Selected Works

LAY THAT TRUMPET IN OUR HANDS
"Reminiscent of To Kill A Mockingbird... McCarthy realistically portrays race in a small [Florida] town, showing how good people are tainted by generations of hate... a tale of growth and triumph." ~Library Journal
TRUE FIRES
"In McCarthy's insightful, fervent second novel... flawless dialogue, warm characters and compassionate wit service a moving story about the powers of love and justice." ~Publishers Weekly

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Lay That Trumpet In Our Hands now a nationwide Common Read!

LISTEN TO MSU ONE BOOK PODCAST
Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl's big idea—"What if everyone read the same book then got together and talked about it?"—has really taken off.

“We choose not-particularly-well-known books that lend themselves to good discussions," Pearl explains. "Books that raise important questions about moral choices, ethical behavior, or the meaning of life, but do so without hitting people over the head with their message."

Among the many schools and library systems which have selected Lay That Trumpet In Our Hands by Susan Carol McCarthy for their One Book Read are...

ONE BOOK, ONE COMMUNITY READS:
  • Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 2009 Freshman Year Read
  • Finlandia University, Hancock, MI 2009 Freshman Year Read
  • Montcalm County, MI 2008 One Book, One County Read
  • Michigan State University 2007 Freshmen Year Read
  • City of East Lansing, MI 2007 One Book, One Community Read
  • St. Augustine-St. Johns County Libraries, FL 2007 One Book, One County Read
  • Tampa-Hillsborough County Libraries, FL 2005 One Book, One County Read

ONE BOOK, ONE SCHOOL or ONE CLASS (GRADE-LEVEL) COMMON READS:
  • Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, CT NFA READS Program 2011
  • Iroquois Jr/Sr High, Erie, PA One Grade Read 2011
  • St. Francis Xavier School, LaGrange, IL One Class Read 2010
  • The Pingry School, Martinsville, NJ Annual One Class Read since 2008
  • High Meadow School, Stone Ridge, NY Upper School One Class Read since 2008
  • Fairview High, Fairview, PA Annual One Class Read since 2008
  • Gulliver Preparatory School, Miami, FL One Class Read since 2009
  • Lely High, Naples, FL Senior Class Core Novel 2010
  • Providence School, Jacksonville, FL One Class Read 2009
  • Lake Mary Preparatory, Lake Mary, FL One Class Social Studies Read 2009
  • Oveido High, Oviedo, FL One Class Read 2009
  • Timber Creek High, Orlando, FL One Class Read 2009
  • Lake Highland Preparatory, Orlando, FL One School Read 2008
  • Paul J. Hagerty High, Oviedo, FL Annual One Class Read since 2008
  • South Broward High, Hollywood, FL One Class Read 2008
  • Jones High, Orlando, FL One Class Read 2008
  • Liberty School, Madison, AL Annual One Class Read since 2008
  • Rock Ledge High, Rock Ledge, MI One School Read 2007
  • Trinity Preparatory, Winter Park, FL Annual One Class Read since 2007
  • Lake Mary High, Lake Mary, FL Annual One Class Read since 2006
  • Winter Springs High, Winter Springs, FL Annual One Class Read since 2006
  • Colonial High, Orlando, FL Annual One Class Read since 2006
  • Terrace Community School, Temple Terrace, FL One School Read 2006
  • Academy at the Lakes, Land O' Lakes, FL One School Read 2006
  • Gulf Breeze High, Gulf Breeze, FL One School Read 2005

OTHER READS/RECOMMENDS:
  • 12 BEST BETS: BOOKS FOR SUMMER READING, Random House Academics
  • Approved High School Textbook 2010, Illinois State Board of Education
  • Annual English II Core Curriculum Read since 2007, South Carolina State Board of Education
  • TOP 40 YA TITLES, Pennsylvania School Librarians Association
  • SOCIAL SCIENCE DOCKET: "Using Literature in Secondary Schools to Teach about the African American Struggle for Civil Rights," a joint publication of the New York & New Jersey State Councils for the Social Studies
  • SUMMER/CIVIL RIGHTS READING LIST: Middlesex County High Schools, East Brunswick, NJ
  • Historical Fiction Secondary Reading list, San Dieguito Unified Schools, Encinitas, CA
  • Literary Canon (Required & Supplementary Literary Selections) of Gaston County Schools, Gastonia, NC 2009
  • RECOMMENDED READ: The Virginia Bar Association's "Rule of Law Project"
  • FLORIDA TEEN BOOK MAP PROJECT, Florida Reading Association
  • State of Florida Taskforce on African American History, Recommended Secondary Read
  • The High Schools of Duval County, FL Core Novel for Secondary Intensive Reading since 2010
  • The High Schools of Hamilton County, FL Core Novel for Secondary Reading since 2009
  • The High Schools of Polk County, FL Approved Instructional Reading List since 2009
  • The High Schools of Manatee County, FL Annual Core Curriculum Read since 2008
  • The High Schools of Escambia County, FL Annual Core Literacy Read since 2008
  • HOT PICKS! District-wide Summer Reading list for the High Schools of Broward County, FL

