Description

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A boy risks his life to save some very special children in this fantasy adventure, set amidst the rich backdrop of Renaissance Venice.

In Venice in 1487, the secrets of glassblowing are guarded jealously. Renzo, a twelve-year-old laborer in a glassworks, has just a few months to prepare for a test of his abilities, and no one to teach him. If he passes, he will qualify as a skilled glassblower. If he fails, he will be expelled from the glassworks. Becoming a glassblower is his murdered father’s dying wish for him, and the means of supporting his mother and sister. But Renzo desperately needs another pair of hands to help him turn the glass as he practices at night.

One night he is disturbed by a bird—a small falcon—that seems to belong to a girl hiding in the glassworks. Soon Renzo learns about her and others like her—the bird people, who can communicate with birds and are condemned as witches. He tries to get her to help him and discovers that she comes with baggage: ten hungry bird-kenning children who desperately need his aid. Caught between devotion to his family and his art and protecting a group of outcast children, Renzo struggles for a solution that will keep everyone safe in this atmospheric adventure.

About the Author

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Susan Fletcher is the acclaimed author of Journey of the Pale Bear; as well as the Dragon Chronicles, composed of Dragon’s Milk, Flight of the Dragon Kyn, Sign of the Dove, and Ancient, Strange, and Lovely; and the award-winning Alphabet of Dreams, Shadow Spinner, Walk Across the Sea, and Falcon in the Glass. Ms. Fletcher lives in Bryan, Texas. Visit her at Susan Fletcher.com.

Praise For…

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"Falcon in the Glass has it all: sympathetic characters, fascinating details, high stakes, a hint of magic, excitement on every page. I couldn't put it down!"
— Gail Carson Levine, Author of Ella Enchanted, a Newbery Honor Book

"Falcon in the Glass  is a spine-tingling adventure with a tender heart. Imagine dangerous secrets, cloaked assassins, and midnight rides through the murky canals of Venice. Do read it. You'll be glad."
— Karen Cushman, author of The Midwife's Apprentice, winner of the Newbery Medal

"Moments of real beauty and mystery. "
— Kirkus Reviews

"A well-constructed, intriguing novel."
— Booklist

"Historical fiction steeped in context...a solid selection."
— School Library Journal