The Summer of the Swans

Written by Betsy Byars

Sara's search for her missing brother leads her to confront her fears and unexpected alliances.

3.6 Goodreads · 11,098 ratings

142 pages· 25,178 words· Est. 3 hour read· 830L

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Bookroo's summary

Sara Godfrey's summer is a whirlwind of emotions and self-doubt, overshadowed by the mysterious swans that captivate her brother Charlie. When Charlie vanishes, Sara's world shifts. Desperate to find him, she joins forces with Joe Melby, a boy she never thought she'd trust. As they navigate dense woods and fields, Sara faces her fears and discovers strength she never knew she had. Will finding Charlie change everything she believes about herself and those around her?

From the publisher

A Newbery Medal Winner

All summer Sara Godfrey has fretted over herself, her impossible body, her terrible new haircut. One moment she’s elated, the next, she’s in tears. And she can’t figure out why. Maybe her wildly changing moods are tied to the sudden and unaccountable appearance of the swans, which hold the rapt attention of Charlie, Sara’s mentally handicapped brother, who she loves far more than herself these days. In fact, it will be the sudden disappearance of Charlie that will compel Sara to abandon her own small, annoying miseries, and lose herself in searching for him. In her anguish, Sara turns to Joe Melby, whom she has long despised, and together they search through the dense woods and rough fields to find him. Sara knows that she will never be the same again.

“A compelling story.”—Publishers Weekly