Shade of Wings

A Novel

by Pam McGaffin

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Pub Date May 26 2026 | Archive Date Not set

She Writes Press

Historical Fiction | Science | Teens & YA

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Description

For fans of Laline Paull, a speculative young adult novel about a family of New York City crows struggling to survive the outbreak of West Nile virus during the sizzling summer of 1999.

Four-year-old Duncan needs to hurry up and find a mate—or so says his sister, Cloud. But she doesn’t know about the mistake that’s preventing him from leaving their family to start another.

Though he’s the eldest, Duncan doesn’t see himself as a leader. Yet that’s what he must become when both his parents die of the mysterious illness that’s killing crows across New York City. He devotes himself to caring for his siblings, including three fledglings—but he soon discovers he can’t protect them from the “blind death.”

Meanwhile, a zoo pathologist’s worst fears are realized. It starts with dead flamingos. Then critically ill New Yorkers start showing up in hospital emergency rooms.

Some blame the crows.

Advance Praise

“A profound story of loved ones sticking together in the face of tragedy and hardship.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Utterly original! I’m in awe of Pam McGaffin’s deft storytelling—she makes a family of crows both fascinating and deeply relatable. I love a book that leaves me seeing the world with fresh eyes, and Pam accomplishes that in spades.”—Andrea Ezerins, author of Again and Again Back to You and When the Forest Dreams.

“Filled with appealing characters, crow lore, natural history, mysterious illness and conflicting scientific theories, Pam McGaffin’s speculative novel Shade of Wings delivers a fresh and compelling story of family, survival, and redemption. The book gripped me from page one, and never let go—simply said, I had to find out what happened to these characters. Well done!”—Mima Tipper, author of Kat's Greek Summer and Channeling Marilyn

“A profound story of loved ones sticking together in the face of tragedy and hardship.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Utterly original! I’m in awe of Pam McGaffin’s deft storytelling—she makes a family of crows...