The Year the Swallows Came Early

Every once in a while, a book comes along that makes me want to buy it for all the kids I know. The Year the Swallows Came Earlyis one of those. A small gem. It's a story about a little girl, Eleanor (Groovy) Robinson, who has been betrayed by the one she probably loves best in the whole world, and there is so much to love about this book I find it hard to know where to start with my praise. In the opening page the author makes us several promises. She promises to deliver a thoughtful character. A little girl who looks below the surface. The author also promises to deliver a book with picturesque writing and rich metaphors. Lastly she promises to look at betrayal. She tells us that some things that look good--the perfect house, the beloved daddy--are hiding unpleasant things inside. I'm here to tell you (to borrow a phrase Groovy's fond of), Kathryn Fitzmaurice delivers on her promises. Groovy is a delightful narrator, a smart girl who feels deeply and makes the reader feel, too. She has a unique and unhurried approach to life and a mind that works at categorizing and understanding her world. Her way of using food and nature to view and understand what's going on with people is fresh and brilliant and moves the book from good to great. You can't help but love Groovy. She cares about her friends, wants to do right but sometimes fails, and loves her parents. In the end she's alive and well, and though not all is right with the world, you can rest assured that all is right with Groovy. She'll roll with the punches, that girl. I loved the characters, and also the grace, the pace, and the artistry in the book. Expect the unexpected, the horoscope reads at the beginning, and throughout the book Groovy finds that almost no one is what she expected at first glance. Everyone has hidden pockets of shade and light. I love the way Fitzmaurice painted the mother, in particular--a flawed woman full of love and strength. The character growth in the secondary characters is amazing. Several characters face variations of the same betrayal Groovy deals with. Betrayed by father, by mother, by a judgmental world, by a get rich quick scheme, by superstitious beliefs--these people and things didn't deliver on their promises. And in the end it wasn't all OK. Everything wasn't healed. But each character moved ahead. Each character made some step to get over the betrayal and move on. The Year the Swallows Came Early will stand comfortably on the shelf next to Because of Winn-Dixie, The Giver, and Bridge to Terabithia. It's a beautiful book. I highly recommend it.

I loved this book. Even though the cover shows a happy girl celebrating the swallows flying by the sea, this book is so much more. Eleanor is the kind of girl you'd like to have for a best friend, and you feel for her when you find out that her dad goes to jail and that her dream of going to cooking school may be lost forever. As the story unfolds, you learn more about her best friend's worries, her quirky mother, family problems, betrayal and forgiveness.

Kathryn Fitzmaurice has written a gorgeous debut. Engaging, thoughtful, poetic, heart-warming & hunger-inducing! Groovy's narration is pitch-perfect, and Fitzmaurice has created an endlessly lovable - and for me - identifiable character in Groovy's mother, Lilliana. Loved it. This book feels timeless, and reminds me of favorites from my childhood. Instant classic. A ++

The Year the Swallow Came Early is terrific. The characters are warm and likeable, the descriptions swept me away. I read this with my daughter and then re-read it, what a treat! Kathryn Fitzmaurice style of writing is filled with beautiful descriptions that transported my right into the book. I can't wait to find out what Groovy and Frankie do next.

Eleanor "Groovy" Robinson dreams of going to cooking school. She plans menus and tries recipes and hopes to be like Betty Crocker. But the year Groovy turns eleven is the year everything changes. Her daddy is suddenly taken away to jail, her best friend's long-lost mother makes a return, and the trusty faithful swallows that migrate through her town appear early. Growing up is hard and families can be difficult - and Groovy is learning to expect the unexpected. Reading THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY was such a delightful treat! Groovy is a strong and lovable character whose growth throughout the story felt real. I felt like I was learning and growing along with Groovy as things were uncovered around her. Author Kathryn Fitmaurice's writing is like poetry and her story pulled me in. Even though there was a lot packed into the story, the pacing was perfect and each chapter added a wonderful new layer to Groovy's story. This is a wonderful pick for readers looking for something unexpected. Reviewed by: Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen