If We Never End

Gr 8 Up–The first day of summer after Sylvie’s high school graduation finds her making a 13-hour drive with her aunt Viv from Glendale, CA, to Sacred, OR. On their way, they stop at a local antique shop, where Sylvie buys a beautiful gold watch for $15. Her aunt informs Sylvie that it is probably worth thousands if repaired. It is dark when they arrive at the cabin, but Sylvie could swear that she sees the second hand of the watch begin to make its way around the clock face. When she wakes up the next morning, she is startled to see the ghost of a teenage boy appear in her bedroom doorway. Who is the ghost? Did the magic of the gold watch make him appear? There is lots to enjoy here: time travel, magic, local Indigenous culture, Cuban American culture, the state of Oregon, and more. Although readers may think they have figured out the mystery, the twist at the end will take many by surprise.