Swanfall

Author Sophie Kirtley
Narrator Sophie Kirtley
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing
Publish Date 6 November 2025
Run Time 7 hours and 3 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Children’s / Teenage fiction: General fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Horror and ghost stories, chillers, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Magical realism, Children’s / Teenage general interest: History and the past.

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents Swanfall written and read 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 …

Critics Review

A chilling winter's tale, glittering the magic of friendship, song and arctic swans – Sarah Ann Juckes, author of The Night Animals on SWANFALL

SWANFALL is perfect for anyone aged 8+ who likes books about nature, friendship, magic – or who just likes great stories! – Kirsty Applebaum, author of The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good on SWANFALL

A beautiful, thrilling, timeless tale - I loved it – Lucy Strange, author of The Secret of Nightingale Wood on SWANFALL

Such an adventure! Gorgeous use of setting, relatable characters, oodles of atmosphere & a mighty fine story which keeps you gripped right to the very end

Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear, on THE HAUNTING OF FORTUNE FARM

A ghost story, a mystery, and a book about love, belonging and grief. It's ghostly and atmospheric and would have you glued to the pages till its satisfying end

Nizrana Farook, author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant, on THE HAUNTING OF FORTUNE FARM

The Wild Way Home echoes Skellig and Stig of the Dump, with a bold, readable charm entirely its own … Full of peril, sadness and wild joy, it’s a timeslip adventure with a difference

Guardian on THE WILD WAY HOME

So good I read it twice

Hilary McKay on THE WILD WAY HOME

I loved this unique, quirky story full of heart

Jasbinder Bilan on THE WILD WAY HOME

A fast-paced adventure full of heart

Hannah Gold on THE WAY TO IMPOSSIBLE ISLAND

Delivers in spades. It made me laugh, cry, gasp and turn the pages for one more chapter every time I had to stop

Nizrana Farook on THE WILD WAY HOME

Dazzling storytelling

Hilary McKay on THE WAY TO IMPOSSIBLE ISLAND

Amazing and brilliant and stupendous and all the exclamations

Nizrana Farook on THE WAY TO IMPOSSIBLE ISLAND

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