The Way to Stay in Destiny

It is the 1970s and young Theo, who lost his parents when he was four, must now leave his grandparents’ Kentucky farm with his uncle, a stranger to Theo, to move to Florida. Uncle Raymond is an angry Vietnam veteran who has very strict rules for Theo as they settle into Miss Sister Grandersole’s Rest Easy Rooming House and Dance Academy in the tiny town of Destiny, Florida. Miss Sister is a kind woman who takes a shine to Theo and encourages his talent for playing piano, something Uncle Raymond has forbidden. Theo is befriended by a girl his age named Anabel who shares his interest in baseball. Anabel’s pushy mother thinks Theo is a bad influence. As soon as Theo begins to feel at home, his uncle threatens to move and disrupt Theo’s life again.

Augusta Scattergood has written a middle-grade novel that presents her young readers with a picture of small-town America in the 1970s, shortly after the Vietnam War has fractured society. This is a period seldom written about for this age group. The book has excellent writing, compelling characters, strong conflicts, and a solid story that should bring wide readership in the target audience.