Swallow's Dance [Hardcover]

Leira is about to start her initiation as a priestess when her world is turned upside down. A violent earthquake leaves her home - and her family - in pieces. And the earth goddess hasn't finished with the island yet.With her family, Leira flees across the sea to Crete, expecting sanctuary. But a volcanic eruption throws the entire world into darkness. After the resulting tsunami, society descends into chaos; the status and privilege of being noble-born are reduced to nothing. With her injured mother and elderly nurse, Leira must find the strength and resourcefulness within herself to find safety.A thrilling new Bronze Age survival story from the award-winning author of Dragonfly Song and Nim's Island.A priestess by birth on the Bronze Age island that is now Santorini, Leira finds her coming-of-age training cut short when an earthquake destroys her town and leaves her powerful mother disabled. Warned by an oracle that worse is yet to come, the family flees to Crete but finds no sanctuary. A tsunami sends the island into anarchy and Leira must hide her noble status and learn new kinds of strength to help what remains of her family to survive.* Dragonfly Song, set in the same ancient culture and published in 2017, earned a starred Kirkus review and was a Junior Library Guild and a Kirkus Best Middle-Grade Books selection* Strong, compelling survival adventure with a courageous teenage heroine, set in Bronze Age Crete.* This book will have broad appeal and be an easy recommendation for almost any reader aged 9-13, particularly readers who enjoyed Dragonfly Song* Mythological elements will have strong appeal for fans of Rick Riordan* Themes: adventure, natural disaster, survival, historical fiction, ancient culture, courage

AboutSwallow's Dance

2018School Library JournalBest Middle Grade Books selection

2019 USBBY Outstanding International Books List  Grades 6-8 selection

2019 CCBC