Growing Up - Lessons we Learn from our Parents (and we in turn, as parents, teach)

A thought popped into my head as I prepared to write tidbits about two of my favorite books published this year. Out of all of the days since this blog was started that I could have chosen to write about either of these books, is it merely coincidence that I chose the morning of the day my parents arrive for a visit? Funny how the mind makes connections of which we are not even aware.

The Year the Swallows Came Early and When the Whistle Blows share many elements. Both are the first pieces published by their authors. Both books use their settings almost as important characters. And maybe not surprising since both are coming of ages stories, each main character learns an important life lesson from his or her father.

The Year the Swallows Came Early was released in January. Its author, Kathryn Fitzmaurice, is someone I had met previously at a Deborah Wiles book signing. As it turns out, that meeting was one week before her agent put Kathryn's book out to editors in the hopes of being picked up. (It was picked up by Harper Collins the same day it went out - a fairytale in the world of publishing.) So back in January of this year, when I was flipping through my catalogs preparing my lists of books for upcoming book fairs, I saw Kathryn's picture staring at me. I immediately googled her, contacted her and made a date for coffee! As it turned out, that date was the day after her pre-released copies of her books arrived at her door. And she brought and signed one for me. Touched and so excited for her, I began to read it as soon as I got home that afternoon, finishing it soon thereafter.

The Year the Swallows Came Early takes place in a fictionalized San Juan Capistrano. As locals know, and you may too, San Juan Capistrano, home of one of Father Serra's missions, provides a part time residence to a group of swallows that return punctually every year. The town still throws a festival on that day, even though the birds no longer come into the center of the activity, but rather stay in the surrounding hills. This year, Kathryn read the first part of her book at that Festival.

Her story opens with eleven year old, Eleanor "Groovy" Robinson escorting her father through town towards work. Although Groovy's horoscope that morning had told her to "expect the unexpected" there was no way to prepare for her father being arrested by Officer Miguel right there in front of her. And if that was not enough, there was the less than surprised almost nonchalant response by her own mother when Groovy ran to tell her what had happened. Groovy notes early that their stucco house with picket fence and roses was like a See's candy, "with beautiful swirled chocolate on the outside, but sometimes hiding coconut flakes on the inside, all gritty and hard, like undercooked white rice."

When Groovy eventually does find out why her father was jailed, her sadness from missing him is replaced with an intense anger. (Don't want to spoil the story but feel it is important to let you know that he was not jailed for any violent crimes!) And she needs to discover whether or not she is still in control of her own destiny (she greatly desires to go to cooking school) or if her own future has become completely derailed by her father's actions. What Groovy learns is that forgiveness is equally as important to the person doing the forgiving as it is for the person who is asking for it.

A great read for 4th - 6th graders (4th graders in Southern California will enjoy the Mission San Juan Capistrano connection as many of them make a field trip to that mission.) For schools in Orange County, Ms. Fitzmaurice has some availability in her schedule for visits. Her presentation includes insight on how she took some elements from her own childhood to develop the character of Groovy. She allows the kids to do some role-playing and discusses how to work facts into parts of one's story. Please contact me if you are interested in having me check her availability for your school. For book club questions for your child's book club please see the link before to connect to the article I did for Coast Kids Magazine (p. 54).

This blog will be continued tomorrow with more insights to When the Whistle Blows.