Glory be

Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

A search for a missing dog reveals hard truths about family in this contemplative verse novel by Sumner (Please Pay Attention). Upon learning that her beloved dog Roux has "disappeared/ vanished/ vamoosed," nine-year-old Glory flees from the drudgery of school and takes to the memorably described streets of New Orleans to search for him. Seven--an unhoused resident of Audubon Park--hasn't seen him, and neither have other locals. Glory's Daddy is missing, too, which isn't unusual, as he's often found "drunk/ at noon/ on a weekday/... (losing all our money)." Suspecting Roux was involved in a terrible accident or--worse to Glory--either kidnapped for ransom or on the run "because of the thing that Daddy did/ that hurts too much to think about," the child redoubles her efforts to find the pup. Hard-hitting lines ("Because I am nine/ and don't have time for make-believe/ no more") viscerally convey the pain Glory carries, stemming from her tumultuous homelife. Realistic grayscale images by Monnin (Dreams Take Flight) depict the youth's grim determination and her pup's buoyant spirit. The protagonist reads as white; supporting characters are racially diverse. Ages 8--12. Author's agent: Keely Boeving, WordServe Literary. (Mar.)

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Review by Horn Book Review

Nine-year-old Glory Mace is devastated when her dog, Roux, goes missing -- enough so that she cuts school and heads to Audubon Park to consult with Seven, leader of the unhoused men who live there. Glory makes her way around New Orleans, with and without adult help, as her search for Roux continues. Over the course of this verse novel, the first-person narration ("He smells like sunshine and Marlboros / but not like liquor / which makes my silly heart quicken / with / hope") reveals that there is more to Roux's disappearance than Glory wants to acknowledge, and the conclusion deals not only with the dog's fate but also with the bigger issues roiling the Mace family. The book explores questions of financial insecurity, community, domestic violence, and trauma from a child's perspective, balancing Glory's innocence with her street smarts and her awareness of problems with which she should not have to deal. It is also a love letter to New Orleans, with the narrative marinating in its setting and with the city's unique attributes often serving as metaphors for the challenges Glory faces. A vibrant cast of supporting characters adds complexity, particularly Seven and his compatriots, who are developed with dimension to bring depth to the found family on which Glory can rely. sarah rettgerMarch/April 2026 p.71 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

A young girl searches New Orleans for her beloved dog, Roux. Glory, a strong-willed 9-year-old, has a quick temper like her dad, whom she adores, despite her suspicion that he may have something to do with Roux's disappearance. After a falling-out with her BFF, Marcelle, she ditches school to seek help from Seven, an unhoused man whom she and her mother have delivered food to in the past. Though Glory's mother grounds her for skipping school, she takes precious time off work to help make "missing" posters, and Marcelle stops by to help search. Things are looking up until Glory's daddy shows up, drunk, angry, and unpredictable. Sumner's rhythmic verse suits Glory's feisty voice and outsize personality. The novel has a strong sense of setting, with NOLA streets and neighborhoods coming alive, from Napoleon Avenue, where Glory and her father first met Roux, to Bywater, "home to all the best graffiti." Sumner sensitively considers the harsh realities of loving someone who can turn violent, but tender bonds of friendship and gentle humor alleviate the darkness as Glory comes to accept some difficult truths ("Understandin' / doesn't stop the hurt"). Glory's wide neighborhood is diverse; in Monnin's delightful drawings, Glory and her parents appear light-skinned while Marcelle and Seven are darker-skinned. Seeded with love and hope, a tale that nevertheless addresses turmoil and pain.(Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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1. Glory Be GLORY BE Legend has it the second my mama pushed me out she took one look and said, "Glory be!" The nurse mopping sweat drip drip drip p i n g from Mama's forehead uttered, "Amen," and that's how I became "Glory." Not Gloria, like the old ladies smoking Camels, gossiping in lawn chairs morning noon night. I'm Glory. The gold at the end of the rainbow. The lucky charm. The black-haired blessing, or if I've been sassy, "glory, glory hallelujah," with a shake of the head because it is always a battle with me. Mama, though, she claims my name had nothing to do with luck or God. She was just glad that labor was D.O.N.E. Done. Either way, I was Glory from that day forward. Where was my daddy, you ask? Good question. THE question, really, because that answer explains everything that's led up to TODAY: nine years later and one day after my dog, Roux, disappeared vanished vamoosed and now is nothing but a dot of light in my heart. That's why I am walking this very crooked line along the burnt-up summer grass behind the school instead of sitting in my seat like the "good little girl" Ms. Roche always tells me to be. I am a girl. But I am not good. And I am not little. Sorry, Ms. Roche, you're out of luck, because Glory be GONE and she ain't coming back until she finds her dog. Excerpted from Glory Be by Jamie Sumner All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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