YA book: A girl goes back in time

[Daisy-Boo]

This has been niggling at me for a while and I'd like to get the name of the book and/or author if I can. I haven't had luck with a Google search yet. I read this book when I was 12-14 years old (1983-1985). This is the story as best I can recall.

The story is about a 13-year old girl who lives with her divorced mother. She and her mother are at loggerheads all the time and the girl hates their less affluent status after the divorce.

One day she comes home from school (she's a "latchkey kid") and at some point encounters a boy about her age. I think he steals something from her because she chases him. There's a wild chase that ends up with them bursting into an alley, one she realises looks nothing like the town she knows. Everything looks very old-fashioned, possibly at least a 100 years before her time.

She finds her way to the boy (or he finds her, I can't remember) and she ends up living with his family. She learns that she is indeed in the past and that life is very different and much harder than what she's used to. She and the other children in the "gang" have to use all their wits to ensure their survival.

She spends several months there before one day finding the way back to her time. She arrives at home and discovers that only a few hours has passed in her time. She has a shower and cuts her much longer hair. Just as she's done, her mother arrives home and comments that she looks different. She embraces her mother and tells her she's sorry for being so difficult and that she now realises her mother was doing her best for them both.

[Liese]

That is "Playing Beatie Bow" by Ruth Park. It is actually a girl whom she follows to the past... Have fun with rereading!
She also wrote "My sister Sif", another old favourite, sadly out of print.

[Daisy-Boo]

Liese, you beaut! Thank you so much.

I Googled the book and when I saw the cover it jogged my memory. I'm going to see if I can get a copy.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[GOLLUM]

HMMM...beaten to the punch on this one. Ruth Park is amongst my favourite Australian authors. Her wonderful Harp In The South novels still hold a special place for me and of course you should also look out for her children's classic The Muddle Headed Wombat.

Meh...doesn't look like I'm going to get that gold encrusted Knobekerri after all..and I was sooo looking forward to displaying it in the 7th floor Museum. Sniff sniff.

[Daisy-Boo]

Sorry Gollum! I could give you a gold-ish encrusted knobkierrie. Would that soothe your wounded heart?

On a happier note, kalahari.net (my online bookseller of choice) can get me Playing Beatie Bow and I've added the book to my basket.

One of my nieces has an 11-year old step-daughter who loves reading. Every spare moment is an opportunity for her to have her nose in a book. We get on very well. I've introduced her to Lemony Snicket, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Raold Dahl (amongst others) and I think she'll enjoy Playing Beatie Bow too. So, once I've re-read it, the book goes to her.

[GOLLUM]

Hey...that's a nice gesture Daiy-Boo with your niece. Those 4 you mention are amongst the best in the business, my favs being Gaiman and Dahl.

UM.... yeh anything you can hand me that may be used to brighten up the 7th floor Kingdom would be welcome...

[Daisy-Boo]

My sister introduced me to Dahl when I entered my teens. She'd read his first autobiographical book - Boy - and urged me to read it too. That led me to his other books. I only found out years later that he wrote children's books too. Up until that point I'd only read his autobiographical books and his adult fiction, which I still enjoy.

My step-grand-niece (?) is a lovely girl - bright, charming and funny - and I get a lot of joy from seeing her excitement at each new book. My best friend's 6-year old daughter is also a reading fanatic. I started buying books for her when my friend was still pregnant.

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Always a good sign, seeing kids read at such a young age, Daisy. Hahaha, my sister and I were both the best readers in our classes growing up until about middle school.


But this is starting to get off topic and I simply hate hijacking threads that aren't mine.....

[Daisy-Boo]

Manarion, I don't mind at all. Hijack to your heart's content.

I love seeing children read. When my niece married their father, his two girls were part of the wedding retinue. After the reception a few of us returned with my niece and her family to their home. At one point, I looked over to see the older daughter perched on the stairs, still in all her wedding finery, totally immersed in her book. It was such a sweet sight. I wish I had a picture.

[Daisy-Boo]

Just thought I'd update this thread with the news that I found a copy of the book and am fetching it from the post office on Friday.

[Daisy-Boo]

I just finished and the re-read was even better than when I originally read it. I'm so glad I found this book and that it was even better than my memories of it.

Thanks again Liese!