Swallow's Dance

Leira, a member of the wealthy and noble Swallow Clan in the Bronze Age, and other village girls her age are beginning their “Learning” to become women when disaster strikes: an earthquake destroys her home and when she and her family escape to Crete, a volcanic eruption and tsunami devastate her life and her plans but she learns to become stronger, wiser, and better equipped to cope than the “Learning” could have taught her. This historical novel details the personal, societal, economic, and environmental impacts of natural disasters and the themes of family, community, love, and loss. Suitable for literature circles or guided novel study and to launch small group discussions and research for grades 5-8.