Glory Be

A Mississippi town in 1964 gets riled when tempers flare at the segregated public pool.As much as Gloriana June Hemphill, or Glory as everyone knows her, wants to turn twelve, there are times when Glory wishes she could turn back the clock a year. Jesslyn, her sister and former confidante, no longer has the time of day for her now that she'll be entering high school. Then there's her best friend, Frankie. Things have always been so easy with Frankie, and now suddenly they aren't. Maybe it's the new girl from the North that's got everyone out of sorts. Or maybe it's the debate about whether or not the town should keep the segregated public pool open. Augusta Scattergood has drawn on real-life events to create a memorable novel about family, friendship, and choices that aren't always easy. Praise for Glory Be
"Scattergood's effective snapshot of the fight against segregation, one town at a time, makes personal the tumultuous atmosphere of the times." -Publishers Weekly
"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 coming-of-age story offers a fresh, youthful perspective on a pivotal civil rights period...Glory is an appealing, authentic character whose unflinching convictions, missteps, and reflections will captivate readers." -School Library Journal
"Judging by the way my daughter leaped on the book, Glory Be should appeal to the same 12-and-under fans of the Dear Canada faux historical diary series...I join my daughter - who is only on Page 90, but is already drafting her own glowing review of the book for her school paper, and who plans to propose the title to our mother-daughter book club - in encouraging you to read Glory Be with your own children." -The Montreal Gazette Augusta Scattergood is the author of Glory Be, which was a National Public Radio Backseat Book Club selection, a Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee, and hailed by Newbery medalist Richard Peck as the story of a bygone era "beautifully recalled." Her novel The Way to Stay in Destiny was named an Amazon Best of the Month. A children's book reviewer and former librarian, Ms. Scattergood has devoted her life and career to getting books into the hands of young readers. Her reviews and articles have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Delta Magazine, and other publications. Ms. Scattergood, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, is an avid blogger. To learn more, visit www.augustascattergood.com. From Glory Be
What was taking Frankie so long?
We needed to hurry.
I squinted down the sidewalk, and finally here he came, dragging his towel with his bathing suit hiked way up.
"It's a million degrees out here. I've been waiting forever."
"Well, hey to you, too, Glory," he said.
"Let's go," I said. "Jesslyn's already at the pool. She might up and decide she's bored and leave before I put my big toe in the water."
I was so hot I couldn't spit. I scratched at a mosquito bite and tugged at the bathing suit under my shorts. The backs of my legs were burning up from sitting on the concrete bench outside the library. I couldn't wait to feel the water's coolness, to dive in and flutter-kick all the way to the shallow end.
Frankie yanked at his towel. "I hope the pool's even open," he mumbled.
"Wait a minute," I said. "It'll be open. I'm going swimming. Why would they close the Community Pool now, when everybody needs a place to swim?" Praise for Glory Be
"Scattergood's effective snapshot of the fight against segregation, one town at a time, makes personal the tumultuous atmosphere of the times." -Publishers Weekly
"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 coming-of-age story offers a fresh, youthful perspective on a pivotal civil rights period...Glory is an appealing