On October 18, 1940, Lottie Bromley celebrated her tenth birthday in Bristol, England. In 2013, however, she is still 10. Explanation: at the onset of WWII, Lottie's father, physics professor Robert Bromley, believes he is on the verge of unveiling a key component in the development of time-travel portals. Lottie and her dearest friend, Kitty, are huge proponents of Bromley's theories. Unfortunately, so too is the British government, and when Bromley can't deliver anything more than years of research, all of their lives are put on the line. Miraculously, Lottie escapes a fatal encounter by hurdling through an extraordinarily coincidental time portal. Orphaned in the financially strapped town of Sutton, Wisconsin, in 2013, Lottie is determined to understand her impossible past and, more important, find the now elderly Kitty. Young readers will relish Sales' subtle clues and humor throughout, and though a handful of characters feel static, the bond between Lottie and Kitty d eventually Lottie and her new pal, Jake oves to be both tender and unstoppable.

In World War II England, best friends Lottie and Kitty are kidnapped to force Lottie's scientist father to reveal the secrets of time travel. Lottie escapes through a time portal--leaving Kitty behind. In 2013 Wisconsin, Lottie searches for answers about her friend's fate. Sales handles time travel lightly, allowing her to explore perspectives on time and aging without getting bogged down in details.

Gr 4-6 "Most people don't believe in time travel," begins this work of fantasy/sci-fi set in 1940s wartime London. Ten-year-old Lottie and her best friend, the anagram-obsessed Kitty, certainly do. Lottie's dad is engaged in top-secret scientific research that may help win the war. Sales's story takes an abrupt detour as Lottie travels to suburban Wisconsin in the year 2013, without any clothes, without any clues, and, worst of all, without Kitty. With the help of a friendly librarian, some clueless but kind foster parents, and a geeky outcast artist, Lottie finds a new life, but she can't forget her dearest friend. She's determined to find her again, though time and space themselves stand in the way. Packed with literary allusions, meditations on friendship, and historical/geographical tidbits, this book is a bit of an unwieldy read, and its never-ending stream of coincidence, luck, and nice people can get a little wearing (has any Child Protective Services interview ever gone so well with so little paperwork?). The science is fluff, but the book shines in its portrayal of friendship, both the intense bond between Lottie and Kitty and the blossoming trust between Lottie and her new friend, Jake. VERDICT This genre mash-up will appeal to fans of Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me (Random, 2009) and Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time . Katya Schapiro, Brooklyn Public Library

This story details a friendship kept strong despite two best friends being trapped in different times. Lottie and Kitty spend time fantasizing about time travel and listening to Lottie's father speak about the possibilities of traveling through time. Amid a war and Nazis' destruction, a little fantasy goes a long way. When the opportunity arises, Lottie follows her destiny and is sent to another time. She must adapt, and although she cannot think of being anywhere without her best friend, she has to learn various skills to help her navigate through her travel to another time. She experiences new friendships and adventure along the way. Despite different paths, Lottie and Kitty remain friends to the bitter end.While the time-travel story has been told many times, this book may appeal to tween and teen girls, who may enjoy it for its friendship theme. It is a quick read, the language and characters are not complex, and the story flows easily. Furthermore, the setting of this story could be used to address cross-content: literature and history. The portion of the story that is most pleasing is the touching, bittersweet ending.Mirta Espinola.