Ringside, 1925
  • Published: 15 October 2009
  • ISBN: 9780440421894
  • Imprint: RHUS Children's Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 240
  • RRP: $21.00

Ringside, 1925

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Jen Bryant (The Trial, Pieces of Georgia) has established herself as a critically acclaimed author of accessible free verse, and as she demonstrated with The Trial, she can make a historical event of national scope feel both immediate and intimate. In Ringside, 1925, Jen examines another trial--the controversial Scopes Evolution Trial--with the same grace, sensitivity, and meticulous research. Like her previous books, Ringside, 1925 is told in verse, but here, Jen uses multiple voices (from both sides of the debate) to bring to life an event of profound historical, scientific, and cultural significance. Jen is well-reviewed and an excellent, experienced self-promoter, and we plan to continue growing her at Knopf. This paperback edition of Ringside, 1925 is timed with Jen's new Kaleidoscope Eyes on the Knopf list.

Take a ringside seat at one of the most controversial trials in American history.

The year is 1925, and the students of Dayton, Tennessee, are ready for a summer of fishing, swimming, and drinking root beer floats at Robinson’s Drugstore. But when their science teacher, J. T. Scopes, is arrested for having taught Darwin’s theory of evolution, it seems it won’t be an ordinary summer in Dayton.

As Scopes’s trial proceeds, the small town pulses with energy and is faced with astonishing nationwide publicity. Suddenly surrounded by fascinating people and new ideas, Jimmy Lee, Pete, Marybeth, and Willy are thrilled. But amidst the excitement and circus-like atmosphere is a threatening sense of tension—not only in the courtroom, but among even the strongest of friends.

★ “The colorful facts [Bryant] retrieves, the personal story lines, and the deft rhythm of the narrative are more than enough invitation to readers to ponder the issues she raises.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred
  • Published: 15 October 2009
  • ISBN: 9780440421894
  • Imprint: RHUS Children's Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 240
  • RRP: $21.00
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About the author

Jen Bryant

I went to Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I majored in French and minored in German and Secondary Education.
I live in northern Chester County, Pennsylvania, with my husband, Neil; my daughter, Leigh; and our energetic springer spaniel, Sam.

Also by Jen Bryant

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille
A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin
Kaleidoscope Eyes
The Trial
See all

Praise for Ringside, 1925

Praise for Ringside, 1925:
"Bryant offers a ringside seat in this compelling and well-researched novel. It is fast-paced, interesting, and relevant to many current first-amendment challenges."--School Library Journal
* "The colorful facts [Bryant] retrieves, the personal story lines, and the deft rhythm of the narrative are more than enough invitation to readers to ponder the issues she raises."--Publishers Weekly, starred
"Bryant's novel-in-verse gives voice to many players, and...the participants come across as real individuals with distinct voices and personalities. By the end, the young people demonstrate how the trial opened their eyes and minds, as they seem inspired to launch themselves into the larger world....A natural for the classroom."--Kirkus Reviews