Swallow's Dance

Starred review from October 1, 2018

Gr 5-8-Leira's sheltered life of privilege is all she has ever known. Her biggest concern is becoming a woman so she can start her priestess rites. Her people believe the earth goddess will protect them if the proper rituals and sacrifices are carried out, but an earthquake rocks their existence. Leira's mother is crushed inside their home and suffers severe brain damage, and eventually her family chooses to take their chances by boarding a boat to Crete. As tragedy upon tragedy befalls the sweet but naive Leira in this Bronze Age-set tale, readers will cheer for her to succeed, grow, and to find her way in this new world. Some chapters written in verse make the more emotional plot lines sing. An eye-opening look at how difficult it is when one's status changes in life, and how attitude can shape outcome. VERDICT Beautiful writing and a fast-moving plot will give young historical fiction fans much to love.-Mandy Laferriere, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 1, 2018
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* Leira is one of the Swallow Clan on the Minoan island of Thera in the Bronze Age, beginning her "learning," after which she will be a priestess, like other women in her clan. Her happy existence is cut short, however, when an earthquake devastates the whole island, severely injuring her mother and leaving them homeless. First they take refuge at a farm, but Leira's father, a merchant sea captain, interprets an oracle's message as a warning of more disaster to come. Leira and her family sail to the island of Crete, but after Leira's father and brother leave to gather goods, a volcano near Thera erupts (an actual event), a tsunami almost wipes out the city, and Leira is left to help her injured mother and their slave, Nunu, on a perilous journey to safety. As she faces the demands of sheer survival, Leira gradually realizes that the privileges afforded to her, thanks to her social status, are meaningless, and she starts taking on whatever unpleasant job she must to protect herself and her family. There are no miracles and no clear answers for Leira, but she learns to love what she has and that she can cope with anything.? Leira's lyrical first-person narrative advances the story along beautifully with a fitting sense of urgency, and free-verse songs clue readers in to her emotional development. Immersive historical fiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)