The Year the Swallows Came Early
by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

    THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY by Kathryn Fitzmaurice
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
    Release Date:  2/3/09
    Publisher:  The Bowen Press
    Reviewed by:  Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen
    Rating:  5 Stars


    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.