Kathryn Fitzmaurice

The year that Kathryn Fitzmaurice turned thirteen, she was sent to spend the summer in New York City with her grandmother, who wrote science fiction novels. After listening to conversations about the characters in her books, and how her grandmother could make them into whomever she wanted, Kathryn decided that she, too, wanted to become a writer someday. Years later, after teaching elementary school and taking many writing classes, Kathryn now writes full time and lives in Monarch Beach, California with her husband, two sons, and her dog, Holly—who, Kathryn says, is so smart, she can practically empty the dishwasher.

The Year the Swallows Came Early
The Bowen Press, February 2009
ages 9 to 12, ISBN 978-0-06-162497-1

Eleanor “Groovy” Robinson loves cooking and plans to go to culinary school just as soon as she’s old enough. But even Groovy’s thoughtfully planned menus won’t fix the things that start to go wrong the year she turns eleven. Suddenly her father is in jail, her best friend’s long absent mother reappears, and the swallows that make their annual migration to her hometown arrive surprisingly early. As Groovy begins to expect the unexpected, she learns about the importance of forgiveness and starts to understand the complex stories of the people around her. And on a night where nothing goes as planned, she is amazed to discover that even a really big shake-up can’t get in the way of a family that needs to come together.

A teaching guide is available for this title