Subtitle: A Priceless Time Travel Tale
Authors: Suzy McKay and Cal Orey, MA
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 979-8-8230-1857-9
Pages: 226
Genre: Time Travel, YA Historical Romance
Reviewed by: Liz Konkel

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Tory never expected that a homework assignment would send her on the epic journey of a lifetime. Mrs. Finch is a teacher who provides Tory’s class with a rather strange assignment: crafting wool bracelets. It only gets more mysterious when Tory finds a piece of paper in the teacher’s bag containing a note about time travel. This sets off an incredible series of events which begins after she meets the handsome Tate during choir, and together the two fall back in time to 1864 where they meet Cade and Jeannette. Soon, their trip in time becomes more than an assignment but a way to help her new friends on their journey as they set out for America – but to help the ones in the past, they’ll need help from those in the present. In addition, after Tory discovers her school’s music program will end due to a lack of money, she works with her friends to devise a plan.

As a narrator, Tory is excited to learn more about history, and this is incorporated into her journey back in time. She has a genuine interest in wanting to know about the past; such as wanting to meet Clara Barton and see for herself all she did for history. Time travel elements are cleverly woven into aspects of Tory’s daily life as topics of conversation, and even in Mrs. Finch’s assignments. This interaction with the teacher brings the concept of time travel to Tory’s attention and is a catalyst for the adventures about to occur. The year they venture back to is 1864 when they first find themselves in a mine in Wales where they eventually meet Cade and Jeannette. At the center of these trips to the past is the concept of the American Dream which is what Tory’s new friends are striving to find. There’s a certain wistfulness in these characters which captures the various reasons that drove immigrants to want to come to America.

Historical attributes are incorporated to create the historic backdrop with references such as: smallpox, President Lincoln’s death, and the Civil War. The prominent theme explores the concept of “learning from history” by literally walking among these moments and seeing these experiences firsthand. Right from the start, the story draws you in with a prologue giving readers a teaser for the upcoming time travel antics which await. The story weaves between the present day and 1864 with specific goals for each time, to help their friends and to save the music program. The time travel genre crafts the past as if you’re being drawn into another world by treating history from a human perspective.

There is an intriguing exploration of the two time periods by comparing the modern worries of the teenagers about getting to practice, doing homework, and even going to a homecoming dance to Cade and Jeannette’s journey across the ocean in search of a better life. The story uses history as a moral center which helps grow Tory through these events shaping the reality she knows in the present.  Tory’s behavior has this attitude which is carefree and stems from the pure excitement she has to learn and discover others’ stories. The formatting structure is unique as Tory’s imagination occasionally runs wild concocting whole scenarios about what other people are doing, putting herself in their shoes. The story meticulously uses dialogue to establish the time period by having those in the past use specific grammar which dates them and contrasts with the more modern way Tory and her friends talk. The modern references in the past are unique ways to incorporate humor into the story while not taking away from the seriousness of the circumstances or the relatability of the characters.

Part of what makes this time travel adventure special is how it connects you to history by both physically taking the characters back in time, and by having Tory read diary entries from the perspective of someone who lived that life. Romance adds charm to the story through the growing bond between Tory and Tate which is sincere and contains elements of first love. Their dynamic is wholesome and adds a certain amount of innocence to the story and pairs well with the love between Cade and Jeannette. Meeting and getting to know the people in the past gives them a personal connection to history and keeps readers invested in the various characters’ lives.

The adventure is a playful twist on time travel that serves as a clever way to encourage young adults to step into history. By connecting to people in the past, Tory is able to form sympathy and understanding for the plights and struggles they experienced. This is an example of how important it is to learn from history and to see that these were real people who lived these experiences.

Somewhere in Time: A Priceless Time Travel Tale by Suzy McKay and Cal Orey, MA is a charming tale of time travel and romance which takes two teenagers back in time where they experience the Civil War and understand the dream for a better future.  It is a story which will resonate long after the book is finished, which is the sign of a truly enjoyable read.

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