The Grand Rapids Public Library (GRPL) is making literacy more engaging by turning reading into a citywide experience for fifth graders.
Through its annual One Book, One City for Kids (OBOC) program, the library provides all fifth-grade students in Grand Rapids with a shared book to read and discuss as part of an effort to transform literacy into a fun, interactive journey.
This year’s selection, “Playing the Cards You’re Dealt,” by Varian Johnson, is intended to explore themes of secrets and family dynamics, and spark meaningful classroom discussions.
By uniting students around a common story, the program hopes to foster a love of reading, encourage deeper conversations, and strengthen partnerships between public libraries and schools.
As part of the initiative, teachers will have access to a library-developed classroom discussion guide, a specialty bookmark, and the opportunity for students to meet the author.
Story of family, family secrets
Johnson’s novel follows 10-year-old Anthony Joplin, who is eager to compete in a family spades tournament. While his friends are focused on school and social life, Ant is determined to meet his father’s high expectations at the card table. When his best friend is grounded, Ant reluctantly teams up with Shirley, a tough and confident classmate. Concerned about his father’s reaction, Ant keeps their partnership a secret, only to discover his father has a secret of his own that could shake their family.
Johnson is an award-winning author known for “The Parker Inheritance,” which earned a Coretta Scott King Author Honor and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, as well as “The Great Greene Heist” and the graphic novel “Twins,” co-created with Shannon Wright.
Johnson will be coming to Grand Rapids for an author talk on March 26, from 1-2 p.m. at St. Cecilia Music Center, at 24 Ransom Ave. NE in Grand Rapids
Johnson will discuss his writing process and answer questions about his book. This event is designed for upper elementary classes, homeschool students, and community members.
The GRPL is also planning a family card game day tied to the book on Feb. 17 from 1-3 p.m. at the Main Library, 111 Library St. NE. The library will provide a variety of card games for families to play. Attendees are welcome to bring their own deck of cards, too. This free event is designed for kids and teens.
One Book, One City for Kids is funded by the Grand Rapids Public Library Foundation, the Wege Foundation, and the Michigan Arts & Culture Council. Book sponsors are Independent Bank and the Missad Foundation.
Rapid Growth connected with GRPL youth librarian Erin Hart, who runs One Book, One City, to talk about the program and this year’s book.
![]()
Courtesy GRPLGRPL youth librarian Erin Hart.
Rapid Growth: How does the library pick the book for One Book, One City for Kids, and why was “Playing the Cards You're Dealt” chosen?
Erin Hart: A lot of thought goes into each year’s selection. Finding a good book for OBOC is a tricky balance; it needs to be substantial enough that it can lead to months of classwork, but it can’t be too heavy, since ultimately we want OBOC to be a fun experience. We need to pick a book that stretches kids’ reading skills while still being accessible for fifth graders at all reading levels.
We start by talking to our partners at Grand Rapids Public Schools and seeing if they have any particular curricular tie-ins they want to focus on. Sometimes, like this year, they don’t have any, so selection is more open-ended. I get suggestions from library staff and read-alike lists for previous selections. Then I read through the possibilities, narrow them down to a top three, and share that list with GRPS staff, who give their input.
This year’s selection was a bit serendipitous. During the selection process this year, I was reshelving another book, and “Playing the Cards You’re Dealt” was on the shelf nearby and caught my eye. I’d read Varian Johnson’s book “The Parker Inheritance” and liked it, so I decided to give this one a try.
I was immediately drawn in by the narration and the characters. I also think the themes it deals with are really important to discuss with kids. The main character, Ant, discovers over the course of the book that his dad has a gambling addiction. We’ve all seen the proliferation of ads for gambling, especially sports betting, in recent years, and kids are seeing that too. The book also deals with the question of what it means to be a man.
Ant, like the kids reading the book, is at an age where he’s trying to figure out what that means for himself. He has a lot of examples around him, and he has to decide which ones he should follow.
![]()
Courtesy GRPLBy uniting students around a common story, the One Book One City for Kids program hopes to foster a love of reading, encourage deeper conversations, and strengthen partnerships between public libraries and schools.
RG: What does the library do to get fifth graders excited about the book, and how do kids usually feel about it?
EH: The family card game day is a good example of this. Last year, we decided to bring back something we’d tried years before, a lead-up event tied into the themes of the book. Last year’s book dealt with robotics and STEM, so we had a family STEM day where kids got to try out different tech and robotics equipment. This year, since “Playing the Cards You’re Dealt” is about an avid spades player, we’re doing the family card game day.
Within the library, we order many extra copies of the book, and in the Youth Services department at the Main Library we have a display dedicated to OBOC. It’s so fun seeing kids interact with the display. We’ve had kids excitedly come up and say how they’re reading that book in school, or teens will talk about how they remember OBOC from when they were in fifth grade. One kid said how he was excited that he’s in fifth grade this year because it means he gets to do One Book, One City. The fact that this is an annual program, and it’s something shared by so many fifth graders, really helps to keep that excitement going every year.
RG: How does the library work with schools to make sure all fifth graders get involved and enjoy the program?
EH: This is where I have to give a big shout-out to our partners at GRPS, especially Nanette Hersberger, the ELA curriculum Supervisor, and Ali Kurakazu-Sampson, the library media and video technician. They work so hard to get the books and materials into every GRPS fifth grade classroom and to get the kids engaging with the book, including through an online discussion forum about the book, where thousands of posts and comments get made every year.
Of course, there are many kids in Grand Rapids who go to private or charter schools or are homeschooled, and we want them to be able to participate as well. That’s why the author talk is during the school day, so kids can come with their class. We write a teacher’s guide, available online, with discussion questions and activity ideas related to the book. We send information on the program as well as physical copies of the teacher’s guide to every private and charter elementary school in the city.
RG: What kinds of fun and meaningful things have come out of events like the family card game day and the author talk in the past?
EH: It’s always a joy to see the kids’ reactions during the author talk. They’re amazed that they get to read a book and then meet the actual person who wrote it! One thing I appreciate is that the authors always talk about how much they revise their books and how long it actually takes to write and rewrite. It’s good for kids to see that even professionals don’t just write perfectly the first time.
There are lots of small moments of connection too. Last year’s author, Rebecca Balcárcel, talked about her love of soccer/fútbol, and after the talk a group of kids came up to her to ask the very important question: “Messi or Ronaldo?”
RG: What can families expect at the author talk and family card game day? Will there be chances to meet the author or try out new games?
EH: The card game day is an open-ended, drop-in event. We’ll have lots of games, decks of cards, and instructions available for a range of ages and skill levels. Library staff will be available to help teach some of our favorite games as well. We’ll be encouraging groups to mingle with each other, so if you don’t have a big group to bring with you, that’s not a problem.
The author talk includes a Q&A portion with the audience. Because of the high attendance numbers for this event (over 200 last year!) and the need for classes to stick to bus schedules, we aren’t able to offer individual book signings, but every attendee will get a bookplate with the author’s signature that they can put in their copy.