Swanfall by Sophie Kirtley

A thrilling new adventure story inspired by Irish folklore from Sophie Kirtley, author of The Wild Way Home. Perfect for fans of Sophie Anderson's The House with Chicken Legs, Amy Wilson's A Girl Called Owl and Aisha Bushby's A Pocketful of Stars. Pip lives with Mum in their isolated cottage on the wetlands.

Pip struggles to feel like he fits in at school. But at home, amongst nature, he truly feels he can be himself. Just like every winter, Pip is waiting for the swanfall – when the flock of majestic Arctic swans return from Siberia on their annual migration.

He knows every swan by their unique markings, and he loves to help Mum record the flock as they soar, shining through the sky, to their home. But this December, Pip’s favourite three swans haven’t appeared. Instead, Pip notices strange footprints in the snow, whispers on the wind and the sense that someone is watching him.

Something mysterious is afoot, and the adventure to discover the truth leads Pip to follow clues to an ancient curse that he had always believed was simply a fairytale …

Format:Paperback / softback 320 pages
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:Bloomsbury Childrens Books
ISBN:9781526642820
Published:6 Nov 2025
Classifications:General fiction (Children's / Teenage), Adventure stories (Children's / Teenage), Horror & ghost stories, chillers (Children's / Teenage), Fantasy & magical realism (Children's / Teenage), History & the past: general interest (Children's / Teenage)
Weight:224g