Swan Song

Some children just aren't cut out for school and Dylan is one of them. Falling behind with work, labelled a failure and permanently angry, everything gets too much to handle and finally he is permanently excluded at the start of Year 8 for punching another student.

With his single mum unable to hold down a job and homeschool him, Dylan and his mum are forced to move to a tiny, remote Welsh village to live with his grandad. With nothing to do but go out on the boat with his grandad to watch the swans return to their winter feeding ground, Dylan gradually feels more in control again. A threat to the swan habitat from a local developer and a tragedy at home mean it's up to Dylan to pull the community together to save Swan Fields and show the world the person he really is.

Swan Song is a deceptively gentle story with a relatable protagonist which could not be more timely and topical. Lockdown has clearly shown how some students struggle to cope with the claustrophobic and pressured nature of the classroom resulting in obvious anxiety and mental health issues and Dylan is clearly suffering depression, struggling to give voice to his feelings. Dylan's warm relationship with his quietly caring and non-judgmental grandad offers him as much breathing space as the wide Welsh skies and helps him realise it's okay not to be okay. So cleverly written is this book that the reader can almost feel Dylan's mind slow down and stop raging as he accompanies his grandad out on the boat and unravels his own story for the reader.

If lockdown has taught us anything, it is the restorative power of nature and the importance of community and these prove key to pulling Dylan from a dark place, giving him purpose, self-belief and hope. Cleverly placed images running along the bottom of the pages draw the reader as fully as possible into the natural world with Dylan. This design brilliance is typical of Barrington Stoke's commitment to accessible reading for everyone. The specially designed dyslexia-friendly typeface, enhanced spacing between and around the text and the heavier weight, cream-tinted paper ensure maximum enjoyment and minimum struggle.

This affecting and empathetic tale by a top-notch author tackles huge issues with a lightness of touch. Swan Song stands alone but fits perfectly into a sequence of stories about nature, wildlife protection and valuing the environment which began with Run Wild and continued with Eagle Warrior. Research is currently underway to prove that watching nature on screen provides the same mental health benefits as walking outdoors ourselves. Swan Song proves that reading about it can be every bit as valuable too. You need all of these stories in your library.

112 pages / Reviewed by Eileen Armstrong, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 11+

I fell in love with this story right from the very start. The very title of this story makes it immediately jump off the shelf. The beautifully designed cover and illustrations that run along the bottom of each page, really enhanced this lovely story.

Swan Song tells the story of Dylan, a struggling 13 year old who has found that everything has just become far too much. Dylan finds himself in a fight and expelled from his School, leaving his mother no choice but to have to return to her own father's house in Wales. Dylan's grandad is patient and kind to Dylan, encouraging him to come out on his boat to watch the swans and 'just be'.

Out on the water Dylan learns not only how to take control of the boat, but soon learns to slow down, breathe and reflect on his actions. Dylan falls in love with the swans and takes in an injured swan to bring it back to its full health. But when the home of the swans is threatened and Dylan's grandad also becomes ill, Dylan must learn to become confident and stand up for what he believes in.

The great appeal of this story is the subtle message that runs throughout - boys have feelings too. Dylan's personal narrative reflects that he has too many emotions that he doesn't know how to process and is afraid to talk to anyone, causing him to lash out. Dylan is a typical teenage boy, but the narrative shows him to grow and change as he learns how to process all his mixed emotions. I loved how a teenage boy was shown to have confused feelings and learned to gain control through nature; there is much for a teenage reader to gain from this subtle message.

The beautiful intertwined narrative of the swans is so wonderful to read. I learned a lot about swans and now have a much greater appreciation for them; they are a majestic animal.

Barrington Stoke are fabulous publishers and many of my students request the latest Barrington Stoke book. They are accessible to read, appealing to look at and the stories are always fully engaging and imaginative. These books are an absolute must for every classroom from ages 8+.

112 pages / Ages 9+ / Reviewed by Joanna Hewish, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+

Some children just aren't cut out for school and Dylan is one of them. Falling behind with work, labelled a failure and permanently angry, everything gets too much to handle and finally he is permanently excluded at the start of Year 8 for punching another student.

With his single mum unable to hold down a job and homeschool him, Dylan and his mum are forced to move to a tiny, remote Welsh village to live with his grandad. With nothing to do but go out on the boat with his grandad to watch the swans return to their winter feeding ground, Dylan gradually feels more in control again. A threat to the swan habitat from a local developer and a tragedy at home mean it's up to Dylan to pull the community together to save Swan Fields and show the world the person he really is.

Swan Song is a deceptively gentle story with a relatable protagonist which could not be more timely and topical. Lockdown has clearly shown how some students struggle to cope with the claustrophobic and pressured nature of the classroom resulting in obvious anxiety and mental health issues and Dylan is clearly suffering depression, struggling to give voice to his feelings. Dylan's warm relationship with his quietly caring and non-judgmental grandad offers him as much breathing space as the wide Welsh skies and helps him realise it's okay not to be okay. So cleverly written is this book that the reader can almost feel Dylan's mind slow down and stop raging as he accompanies his grandad out on the boat and unravels his own story for the reader.

If lockdown has taught us anything, it is the restorative power of nature and the importance of community and these prove key to pulling Dylan from a dark place, giving him purpose, self-belief and hope. Cleverly placed images running along the bottom of the pages draw the reader as fully as possible into the natural world with Dylan. This design brilliance is typical of Barrington Stoke's commitment to accessible reading for everyone. The specially designed dyslexia-friendly typeface, enhanced spacing between and around the text and the heavier weight, cream-tinted paper ensure maximum enjoyment and minimum struggle.

This affecting and empathetic tale by a top-notch author tackles huge issues with a lightness of touch. Swan Song stands alone but fits perfectly into a sequence of stories about nature, wildlife protection and valuing the environment which began with Run Wild and continued with Eagle Warrior. Research is currently underway to prove that watching nature on screen provides the same mental health benefits as walking outdoors ourselves. Swan Song proves that reading about it can be every bit as valuable too. You need all of these stories in your library.

112 pages / Ages 11+ / Reviewed by Eileen Armstrong, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 11+