LaDelle & Jubilant

Set in the 1930s, this Southern feel-good novel about a controlling widow and the troubled nephew she’s asked to care for invites you on a journey of faith and surrender while weaving in the amazing true-life character, George Washington Carver.

LaDelle Harris, a fiery 51-year-old widow and head librarian at the Tuskegee Institute, likes things her way: orderly and predictable. So, the last thing she wants is to take care of her 12-year-old nephew, Jubilant, for the summer—or maybe forever. But when her estranged brother, the Reverend Ashton Bartley, suffers a heart attack and she’s asked to look after his son, she can’t say no.

While LaDelle focuses on doing all she can to keep Jubilant from creating chaos in her life, the manager of the Piggly Wiggly shows signs of being interested in her. Amid all that’s going on, Jubilant is bent on returning to Huntsville to be with his daddy. Can a menopausal woman with a need for control and a troubled pre-teen boy make peace with God and each other as they struggle with their fears and issues? Professor George Washington Carver may be able to help.

Praise for LaDelle & Jubilant

… an authentic, deeply engrossing story that will take you on a relatable journey of emotions. Cathy McIlvoy’s storytelling thoroughly captures the essence of family dynamics and history. This book will stay with me for a long time.

-Brendan Slocumb, author of The Violin Conspiracy and Symphony of Secrets

…the story revolves around George Washington Carver and other characters in a fresh and historically accurate portrayal of the people and events in that difficult time. Well-researched with great insight and integrity…

-Dana R. Chandler, University Archivist/Associate Professor, Tuskegee University.

“LaDelle & Jubilant is a heartwarming, multi-generational story that left me wanting to know more about George Washington Carver and the community around the Tuskegee Institute."

-Angela Correll, author of Grounded

“With humor and history, McIlvoy’s LaDelle and Jubilant takes us to Tuskegee in the 1930s and invites us to journey with some endearing characters, including the amazing George Washington Carver. As a child of Mother Tuskegee (both my parents and grandparents are graduates) this novel was a delight to read.

- Jewel Burks Solomon, Managing Partner, Collab Capital