Thirteen year old Leah Ward has been having a great school year, getting ready for a school dance and practicing for her upcoming baseball games. Then one day her mother asks Leah to come with her to the Shady Springs old folks home to help pass out food baskets. Leah makes up every excuse possible, but her mother forces her to go or else she will be grounded. Once they get to Shady Springs Leah is very agitated, and refuses to even talk to any of the old people living at Shady Springs. When they come down to the last room occupied by a mysterious old lady named Mrs.

"The Crystal Swan" by Suzan Tanner McCoury is an appropriate novel for young readers. The plot revolves around thirteen-year-old Leah. Leah goes to a nursing homes against her wishes to help out her mother volunteer. Not fond of elderly persons, Leah's sour disposition is clear to those at the nursing home. Speaking to the elderly, Leah is very incorrigible. Before she finally leaves, one older woman gives her a crystal swan. Shortly thereafter, the girl has disturbing "episodes," which are really flashbacks of elderly people of when they were young.