It's 1974, and in two short weeks, sixth-grader Theo's life has changed dramatically. Gone are the familiar rhythms of life on his grandparent's farm and his beloved piano; instead, home is now a small, cramped room in a rooming house in Destiny, Florida, with an uncle he hardly knows. Named after Thelonious Monk by his music-loving parents, Theo is delighted to discover that Miss Sister, who runs the rooming house and dance academy, has a piano that he can play. However, for his gruff war-veteran uncle, the very sound of the piano brings up painful memories of his sister, and he forbids Theo to play. Distracting Theo from his difficult living situation is Anabel, an energetic girl whose love and knowledge of baseball rivals that of Theo's. Together, the two of them investigate a baseball mystery in Destiny. A well-crafted novel that explores such challenging themes as enduring the impact of war on families, establishing a new life, and understanding what love truly means, this will connect well with middle-school readers.

Gr 4-6 When 12-year-old Theo's grandparents become too elderly and ill to care for him, his surly uncle Raymond, a Vietnam War vet, reluctantly takes him from the family home in the hills of Kentucky to the small town of Destiny, FL. They end up residing at the Rest Easy Rooming House & Dance Academy, which is owned and operated by the lovely Miss Sister Grandersole, a former Rockette. Theo (whose full name is Thelonius Monk Thomas, after the jazz musician) finds in Miss Sister a friend and advocate, who also encourages his musical prodigy on the piano even though his uncle forbids it. Set in the 1970s, the town of Destiny is awash in steamy southern atmosphere and baseball historyHank Aaron and others are purported to have stayed and practiced there. The cast of lively characters, including spunky 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