HIGH SCHOOLS/DISTRICTS TEACHING Lay That Trumpet In Our Hands AS A CORE NOVEL IN DR. JANET ALLEN'S PLUGGED-IN TO READING PROGRAM:
    Daphne High, Daphne, AL; Baldwin County Learning Centers, Baldwin County, AL; Oak Mountain High, Birmingham, AL; Shelby County Instructional Services Center, Alabaster, AL; E-cademie Charter High, Phoenix, AZ; Anaheim School District, Anaheim, CA; New Haven Academy, New Haven, CT; Cromwell Board of Education, Cromwell, CT; New Canaan High, New Canaan, CT; Lake Forest High, Felton, DE; Smyna High, Smyrna, DE; Brevard Public Schools, Melbourne & Cocoa, FL; Rainwater Center for Girls, Cocoa, FL; Frances Walker Halfway House, Titusville, FL; Charlotte County Public Schools, Punta Gorda, FL; Madison County School District, Madison, FL; Robert E. Lee High, Jacksonville, FL; Washington High, Escambia High & Pine Forest High, Pensacola, FL; JM Tate High, Cantonment, FL; Hamilton County School District, Jasper, FL; Marianna High, Marianna, FL; Okeechobee High, Okeechobee, FL; Clay County School District, Green Cove Springs, FL; Boone High, Orlando, FL; Fort White High, Lake City, FL; Northview High, Bratt, FL; W. Florida High School of Advanced Technology, Pensacola, FL; Brandon Alternative School, Seffner, FL; Cohokia United School District, Cohokia, IL; East Alton-Wood River Community High, Wood River, IL; Joliet Public Schools, Joliet, IL; Collinsville High, Collinsville, IL; Madison Senior High, Madison, IL; Clark Pleasant Community School District, Whiteland, IN; Mississinewa Community Schools, Gas City, IN; School City of East Chicago, East Chicago, IL; Morton High & Hammond High , Hammond, IN; Clark High, Whiting, IN; South Port High, Indianapolis, IN; Southwestern High, Shelbyville, IN; Triton Central High, Fairland, IN; SW Kansas Area Cooperative District, Ensign, KS; Scottsville High, Scottsville, KY; Carter County School District, Grayson, KY; Greenwood High, Bowling Green, KY; DuVal High, Lanham, MD; Eleanor Roosevelt High, Greenbelt, MD; Oxon Hill High, Oxon Hill, MD; Parkdale High, Riverdale, MD; High Point High, Beltsvile, MD; Lubec High, Lubec, ME; Machias Memorial High, Machias, ME; Shead High, Eastport, ME; Jonesport Beals High, Jonesport, ME; Central High, Grand Rapids, MI; Redword Union High, Redford, MI; Amite County School District, Liberty, MS; Horn Lake High, Horn Lake, MS; Grand Island High, Grand Island, NE; Sanborn Regional School District, Kingston, NH; Amy Biehl High, Albuquerque, NM; Native American Community Academy, Albuquerque, NM; Del City Senior High, Del City, OK; Rose Tree Media School District, Media, PA; Caprock High, Amarillo, TX; Chavez High, Houston, TX; Irving High & Union Bower High & MacArthur High, Irving, TX; Jefferson Forest High, Forest, VA; Liberty High, Bedford, VA

