About the Author

Kathryn Fitzmaurice once received a book that was inscribed with the prediction that she might become a famous poet like Emily Dickinson. She became a writer for young readers instead, and her very first novel, The Year the Swallows Came Early, has received many honors and accolades. She lives in Monarch Beach, California, with her husband, sons, and faithful canine writing companion, Holly.

Reviews

"Aptly set amid the hippie ambiance of Berkeley, Calif., and peopled by offbeat, but believable characters, Fitzmaurice's story deftly mingles Dickinson, Danielle Steel, a budding crush, and protesting tree sitters while maintaining suspense that leads to a satisfying ending." - Publishers Weekly
"A sweet book that should appeal to fans of Wendy Mass, Joan Bauer, Sharon Creech, and the like." - School Library Journal
"There's a proto-romance with classmate Connor Kelly, attention paid to environmental issues and some interesting poetry, but the focus is squarely on Emily's growing self-determination. Emotionally, her story rings true. Readers will applaud Emily's newfound understanding of the workings of destiny and might even follow her lead." - Kirkus Reviews
"Emily's exploration of fate is intriguingly presented, and a happy ending comes about through both Emily's choices and pure luck, leaving readers with the pleasantly paradoxical idea that fate is both beyond and within one's control...Emily is a strong and likable heroine." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Emily's engaging first-person narrative chronicles her daily life, her wonderfully quirky family, her musings on fate, her growing sense of self, and her one-way correspondence with her favorite writer, Danielle Steel. The book's idyllically happy ending may have its critics, but most young readers will find it entirely satisfying." - ALA Booklist