
A parent would reach for this book when their child is wrestling with the heavy weight of 'what if' or the fantasy of undoing a painful family event. It is a profound resource for children dealing with the death of a parent or the sudden departure of a father, offering a safe space to explore the natural desire to change the past. The story follows cousins Linny and Hilary as they are magically transported back to their old Brooklyn neighborhood, arriving just days before their lives fell apart. While the premise involves time travel, the heart of the book is deeply realistic and emotional. It addresses themes of grief, guilt, and the difficult process of acceptance. Suitable for ages 9 to 12, this chapter book provides a compassionate bridge for parents to discuss how we carry the past with us and how we eventually find the strength to live in the present. It is a comforting, thoughtful choice for any child needing to see that their feelings of loss are shared and survivable.
Deals with the death of a mother and a father leaving the family.
The book deals directly with death and parental abandonment. The approach is realistic and secular, using the fantasy element as a psychological lens. The resolution is bittersweet but hopeful, emphasizing resilience over magical fixes.
A 10 or 11 year old who feels responsible for a family tragedy or who spends a lot of time daydreaming about how life used to be. It is perfect for the 'old soul' child who appreciates atmospheric, character driven stories.
Read cold, but be prepared for the ending. The book does not grant the characters their wish to stay in the past; they must return to their grieving reality. This may be difficult for a child currently in the 'bargaining' phase of grief. A parent might notice their child becoming withdrawn, obsessively looking at old photos, or expressing guilt over a divorce or death (e.g., 'If only I had been better, maybe Dad wouldn't have left').
Younger readers (9) will focus on the 'magic' and the mystery of the neighborhood. Older readers (12) will better grasp the nuance of the boys realizing their parents were flawed humans even before the tragedies occurred.
Unlike many time travel books that focus on adventure, Slepian uses the trope to explore the internal landscape of grief. It is one of the few books that treats the 'will to go back' as a tangible, temporary necessity of the healing process.
Cousins Linny and Hilary are both struggling with recent family trauma: Linny's mother has died, and Hilary's father has abandoned the family. While visiting their old neighborhood in Brooklyn, they find a way to step back in time to the weeks immediately preceding these events. They attempt to use their knowledge of the future to 'fix' their families, only to realize that some things are beyond their control and that their memories of the 'perfect' past were viewed through a glass of childhood innocence.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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