THE TIME-TRAVELING FASHIONISTA

Uncomfortable with her body and braces, seventh-grader Louise Lambert spends her time sketching outfits and daydreaming about the day when she’ll be glamorous. In between school and swim practice, she scours vintage shops and secondhand stores and teaches herself about fashion; she looks for both clothes and a connection to the women who wore them. While her classmates want to fit in, Louise wants to stand out, and she might just get her wish. After trying on a dress at a mysterious traveling vintage sale, she finds herself in another girl’s (fashionable) shoes...on the Titanic. Typical time-traveling conflicts—sexism, clothing, class issues, altering the course of history—ensue. Though the dialogue is occasionally stiff, the relationships possess some depth. Debut author Turetsky portrays Louise as a girl caught between childhood fantasies—Louise’s closet is “the only place left where she still felt the nervous anticipation that extraordinary and magical things could happen”—and the reality of growing up. While it doesn’t cover any new territory, the novel's message of living life in the moment and accepting oneself provides some counterweight to the detailed fashion montage—presented throughout the book in delicate, color illustrations. Clothes, boys and adventure make for a quick series opener. (Fantasy. 11-15)