The Changeling (Snyder novel)
| Company type | Young adult novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | Zilpha Keatley Snyder |
| Products | Book |
The Changeling is a young adult book authored by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, initially released in 1970. It earned a Christopher Award and was honored by the Junior Library Guild as an exceptional work for youth.
Plot summary
The narrative focuses on the bond between two teenage girls: the reserved Martha and the adventurous Ivy. Ivy is a member of the marginalized Carson family, residing in a rundown Victorian mansion surrounded by neglected orchards. She identifies herself as a changeling, a mystical child swapped at birth, a concept she revisits when feeling threatened. Martha comes from an affluent household rooted in suburban ideals and harbors skepticism toward Ivy’s background.
Their friendship begins in second grade and quickly becomes inseparable. Martha learns that Ivy is "utterly fearless," likely a result of abuse from her father or brothers. Ivy seldom sheds tears, and when she does, she remains silent. The girls differ in appearance and personality: Ivy is dark-haired, slender, elegant, and mature; Martha is blonde, heavier, awkward, and sensitive. Their vivid imaginations unite them in creating an elaborate fantasy realm called the Land of the Green Sky.
They frequently play in an enchanted forest area and establish rituals that mirror ways to resolve real-life challenges. During their teenage years, Ivy dreams of becoming a ballet dancer and motivates Martha to pursue drama, which helps Martha gain self-assurance.
Because of her family’s reputation, Ivy constantly encounters suspicion and blame. In eighth grade, after an incident of school vandalism, Ivy is falsely accused due to her "jailbird Carson" label. In response, her family abruptly leaves overnight with their old red truck.
Martha is left heartbroken and puzzled by Ivy’s mysterious final words. Without her magical companion, Martha faces adolescence alone, searching for new friendships beyond Ivy’s distinctive presence.
Supporting information
The novel uses a flashback technique, beginning with Martha awaiting Ivy’s return while reflecting on how Ivy influenced her growth.
Literary scholar R. Craig Roney places The Changeling within a 1970s trend in children’s literature featuring “a realistic character living in the real world who fantasizes to manage actual or perceived difficulties.”
Critic Ann F. Howey highlights that the classic “fairy as Other” theme is central to changeling stories and that Snyder employed it to depict alienation realistically in children’s fiction.
Snyder has explained that the fantasy play found in The Changeling and its expansion into the Green-sky series originated from childhood games she enjoyed with relatives in Ojai, California.