The Discovery of Flight
Finalist, 2019 International Book Awards (Fiction – Young Adult)
Macedonian rights sold to Prozart Media, Skopje, North Macedonia
“The two voices – one sardonic, the other tender – blend seamlessly in this heartbreaking story that will appeal to fans of both realism and fantasy.”
—Governor General’s Award-winning author Kit Pearson
The Discovery of Flight is a novel in two voices about the relationship between two sisters, the older of whom is disabled by cerebral palsy and only able to communicate with assistive technology (she can control her computer by moving her eyes). It interweaves the fantasy novel sixteen-year-old Libby is writing for Sophie’s thirteenth birthday, and Sophie’s diary, in which she discusses the deteriorating condition of her older sister.
From the reviews
“A beautiful sibling duet. This uniquely structured novel is funny, frank, and utterly transporting.”
—Governor General’s Award-winning author Kyo Maclear
“Moving, imaginative, ultimately heroic and highly readable.”
—Robert Priest, author of the Spell Crossed trilogy and The Wolf is Back.
“The parallels between Libby’s fantasy novel and her life with her family are at the heart of this beautifully written book. The Discovery of Flight provides a compassionate perspective on a family living with a severely disabled child, but it also tells the funny, poignant story of a 12-year-old struggling with growing pains. Author Susan Glickman brings the voice of the two sisters together in a memorable and transformative ending.”
—starred review by award-winning author Charis Cotter in Quill and Quire
“This ingenious juxtaposition of a 12-year old’s reality and a handicapped 16-year-old’s fantasy develops the novel’s depth as it glides over day-to-day events and matters of life and death. Libby becomes less and less communicative as her story evolves and Sophie’s worry over this comes out as frustration. Sophie’s own life, however, is growing as it should and when Libby dies, Sophie expresses her gratitude for her sister’s gift by finishing the story Libby started.
The author has made Sophie’s final chapter of Libby’s story purposefully less well written, yet it manages to convey adequately not only the relationship the two girls enjoyed but also a sense of peace and purpose to Libby’s short and truncated life.”
—Lesley Little in Resource Links
“Susan Glickman has created a compelling voice for Sophie, and the mechanism of using a journal to share Sophie’s thoughts and feelings is engaging.”
—Bev Brenna in CM Magazine
“A sensitive story of sisters, love, and loss, told via interweaving narratives.”
—Carly Wiggins Searcy, McNeese State University, School Library Journal
