Bring on the Booktalk: Glory Be (Bookfair Preview Edition)

Our book fair begins next Monday.  Just a week away - this year has been flying by!  I've been watching the preview video with students and each time we get to the part of the video where they preview the book, "Glory Be" by Augusta Scattergood, I pause.  I had the opportunity to read this book as I saw it would be a part of the bookfair and a good cover gets me every time.  I couldn't put it down.  The best, relatable description I can give is to "The Help."  This book is "The Help" for kids.  Set in the deep south, during a time of great racial tension with the freedom riders in to make some waves (didn't realize the pun 'til I wrote that), the community pool is closed.  Because it is facing desegregation and that scared the pants off the people in that town.  It took the courage of the main character, Glory (who didn't seem to realize she was being courageous at all), to write a letter to the editor about how the pool closure made her feel, which was especially ticked off because her birthday was coming up, and it was July, and it was hot.  But the letter gets to the heart of the matter too, with the innocence and understanding of a child.  I don't like to make predictions as...well, I'm often wrong.  But I think this book could be a contendah!  I spelled that wrong on purpose.  For what, I'm not sure.  I'd love to say Newbery, but the cover is so similar to "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate," that I'm not sure they'll let that happen.  Actually, according to the book fair preview video, even though this book was JUST published, it seems there is a new cover already.  Here are both:

If you would like to check out more preview videos for books coming to our Scholastic Book Fair next week, check out the "Featured Books Videos" on our Student Preview Section.