Review: Summer of the Swans

Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars

This book tells the story of Sara, a 14-year old girl feeling miserable on her summer vacation and trying to figure out what's most important to her, and her brother Charlie who is mentally retarded. They live with their sister Wanda and their Aunt Willie in a small town. Sara takes Charlie to see the swans that have just come to the lake and he is so fascinated by them that, in the middle of the night, he tries to find his way back to them and ends up getting lost. The next day, everyone, including Sara, sets to to try to find him.

This is a very short story so that synopsis doesn't really do the book justice. The reason, I believe, that it won the Newbery Medal Award, is because it takes an honest look at a period that many young teenagers go through - discontent and confusion about themselves and others - and then seeks to resolve those conflicting emotions. At the same time, it also takes an honest look at what it would be like to have a mentally handicapped child in the family.  The story switches constantly between the perspectives of both Sara and Charlie, attempting to give us a view of what Charlie might be thinking as well.

This book is a really good book especially for the target audience (Late Elementary - Early Middle School) because I believe that it would touch them for good at an important part of their lives. I still like "Enchantress of the Stars" better (which won a Newbery Honors Award that exact same year), but that is that is like comparing two high-class meals - both are good and nourishing. I recommend this to anyone, but especially someone with children near that age (younger is good too), or the children themselves.