Cuckoo's Flight (Minoan Wings, 3) - Hardcover

Orr, Wendy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1772781908 ISBN 13: 9781772781908

Publisher: Pajama Press, 2021

Synopsis

A new gripping Bronze Age story from Wendy Orr, internationally acclaimed author of Dragonfly Song and Swallow’s Dance

Clio can’t remember a time when she didn’t share a bond with the mare Grey Girl. On the whole island of Crete, she and her Trojan-born father are the only people who raise and ride horses―and she couldn’t live without it. Between the freedom of the pasture and the safety of her grandmother Leira’s pottery studio, Clio has always had everything she needed.

Then an accident stole Clio’s ability to ride, or even to walk without a crutch. The weather changed and summers grew drier. Now raiders are preying on nearby towns. As anxiety builds, a terrible pronouncement is issued by the palace: at the spring festival, a girl between the ages of twelve and fourteen will be chosen to save the town from disaster. She will be sacrificed as an offering to the mother goddess.

In Cuckoo’s Flight, internationally bestselling author Wendy Orr returns to the Bronze-Age setting of her critically acclaimed novels Dragonfly Song and Swallow’s Dance. With her signature blend of striking prose and emotionally taut verse, she immerses readers in a thrilling coming-of-age story as Clio battles the political power of the palace and her own feelings of inadequacy to save her town, her horses, and perhaps even herself.

About this title

About the Author

Award-winning author Wendy Orr was born in Edmonton, Alberta. The daughter of an Air Force pilot, she has since lived around the world, including several years in Colorado, France, and England. She now lives in Melbourne, Australia, but returns to North America yearly to visit her family. Wendy's many books for children have been published in 27 countries and won awards around the world. Prominent among them is Nim's Island, which was made into the 2008 film of the same name; a 2013 sequel, Return to Nim's Island, was loosely based on Orr's book Nim at Sea. Orr's 2017 novel Dragonfly Song is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Kirkus Best Middle-Grade Books selection, and a finalist for the prestigious TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, among others. Its 2018 companion Swallow’s Dance earned three starred reviews and was a USBBY Outstanding International Book and a School Library Journal Best Middle Grade Book.

Reviews

Gr 4-8-Clio has always had a connection with horses, and although she was injured in an accident and can no longer ride, her love of the animals never fades. In the pasture one afternoon she spots a ship that appears to be raiders, and soon her village is in an uproar over the impending attack. To make matters worse, the palace professed that a girl between the ages of 12 and 14 must be sacrificed at the spring festival to protect the land. Clio finds herself helpless, trying to protect her horses and filled with anxiety that she will be sacrificed. Yet she works to overcome her fears and help save her family, her city, and her animals. Orr mixes prose and poetry masterfully throughout the tale. The story is fast paced but has moments of contemplation, and Orr's skill as a writer show, especially in her poetry. The characters are well rounded, especially Clio and her friendship with the young Mika. Although sometimes heartrending, the story ends on a hopeful note of change and enlightenment. This Bronze Age historical fiction is a follow-up to Orr's Swallow's Dance and revisits the main character Leira, now a grandmother hoping to save her granddaughter. While it's not necessary to have read the first book, those who have will enjoy reuniting with familiar characters. VERDICT Fans of historical fiction, or even horse stories, will appreciate this fast-paced tale.-Ellen Conlin, Naperville P.L., ILα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pajama Press
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1772781908
• ISBN 13: 9781772781908
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288