Elzibah Swan lives on Boston's Beacon Hill in a tall brick house that her great-grandfather built. Her life is ordered and comfortable, and when her grandchildren come to visit, it is even sometimes exciting. But after the children leave, Elzibah is restless and discontented, feeling that life is passing her by. So on the morning of her seventy-fifth birthday, she tells her cat, Zanzibar, that she has decided to learn something new. ''Zanzibar," she announces, "I am going to learn how to swim."
If Zanzibar is not startled by this announcement, others are. But Elzibah is determined. She buys an emerald green swimsuit with pictures of water lilies on the skirt, starts swimming lessons - and soon wonderful things begin to unfold for her.
Beautifully written and illustrated with glowing watercolor paintings, Sea Swan sensitively portrays Elzibah's longing for independence and self-respect - a longing that young readers will recognize and share - and captures her joy in the new experiences that enrich and renew her life.