The Way to Stay in Destiny

About this book

When Theo gets off a bus in Destiny, Florida, he's left behind the only life he's ever known. Now he's got to live with Uncle Raymond, a Vietnam War vet and a loner who wants nothing to do with this long-lost nephew. Thank goodness for Miss Sister Grandersole's Boarding House and Dance School. The piano that sits in Miss Sister's dance hall calls to Theo. He can't wait to play those ivory keys. When Anabel arrives things get even more enticing. This feisty girl, a baseball fanatic, invites Theo on her quest to uncover the town's connection to old-time ball players rumored to have lived there years before. A mystery, an adventure, and a musical exploration unfold as this town called Destiny lives up to its name.

Acclaimed author Augusta Scattergood has delivered a straight-to-the-heart story with unforgettable characters, humor, and hard questions about loss, family, and belonging.

Reviews

Praise and Accolades for Glory Be:

A NPR “Backseat Book Club” selection

Featured on NPR's “Weekend Edition”with Scott Simon

A Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee

"There's a whiff of Carson McCullers in Augusta Scattergood's story of a sultry Southern summer long ago when the outside world moved all the markers of Glorianna Hemphill's growing up. It's a summer of bigotry and behive hairdoos, of sit-ins and dangerous boys. All mixed together and beautifully recalled."--Richard Peck, Newbery Award-winning author of A Year Down Yonder

"Glory Be is a lovely debut novel for younger readers, akin to Kathryn Stockett's The Help--an important read that raises powerful racial issues of the 1960s American South."--Kathryn Erskine, National Book Award-winning author of Mockingbird

"Glory Be weaves a seamless story of sisterly love, broken friendships, and the strength that it takes to stand up for the right thing. Augusta Scattergood is at the top of my debut-authors-to-watch list."--Barbara O'Connor, Parents' Choice Award-winning author of How to Steal a Dog

"In Glory herself, tilting on the threshold of adolescence, Scattergood paints a balanced portrait of childlike selfinterest and awakening integrity. This moving, intimate look at America’s struggle for civil rights, as seen through the narrow lens of one growing girl, will spark interesting discussion."--Booklist

"This debut offers a vivid glimpse of the 1960s South through the eyes of a spirited girl who takes a stand."--Kirkus Reviews

"Scattergood's effective snapshot of the fight against segregation, one town at a time, makes personal the tumultuous atmosphere of the times."--Publishers Weekly

"Glory is an appealing, authentic character whose unflinching convictions, missteps, and reflections will captivate readers."--School Library Journal