21st century Flora Fox, a British schoolgirl, is being sent away to Penrice Hall, a fancy boarding school. She is not happy about it, and is pouting. Flora’s parents are having their apartment renovated, and they are off to Italy, to help Flora’s injured grandmother. Flora doesn’t like her grandmother very much, and feels like her parents are putting her grandmother’s needs ahead of her own. Flora is consoled by the fact that she has a new laptop and a cell phone. As she is en route to Penrice Hall via train, Flora falls asleep and has a weird dream. When she awakens, an unknown companion is by her side, and she is wearing weird looking clothes. Things are even stranger, as she has memories from a different Flora, and arrives at St. Winifred’s School for Girls, and not at Penrice Hall. Flora is even more astounded to learn that the year is 1935! Flora’s new roommates had requested a girl from the future, through a summoning spell!
Flora desperately wants to get back to the 21st century, but she first must complete a task before she goes back. During her time in pre-World War II England, she becomes less self-absorbed and more considerate of others. Her roommates become her best friends. An engrossing story with a satisfying (though not too surprising) ending. Recommended for grades 5-8.