ADDITIONAL SUMMER READING LISTS:
    Pacifica High, Oxnard, CA; Rodriguez High, Fairfield, CA; Diamond Fork High, Spanish Fork, UT; San Juan High, Blanding, UT; Metamora Township High, Metamora, IL; Lamphere High, Madison Heights, MI; Arcadia High, Rochester, NY; Greece Central School District High Schools, North Greece, NY; Huntington High, Huntington, NY; Shenendehowa High, Clifton Park, NY; St. Mary's School, Swormville, NY; River Dell High, Oradell, NJ; Princeton High, Cincinnati, OH; Blackstone Valley Regional High, Upton, MA; Harwich High School, Harwich, MA; Malden High School, Malden, MA; Medway School, Medway, MA; Natick High, Natick, MA; Saugus High, Saugus, MA; Smithfield High, Smithfield, RI; Danbury High, Danbury, CT; East Hartford High, East Hartford, CT; Appoquinimink High, Middletown, DE; Middletown High, Middletown, DE; Paris High School, Paris, KY; Fairfield Central High, Winnsboro, SC; Mandeville High, Mandeville, LA; Henry W. Grady High, Atlanta, GA; Cypress Bay High, Weston, FL; Duncan U. Fletcher High, Neptune Beach, FL; Eastside High School, Gainesville, FL; Edgewater High, Orlando, FL; Florida Atlantic Technical High, Coconut Creek, FL; Freedom High, Orlando, FL; Gainesville High, Gainesville, FL; Lake Howell High, Winter Park, FL; Lawton Chiles High, Tallahassee, FL; Monarch High, Coconut Creek, FL; Northeast High, Oakland Park, FL; Orangewood Christian Upper School, Maitland, FL; Paladin Academy, Weston, FL; Seminole High, Sanford, FL; Somerset Academy, Pembroke Pines, FL; South Plantation High, Plantation, FL; Spanish River High School, Boca Raton, FL; St. Augustine High, St. Augustine, FL; Tavares High School, Tavares, FL; West Orange High, Winter Garden, FL

ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM READS:
    Shibuya School, Makuhari, Japan Advanced English 2 Read; Lincoln High School, Lincoln, NE English 10D Leadership Project; Oak Lawn Community High, Oak Lawn, IL; Lakeland High School, White Lake, MI Honors English Read; Geneva High, Geneva, NY English 1 Read; Glastonbury High, Glastonbury, CT English 2 Read; Tolland High, Tolland, CT English Honors Read; West Florida High School, Pensacola, FL English 1 Honors Read; Atlantic High School, Port Orange, FL English III Honors Read; Braden River School, Bradenton, FL English I Honors Read; Carlos E. Haile School, Bradenton, FL English I Honors Read; Hamilton County High, Jasper, FL English II Read; Wekiva High, Apopka, FL English III Honors Read; Beacon High School, Naples, FL English IV Read; Hollywood Hills High, Hollywood, FL Goverment & Law Communications; Coral Gables High School, Coral Gables, FL English Honors Read; Buffalo Creek School, Palmetto, FL English I Honors Read; Cypress Creek High, Orlando, FL English I Honors Read; Timber Creek High, Orlando, FL AP Read; Pinellas Park High, Largo, FL Annual Honors Read; Lawton Chiles High, Tallahassee, FL Annual AP Read; Seabreeze High, Daytona Beach, FL Annual Honors Read; Fernandina Beach School, Fernandina Beach, FL

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio welcomed Susan and friend Evangeline Moore to the county-wide celebration of Tampa-Hillsborough Reads.

One Book, One Community:
Tampa-Hillsborough County Reads

TAMPA, FL - Mayor Pam Iorio joined the Friends of the Library for the One Book, One Community: Tampa-Hillsborough Reads press conference featuring author Susan Carol McCarthy and Evangeline Moore, daughter of slain Florida civil rights leaders, Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore.

"McCarthy's extraordinary debut novel, Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands, was inspired by real events that took place in the 1950s after her family moved to Florida. This story of courage and compassion will touch the hearts of readers and remind longtime residents of the 1951 double murders of civil rights activist and Florida NAACP leader, Harry T. Moore and his wife Harriette," the selection committee said.

McCarthy and her special friend and guest Evangeline Moore, the Moores' only surviving daughter, visited Tampa for a series of One Book, One Community special events and programs.
"The best fiction always bears a strong resemblance to real life... McCarthy blends fact, memory, imagination and truth with admirable grace." ~The Washington Post