The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
Winner, 1971 Newbery Award
Quick Summary
Fourteen-year-old Sara searches for her missing mentally challenged brother after he goes missing one summer day.
Favorite Quote
It was as if her life was a huge kaleidoscope, and the kaleidoscope had been turned and now everything was changed.
About the Author
Betsy Byars is the author of more than 60 children's books. She lives in South Carolina on a private airstrip. (She and her husband are both pilots.) As a child she never wanted to become a writer because she thought it would be boring to sit by yourself and type all day.
My Project
For my project, I painted random stripes of orange and light blue on a kraft brown paper background. I made the stripes very lightly and irregularly using a toothpick to give them some motion. I chose those colors because Sara tries to dye her orange tennis shoes baby blue and learns that the combined color is puce, which she doesn't believe is a real color. Of course, I included a white swan in the center. I attached it using a small foam square so that the swan would not be flush against the background. I like that it casts a small shadow since the beautiful swans cast a shadow over parts of the book.
Final Thoughts
I found the parts of the book written from the point-of-view of Charlie (the lost brother) the most compelling. It was fascinating to see the world from the perspective of someone non-verbal--from his obsession over the ticking of his prized watch to his disorientation when he becomes lost.
Your Turn
If you read this book, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments.