From the author of the acclaimed Glory Be, this is a novel that celebrates baseball, fast piano, and small-town living in the wake of the Vietnam War.

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 Rooming 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.

Audio of Author Reading from The Way to Stay in Destiny

Awards and Recognition
Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year, starred
Mississippi Magnolia Award Nominee (2015-2016)
New Mexico Battle of the Books List (2016-2017)
Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award Nominee (2017-2018)

Reviews

“With an eye and ear for period details and dialogue, Scattergood (Glory Be) builds a cast of memorable, realistically flawed characters in an affecting story about holding on to one’s dreams.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Set in the 1970s, Destiny is awash in steamy southern atmosphere and baseball history—Hank Aaron and others are purported to have stayed and practiced there. The cast of lively characters, including spunky and tough Anabel who befriends Theo, come to life under author Scattergood’s talented hand. A heartwarming story of friendship, family, and finding one’s place in the world despite hardship and heartache.”

–Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library, School Library Journal

“Augusta Scattergood’s The Way to Stay in Destiny hits a home run. I was reluctant to turn to the last page because, like Theo, I dearly wanted to stay in Destiny forever. You will, too.”

—Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor-winning author of Hattie Big Sky and Dash