June 2026: Scottish Women Writers

The White Bird Passes (1958)

Set in the backstreets of Elgin in the 1920s, this is the story of a young girl growing up in “the Lane.” Poor, crowded, and dirty — but full of life and excitement — the Lane is the only home Janie MacVean has ever known. It is a place where, despite everything, Janie is happy. But when the Cruelty Man arrives, bringing with him the threat of the dreaded “home” — the orphanage that is every child's nightmare — Janie's contented childhood seems to be at an end. CW: suicide