THE SHINING SWAN

A girl who can summon birds discovers her magical ancestry in this middle-grade novel, the third in a series.

As described in two previous series installments, 12-year-old Claire can commune with birds. On their invitation, she can enter a dimension called the Now. Claire is traveling with her mother from their home in Pennsylvania to County Limerick, Ireland, to visit Claire’s grandmother and great-grandmother, called Mamo, at their bed-and-breakfast. From Mamo, Claire learns she’s a direct descendant of Gealala, meaning Shining Swan, through seven generations of the female line. Gealala was a descendant of the Tuatha de Danann, who could transform themselves into birds, fish, or animals. Claire’s snow-white hair and golden eyes are a sign she, too, has this magic. As a “Champion of the Wing,” her task is to investigate family records and find a way to activate her abilities on behalf of a pair of Irish curlews—an endangered species whose nesting site is threatened. Claire has allies that include Oak, a troubled 8-year-old orphan; five elders from the ancient provinces of Ireland; and the four white raptors of the family crest. With the Irish setting for her series, Butler deepens the underlying mythic structure to reach back into the legendary past, an intriguing development for the overall story and for Claire’s coming-of-age journey. The endangered birds capture reader sympathy and help to bridge ancient and modern concerns. Less sympathetic despite her orphan status is Oak, who is by turns bossy, hysterical, or pouting. As with the earlier outings, Butler’s style sometimes suffers from awkward and inelegant phrasing, such as “surveying her limbs clothed in denim and flannel” and “the volatile orphan.”

A mostly successful blend of mysticism, legend, and ecological awareness.