The Summer of the Swans

Aunt Willie firmly declares that Charlie’s watch was lost rather than stolen but doesn’t explain how she knows this. Why do you think Aunt Willie chose not to tell Sara about her interaction with Joe Melby?

How is Sara and Charlie’s dynamic different from the latter’s relationships with older sister Wanda and Aunt Willie? How is their connection unique and how is this bond reflected through their interactions?

Sara is convinced she’s not popular among her classmates and peers, perceiving this isolation as a result of her own appearance-related insecurities. Is there any evidence that Sara is correct in her not fitting in? What actions by her peers prove otherwise?

Aunt Willie experienced repeated traumas over the course of her 40 years, especially deaths within the family—but she describes Charlie’s disappearance as her “blackest day.” Consider why she feels this way.

Wanda spends a significant amount of time outside the house compared to her aunt and siblings. And yet, Wanda feels angry and hurt upon being left out of the loop of Charlie's disappearance, largely because she was busy with her own duties. How might the family and their dynamics change in the future? What might this mean for Sara?

By the end of the novel, Sara admits to misjudging both Joe Melby and her father. What does this change in perspective tell readers about her growth? Who else might Sara still be misjudging?

Sara feels her appearance puts her in a negative light. There are significant differences which set her apart from her peers, her unconventional family in particular. What elements of Sara’s experience and family history set her apart and how do these circumstances shape her identity and perception of the world (and herself in it)?

Explore Charlie’s side of the story, from his desire to find the swans to his discovery by Sara and return home. What emotions does he experience? What do his reactions and responses to the situation tell us about his thought process and what motivates him?