cover image Time Windows

Time Windows

Kathryn Reiss. Harcourt Children's Books, $17 (272pp) ISBN 978-0-15-288205-1

Miranda can't explain her fascination with the dollhouse in the attic of her family's big, old house--no one would believe that she has discovered a time machine that allows her to see into the sometimes frightening lives of her house's previous occupants. But when her family begins to mirror the dollhouse family's ugly behavior, Miranda must act quickly to prevent disaster. Reiss puts a new twist on time travel in this suspenseful first novel. Reminiscent of The Indian in the Cupboard in its validation of children's play, this intricately woven ghost story pits its heroine against the forces of child abuse and untimely death in a deft, entertaining and inventive style. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)