Summer and Bird

Gr 5–8—Debut author Catmull begins this ambitious fantasy with a powerful first chapter. In spare, poetic terms, an omniscient narrator introduces readers to two sisters, Summer and Bird, who wake up in their home next to a forest to discover that both of their parents and their cat are missing, and they head into the forest to find them. Clues have already alerted readers to the fact that this is a transformation tale: their mother had been a swan in the shape of a human, had found her swan "skin" or robe, and transformed back into her swan form. Summer and Bird are guided by a small bird to Down, a dreamlike place, magical and eerie, full of possibility and danger. The girls are drawn on their different but connected quests to find not only their parents but also their true paths in life, and as they do, they also save the world of birds. The novel has a complex and intricate plot that draws on classic quest fantasy and sibling-rivalry themes, as well as Jungian archetype theory, dream theory, and mythology. Although the story suffers from overexposition, the dream sequences are powerful and intriguing, and the images frequently startle (as in the "endless, dark, wet muscle of the World Snake"). Running through the story is a fascination with birds of all kinds, and an acute ability to get under the skin of characters. Sophisticated readers who enjoy understanding complex motivation and pondering the behavior of characters will enjoy this story.Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City