Representation that Radiates Joy

Playing the Cards You're Dealt I Varian Johnson

Name: Playing the Cards You're Dealt I Varian Johnson
Brand: Stories of a Colorful World
SKU: 9781338348569
Price: 8.99 USD
Availability: InStock

$8.99 USD

~~$0.00 USD~~ $8.99 USD

Sale Sold out

Shipping calculated at checkout.

Quantity

Product variants

Playing the Cards You're Dealt joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

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 who 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...

Builds Confidence and Self-Love with Every Page

We don’t just include diverse books — we center them. Every story we carry celebrates BIPOC voices and puts underrepresented protagonists front and center, ensuring every child can say, “That’s me.”

Authored by a BIPOC Creator — Real Representation, not Tokenism

We intentionally seek out BIPOC and indie creators whose stories deserve to shine — building shelves you won’t find anywhere else.

Vetted by Educators and Families for Quality and Age-Fit

Find the perfect book tailored to your child’s age, interests, and identity, making storytime meaningful and engaging.

Every child deserves to see themselves in the books they read.

You know that feeling when your kid sees themselves in a book and suddenly walks a little taller? That’s what we’re here for. Our curated collection is handpicked for one purpose: to help every child feel seen, celebrated, and inspired to dream big—no more endless scrolling or settling for stories that fall short. Here, every book is chosen to nurture confidence, empathy, and cultural pride.

Meet the Founder

Hi, children’s book lover! I’m Kanika.

As a classroom teacher, I’d spent countless afternoons searching for stories where my students could see themselves and came up empty-handed. I was tired of books that treated diversity like a checkbox, or worse, turned childhood joy into trauma. So, I did what teachers do best — I built what was missing.

My best friend and I began curating, partnering with independent authors and BIPOC creators to source high-quality stories that celebrated identity and belonging. We turned our living rooms into libraries and our mission into movement.

In 2019, Stories of a Colorful World launched with a simple promise: no more token shelves, no more exhausting searches — just stories that reflect every child’s worth.

Today, our collection spans 300+ titles by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color authors — books that build empathy, pride, and confidence one story at a time.

Curated for Every Stage
Our bookshop replaces overwhelm with ease: intentional, pre-vetted, and organized by what actually matters who your kids are becoming.
Building Empathy & Cultural Pride
Each book is selected to stretch empathy, self-awareness, and cultural pride at every age and stage.
Stories They’ll Return To
Our books are revisited again and again, with age-appropriate themes that build emotional intelligence, identity, and curiosity.