• Age: 12 to 15
• Grade: 7 to 10
• Reading age: 12 to 15

The discovery of an old Ouija board sends three kids back in time to wartime 1915 to help a spirit find peace.

Maggie’s life has been anything but easy lately. So when her best friend Gillian discovers a Ouija board in the attic, it’s a welcome relief. While they’d rather be at the mall than babysitting Maggie’s brother Cole, the girls figure it will be a fun way to spend a Saturday – asking questions about boys and other teenage dilemmas. After all, it’s just a game. Or is it?

Thinking nothing could possibly go wrong, the kids dive in, eager to test the new game, but discover the board will change their lives in ways they couldn’t have imagined. The trio ends up with more than they bargained for and are thrust into a whirlwind journey. One from which they might never return, if they aren’t careful.

Nancy Runstedler
grew up in Wellesley, Ontario. She has worked in both public and school libraries. She is the author of the novel Beautiful Goodbye. She never leaves the house without two "pay it forward" bracelets on her wrists — one as a constant reminder to do good, and the other to give away when opportunities present themselves. She lives in Paris, Ontario with her daughter.

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This novel provides good insight into life on the home front in Canada during WWI.

In her debut novel, librarian Nancy Runstedler uses two fantastical elements — the occult and time travel — to lure readers into a narrative that informs as it entertains.

"Partly a supernatural mystery, partly a time-travel tale and partly historical fiction, this novel is as much a journey into the past as it is an exploration of loss and grief and what the bonds of true friendship and family really mean. A well-written, moving story..."

Waterloo Region Record

"The topic of time travel is explored and done so in a way that is surprisingly satisfying and thoughtful for a youth fiction novel."

Canadian Materials