Module 6

Module 6:

The Year the Swallows Came Early

Summary:

This story is about a young girl named Eleanor but everyone calls her Groovy, who witnesses her father being arrested and must come to terms with her mother’s explanation of it.

Citation:

Fitzmaurice, K. (2009). The year the swallows came early. New York: Bowen Press

Impressions:

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a beautiful story about family and forgiveness. It is also about growing up and the responsibilities that come with it.

Review:

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–7—Watching helplessly as her father is taken off to jail, Groovy Robinson, 11, is convinced that there has been a terrible mistake. When her mom admits that she turned him in because he gambled away the $25,000 savings account that Groovy's great-grandmother left her, the child shrinks into herself-disappointed, hurt, not caring about anything. Not until Groovy-now wanting to be known as Eleanor-heeds the advice of the homeless old sailor Mr. Tom does she grasp that people we love can hurt us, but that only through forgiveness can we become whole again. This first novel is peopled with three-dimensional characters whose imperfections make them believable and interesting. Groovy's big-talking, ne'er-do-well dad donates a trailer to Mr. Tom. Her beautician mom is guided by astrology, but her boundless love for Eleanor is totally grounded. And Groovy's perceptive friend Frankie is unable to grasp the real reasons that his immigrant mother left him in his stepbrother's care. The well-structured plot is underscored by clear writing and authentic dialogue, and short chapters keep the story moving. The book draws a parallel with the birds of Capistrano, and a novel that encourages understanding, tolerance, and forgiveness is as welcome as the returning swallows.—Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI (Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Year-Swallows-Came-Early/dp/0061624977/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291956099&sr=1-1)

Suggestions:

This would a unique book to incorporate with a food unit. There is a recipe at the end of the book for Groovy’s homemade chocolate covered strawberries.