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The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

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Juvenile Fiction
271 pages
2009

The year that the swallows came early to San Juan Capistrano, Eleanor "Groovy" Robinson was 11 years old. It was also the year her father went to jail. The real blow to Groovy, though, is finding out why he was sent to jail and who called the police to report him. It's here that Groovy has to deal with anger, frustration, ruined plans, and whether or not forgiveness is the right thing. Groovy herself is an interesting character; spunky, loyal, and a great cook! She's in charge of meals at home while her horoscope-checking mother runs the local beauty salon. While dealing with her own concerns about her father, Groovy also tries to help her best friend, Frankie, cope with the reappearance of his mother who is overdue to come back home by several years.

A sweet story, a possible Newbery contender, about faith and hope and the struggle that forgiveness can be.

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