Glory Abroad

by Cristi Slate

Eleven-year-old Glory Thompson is perfectly content blending into the background of her big, boisterous Colombian-American family. But when her dad gets a new job all the way across the world in St. Petersburg, Russia, her comfortable life is turned upside down.

Suddenly, Glory and her family are immersed in a world of baffling customs, weird food (who puts sour cream in EVERYTHING?), stern-faced strangers on crowded metros, and a language they can’t understand. To make matters worse, their new apartment comes with a dragon of a landlady who despises noise and absolutely forbids pets.

When a scruffy, injured street dog named Snowflake hobbles into their lives, Glory knows she has to save her—even if it means risking everything and breaking every rule.

Join Glory for a heart-warming adventure as she navigates cultural mishaps, forms unexpected new friendships, and discovers that home isn't a place, but the people you’re with.

Genres: Childrens

232 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 22, 2025

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book! There are so many things that the author does well, telling the story through the eyes of a middle schooler:

-Processing her family moving
-Acclimating to a new, foreign culture/country
-Learning to rely on others when you feel stuck
-Multiple historical & cultural insights
-Relating across cultures through shared human experience

"Glory Abroad" is wholesome and the kind of book that an entire family could read and process together.

[Kristin B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book about a family that moved countries. It contains both humorous stories and life lessons. It’s an easy read for younger readers. Or to read aloud as a family. My family has moved to and from different countries and the feelings and stories in this book are familiar and realistic. I love Slate as an author. She has an engaging way of telling stories by taking the reader to lovely new destinations.

[Glenn Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I actually CRIED when Glory took a tray of homemade cookies to Grumpy Grandma and talked to her instead of talking about her. Wow, such a teaching moment on how to "love our enemies". Had this book been written 5 years ago (or more), I would easily have given it a 5 stars. The only reason I didn't is because it feels a bit weird to read about a "normal" Russia today after they invaded Ukraine in February of 2022. There was no mention of the war in this book (obviously that's not what it was about). Still it felt a little "off" to be reading in 2025 about Russia without any mention whatever of this fact. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of St. Petersburg and of the common Russian people and read the book with great delight. I'm positive the intended teen audience will love the sense of adventure and also the dealing with people different than themselves. Christi is a highly gifted author. I wholeheartedly recommend anything she writes!

[S Seward · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and engaging book for young people filled with truth-to-life experiences as seen through the eyes of a young girl whose life is changing in tremendous ways. Glory deals with difficult goodbyes as she leaves her dear extended family and friends behind to fly across the globe into new adventures and learning to cope in a world that's not her own. She rises to the occasion and in the end, readers realize her sense of celebration in newfound friends who are becoming like family. Such a great story...looking forward to more!

[Chesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Middle grade story of a family moving from the U.S. to Russia for the sake of the father’s job, told from the viewpoint of 12-year-old daughter Glory. So many realistic elements to make an excellent portrayal of a family in transition and of mixing cultures. So many personal hooks for me: Latino family background, Slavic culture, and the beginnings of a Third Culture Kid childhood. Ridiculously real to my own experiences! Loved it especially for that. It’s a mix of fun and difficult scenes.

Worldschoolers will enjoy this one.

[Anna McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure fun for the whole family!

Whether you're looking for a fun, engaging read-aloud or a book you can feel great about giving your young reader without having to pre-screen, this book (and following series - can't wait for the next installment!) is fabulous! Relatable characters, engaging story, and clean content modeling faith and family values makes this book a perfect addition to your family library!

[Rob Baddorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful middle-grade read! Filled with fun and adventure as one family moves across the world! But the real fun begins when they try to keep their furry secret hidden from their grumpy, no-pets-allowed landlord. A fun read!

[Janet Fortenberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful, quick moving story about normal and surprise moments in a family facing challenges due to a work necessitated move overseas. The characters are realistic and relatable. A good personal challenge to face new situations and keep trying!

[Emily Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glory Abroad is a great book for kids and adults! The characters were really kind and sweet. I would recommend this book to all my friends and family. I really enjoyed reading it and can't wait to read the next book in the series!

[Savannah Hillis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart warming & thoughtfully written - great for young readers!

[Erin Presley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Glory Abroad” is a fun and well-paced story about a girl named Glory who moved from the U.S. to Russia with her family. The story is fun and heartwarming and my daughter and I couldn’t put it down. I appreciated that the author allowed for a normal range of emotions in her tween-age main character as well as for many comparisons and contrasts of various cultures represented. It is evident that she has a deep love for the people and cultures of the various countries represented in the story, and I felt like I got a wonderful tour and a greater understanding of a place that I have yet to visit but hope to one day see.
We look forward to more Glory stories in the future!