Beswitched

October 10, 2011
“Her proper memories were running away from her, and the modern world where she belonged seemed as distant as a dream.” Twelve-year-old British girl Flora Fox is angrily on her way to a fancy boarding school when she falls asleep on the train and wakes up in 1935 at another school, St. Winifred’s. Flora learns that she’s been magically summoned to the past by her three roommates, who were trying to conjure a “helpful demon from the future,” and has taken over the life of a girl from British India. She has to adjust to speaking French at breakfast, bathing just twice a week, wearing bloomers, being bullied, and learning Latin, all while trying to get back home (and prove that “future-girls” are not useless). The journey allows Flora to view her formerly spoiled self in a new light and complete a task that will better the world. Saunders (The Little Secret) offers a coming-of-age tale set against a rich backdrop full of period detail. First published in the U.K., this often surprising glimpse into the past will charm readers. Ages 10–up.