The Way to Stay in Destiny

Scattergood, Augusta

ISBN 10: 0545788692 ISBN 13: 9780545788694

Publisher: Scholastic Audio Books, 2015

Synopsis

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 Chester, 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.

About this title

About the Author:

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 School Library Journal:

Gr 4–6—Theo is a sixth grader who was raised by his grandparents but displaced when their Kentucky farm was sold after his grandmother's death. As the story begins, Theo is traveling with an unfamiliar uncle en route to a new life in Destiny, Florida. Theo's fear of being the new kid in a new place feels authentic, but are unfounded. Instead, he finds beaches, a baseball mystery, and a glorious piano owned by Miss Sister, proprietor of the rooming house where he and his disgruntled Uncle Raymond rent a room. Michael Crouch's narration lilts with the rhythm of the South, which immerses listeners in the hot Florida sunshine of Theo's new world. Some of the metaphors are a stretch, however: when asked to play piano for dance students, Theo thinks, "I thought I'd have more time to practice before being thrown to those leotarded wolves." And though the story seems simple and straightforward, things become complicated as relationships often do. Listeners will be pleased with the resolution, which, while not exactly a happy ending, finds Theo and his uncle managing to tentatively become a family. An author's note adds value by putting the struggle of returning Vietnam vets, such as Uncle Raymond, into context. VERDICT Recommended for those who enjoy recent historical fiction.—Toby Rajput, National Louis University, Skokie, IL

About this edition

• Publisher: Scholastic Audio Books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0545788692
• ISBN 13: 9780545788694
• Binding: Audio CD
• Number of pages: 1