P. K. BUTLER
Mystical Realms in the Real World
OF THE WING
a Trilogy
A mystical journey through the woodlands of Pennsylvania, the bayous of Arkansas, and the hills and lakes of Ireland.
#1 AN ODD BIRD
Hawk or hummingbird, birds find Claire Belle irresistible. In fact, they seek her out as if summoned. The question is why? The eleven-year-old searches for answers with the help of two new friends: Victor, a Native American boy who rides her school bus, and Jerry, an old man who roams the forest with his pet chicken. Through their friendship, Claire awakens to an almost mythical hawk with whom she must communicate to learn the secret of her destiny as a champion for birds.
". . . a story combining ecological awareness with mysticism, the themes nicely linked by the mythic
role of birds as spiritual messengers."
—Kirkus Reviews​
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". . . the story is utterly immersive."
—BlueInk Review
#2 THE HAWK'S MESSAGE
Eleven-year-old Claire possesses an inexplicable ability to summon birds, a gift that attracts the interests of unusual companions. A wizardly old man and a mystical hawk try to teach Claire how to enter the Now, a non-place where beings connect through consciousness. Only from there can the red-tailed hawk deliver an urgent message: Birds will vanish from the Earth without her help. But to become their champion, she must first conquer all self-doubt. Claire attempts to do so in what becomes a dangerous expedition to Arkansas to find the ivory-billed woodpecker.
"A diverting combination of ecology and spirituality . . . " —Kirkus Reviews​
“Butler again excels . . . creating a palpable sense of place." —BlueInk Review
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#3 THE SHINING SWAN
In Ireland, where her great-grandmother owns a castle, Claire learns that she is the descendant of a magical race that once ruled ancient Éire. And like her 13th-century ancestor, known as the Shining Swan, Claire can summon birds. Four raptors come to her aid in a battle to protect the habitat of Irish Curlews nesting on the shores of Lough Gur, the Enchanted Lake. But Claire must also rely on the help of friends (including an eight-year-old fairy hunter) to decipher long-hidden clues for reviving the mystical power of a mythical past.
" . . . With the Irish setting for her series, Butler deepens the underlying mythic structure to reach back into the legendary past, an intriguing development for the overall story and for Claire’s coming-of-age journey. . . ."
—Kirkus Reviews
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" . . . Butler's characters are strong, original, and expressive, and . . . her consistent, rich descriptions lend their own magic. "
—BlueInk Review
Of THE WING Omnibus Edition
An Odd Bird, The Hawk's Message, and The Shining Swan are together in this omnibus ebook edition of the trilogy
Of the Wing. Follow 11-year-old Claire and her friend Victor on a mystical journey through the woodlands of Pennsylvania, the bayous of Arkansas, and the hills and lakes of Ireland to discover the meaning behind her mysterious connection to birds.
Alert! In her preface to the omnibus, P.K.Butler shares exciting news!
P.K. Butler is a Pennsylvania-based author of children’s books. She earned a Master of Art degree in English from Pennsylvania State University and thereafter pursued a teaching career in higher education. She is a birder, a stargazer, a gardener for pollinators, and an avid reader. Butler, who lives in Gettysburg, is always on the lookout for new trails to explore with her two big dogs, Rosie and Henry.
On the Trail to a Trilogy
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Through the forests of Pennsylvania, on the bayous of Arkansas, and over the hills and lakes of Ireland, P. K. Butler scouted for the stories in her trilogy OF THE WING. In 2003, she began this long journey. The first two books were originally published under the titles The Legend Awakes and the Ivory-billed Obsession. However, Butler reimagined both stories while researching and writing the third. Retaining the trilogy title, she changed the book titles to what you see today. Learn more about the history of this trilogy on the web page Origin Story of a Trilogy.
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Attentions Teachers! Email me for information on obtaining free instructional videos for teaching An Odd Bird: pkbutler@ofthewing.com