Swifts and Us: The Life of the Bird that Sleeps in the Sky

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Beautifully brought to life by debut author-illustrator and winner of the Carmelite Prize 2021, Lorna Hill.

Sarah Gibson has written a fascinating story of discovery, exploring what is known about these mysterious birds, their ancient ancestry and how they have been regarded through history. Maybe you like books about inheritance and houses full of secrets but you want to read something for a slightly older crowd (read: with more romance). Nothing in The Swifts is especially grim, as even the deaths are presented more with a dark humor than anything of particular menace, but I was surprised by the body count in this book.Which is lucky, really, because when one of the Family tries to murder Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude, someone has to work out whodunit. This is an exquisitely written book about identity and wordplay that's as warm, masterful and up-to-date as it is laugh-out-loud funny.

For the most part, the bird life is completely new to them, but he remarks on what North American species the European birds remind him of.The author’s enthusiasm for swifts really shines through, and the book is packed full of information and incredible photos. This storyline combines well with Shenanigan’s desire to know if she’s predestined to be a risk-taker and mischief-maker. Lincoln (who, I found out after finishing The Swifts, uses she/they pronouns) is very respectful of Erf’s identity and desires. When she moved into a town and discovered swifts, she was swept off her feet by the story of their extraordinary, aerial existence. Rescuing insects from a swimming pool in Fledgling by Hannah Bourne-Taylor and In the Quaker Hotel by Helen Tookey.