, he learns to lean on his friends and family for support, how to keep his cool, and what it means to be brave.
A great book for middle grade readers that focuses on competition, opening up to friends, and families supporting loved ones with addiction. Handles all of these topics deftly, and with a hint of magical realism.
A great book for middle grade readers that focuses on competition, opening up to friends, and families supporting loved ones with addiction. Handles all of these topics deftly, and with a hint of magical realism.
June 16, 2021
I really wanted to love this book. And I did like the IDEA of the book. I just didn’t love how it was executed.
What I loved:
-BIPOC rep
-strong female character
-normalization of therapy
-5th grade main character (lots of middle grade usually 7/8)
What I didn’t love:
-overhead narration
-Not digging deeper on core ideas.
-this is just a personal thing but I could not understand how to play the game from the brief narration and just sort of took away from me
-ending felt rushed
What I loved:
-BIPOC rep
-strong female character
-normalization of therapy
-5th grade main character (lots of middle grade usually 7/8)
What I didn’t love:
-overhead narration
-Not digging deeper on core ideas.
-this is just a personal thing but I could not understand how to play the game from the brief narration and just sort of took away from me
-ending felt rushed
March 28, 2022
This four-starred reviews (Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal) book shows how a family can be torn by a father’s addictions. It’s a smooth read with a touch of heaven. The protagonist comes from a line of spades champions and aspires to be a spades champion himself. But along the way, the protagonist learns that life doesn’t always give you the cards you want.
February 15, 2022
Trigger warning: substance abuse, child neglect
I love to play spades so reading about the spades tournament, the rules, and how serious people take the game really had me hooked. I like the storyline of finding out family secrets, making new friends, and having nice slogans to go with life experiences.
I love to play spades so reading about the spades tournament, the rules, and how serious people take the game really had me hooked. I like the storyline of finding out family secrets, making new friends, and having nice slogans to go with life experiences.
June 14, 2022
I loved this Varian Johnson book so much! Ant is 10 yrs old and loves cards as muc h as his father and brother and this year he wants to do so much better in the card tournament than he did last year. But it all seems to fall apart and his partner and friend must back out of the competition. What happens is Ant's family falls apart, he meets a new girl who is good at cards, and he begins to change as he finds out more secrets about his father. A must read!!!
March 13, 2025
After seeing Varian Johnson as a guest speaker in my community (he’s very engaging btw), I checked out a copy of Playing the Cards you’re Dealt. While it took a few chapters for me to get into (the details of how to play the card game Spades and the omniscient narrator who pops in and out were distracting at first), I fell in love with the book which explores what it’s like when you’re parent is an alcoholic and gambling addict and how it impacts a child. Shirley, a female friend of Ant the main character, is sassy, smart and so compassionate. All schools should have this book on their library shelves.
October 6, 2025
I often feel as though I learn so much more from younger literature. The lessons in this book about family, the duplicity on love and betrayal and how to navigate that, partnership, trust, kindness, forgiveness for yourself and others, and the art of noticing were astounding. The way you get to connect with Ant through the narrator is beautiful. Lots of love for Little Ant (even though he would hate being called that)!
April 1, 2022
4.5– I really enjoyed this one! There are some tough subject matters tackled in this story, but Ant is a lovable character and you’re rooting for him the WHOLE time. Excellent audio narration. Super fun spades (card game) connection. Great middle grade read!
November 1, 2021
Amazing! The audiobook is truly spectacular with Dion Graham giving an all-star voicing of the mysterious narrator. Such a beautiful and funny book that realistically portrays kids' struggles with grace. I love Varian Johnson always, and this book was outstanding! Definitely one for late elementary and onwards to read/listen. Can't wait to hear Varian at #ALAN21.
January 22, 2022
4.5 stars
April 8, 2022
The audiobook narration is great.
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