The Swan Bonnet

By: Katherine L. Holmes

Narrated by: Pamela Hershey

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Unbeknown to Dawn, her grandfather has shot an old swan out of mercy. In their coastal Alaskan town, her father buys the swan pelt, preventing her Uncle Alex, a fur trader, from selling it for export. Dawn’s father surprises her part-Aleut mother with a hat she helped to make and also with an idea to catch poachers. Shooting swans has become illegal but Alaska is a territory and prohibition occupies the Sheriff.

Dawn and her mother become involved with suspicious inquiries about the swan bonnet besides its haunting effect. Because Dawn’s grandparents see the swans first, Dawn agrees to secretly watch the migration with the deputy sheriff’s son. But after she and her mother encounter women from a ship and find out about a hunting party, they ride to the inlet. There are townspeople roving the shore too but who is the vigilante and who is the poacher?

Gold Star book at the HarperCollins Editor's Desk, 2010, Authonomy.com

©2013 Katherine L. Holmes (P)2020 Katherine L. Holmes

Critic reviews

“What a relaxing, classic, and vibrant story.” (HarperCollins review at Authonomy.com)

“...many readers will find this nostalgic 'study' of individuals in a time and place when life was both simple and complex but 'loser to earth' most thought provoking and enjoyable” (John Manhold, Historical Novel Society

“Beautiful characterizations and clear insights into frontier days in the Alaska of the Prohibition Era” (Sterling Gate Books)

A Swan Story with Heart

Katherine L. Holmes created this young adult as a coming-of-age story of Dawn. The character development of Dawn and her family is well done as well as integral to the story. The small-town mindset of the Alaskan territory included civilized changes. The descriptions were vivid with the delightful narration by Pamela Hershey.
The swans' story and their annual migration on the Alaskan coast roughly one hundred years ago is a focus. For three generations, Dawn's family has been involved with the swans' migration as they return in summer. Dawn's Grandma Glenda recognizes many of the swans and names them. They care for them and teach their children and children's children to appreciate these magnificent creatures.
Swan feathers are valuable, and poachers are illegally shooting them then exporting them. Getting common hunters redirected became a common practice. Dawn's Uncle Alex is a hunter and tries to misdirect poachers to help preserve the swans. Since swans mate for life when a spouse dies, their mate soon follows. Such was the case with one of the birds named Bustle. The family found the dead carcass and fashioned a hat for Dawn's mom. At the height of the changes in poaching laws, she makes quite a statement by wearing it to town.
This is a good story and recommended for the young adult reader. I liked the flavor and description of the times. The language is easy to listen to and understand. It provides a little history of other cultures and a time sadly gone. The narration was excellent with pacing and tone. There were no issues with the quality of this audible.

Disclaimer: This Audiobook was provided free of charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher in exchange for a non-bias, honest review.