GLORY BE, by Jamie Sumner, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, March 10, 2026, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)
A girl searches for her lost dog and truths about her family in Glory Be, a middle-grade novel in verse by Jamie Sumner.
Disappeared. Vanished. Vamoosed.
Glory has the best dog in the world. Roux wags his tail so hard his whole round little body shakes. He touches his nose to hers like E.T. phoning home. Roux is always there for her—but now he’s gone. And Glory is worried her daddy had something to do with it.
Daddy’s been getting into trouble since the day Glory was born. Now it’s worse than worse. As she searches all over New Orleans for her lost pup, Glory discovers some things about her city and herself. Enough to make her wonder: How do you know when to hang on to the ones you love…and when to let go? —Synopsis provided by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Glory Be is the story of a girl and her dog and her family and her friends.
Glory’s fast-moving story takes place over just a few days. Glory is independent and strong. She’s also determined to a fault, sometimes willfully disobeying or putting herself in dangerous situations. And though she seemingly has good reasons for everything she does, there don’t seem to be any consequences for her behavior. I wish there had been something that stuck on this front.
That said, author Jamie Sumner captures love at a number of levels: unconditional parental, fractured parental, friendship, and that of a dog and owner. It’s a beautiful exploration that will resonate with many readers. However, because of some serious situations, it feels more appropriate for a slightly older audience, ages 9 or 10 and up.
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