Braving the Brontës

Gr 4–6—Carly Keene and her best friend Francesca are avid readers and remain constantly on the lookout for adventure. When they see a mysterious alley they walk right down it and stumble upon an old, dusty bookstore. What could be more perfect? While reading a first edition of Jane Eyre, Carly is whisked back to the Yorkshire moors and into the household of the Brontë family. She is thrilled that her wish for an adventure has finally come true, but also finds grappling with 1840s customs—lots of rote memorization during lesson time, hemming sheets, and the belief that young ladies should not voice their feelings or opinions—a bit challenging. The magic of Carly's time travel isn't fully-developed, but perhaps later books in the series will delve deeper into the mechanics. Carly is visited by the ghost of Maria Brontë, who tells her that she can't return to her own time until she gets the remaining sisters to express themselves through their writing. This proves to be a daunting task, and it takes several family arguments and a few long walks on the moors to get things rolling. Voracious readers who share Carly's wish to end up in a literary adventure will enjoy exploring the world of the literary sisters.—Gesse Stark-Smith, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR