about the book
Thirteen-year-old Siena, the class weirdo, spends much of her time collecting abandoned objects-things that just happen to appear as she goes about her daily routine—like the tiny old stuffed lamb, a broken pocket watch, a library card, and hundreds of other things. These objects have become her obsession and her collection is driving her mother crazy.
Her peculiar behavior is caused by her dreams—dreams of a strange house overlooking the ocean and war-time images of plane crashes and sinking ships. Even odder, her visions start to seep into her waking moments. She sees people dressed in old-timey clothes and she never knows if they are real or not.
Siena is not her parent’s only problem. Sienna’s three-year-old brother, Lucca, stopped talking about a year ago. They haven’t a clue why he remains silent and nothing they do helps. Hoping a change in environment will return their children’s behavior to normal, the parents move from New York to a small coastal town in Maine.
On the surface, the move does seem to help. Sienna actually makes friends. Although Lucca is still not talking, he seems better. But the grand old Victorian house they move into is just like the one in Siena’s dreams. Slowly as she uncovers oddities about the house, she becomes convinced that it is haunted! In no time, she is preoccupied by the house’s past.
An old pen she discovers seems particularly strong in the way it draws her into visions. When she picks it up, it writes its own story about a girl named Sarah and her brother Joshua. They lived in the house during World War II. Transported back in time more and more, she not only sees what is happening, but can also interact and even alter events and outcomes!
How are she and Lucca connected to Sarah and Joshua? More importantly, Siena begins to wonder, will what she learns…and how she changes the past…help her brother speak?
about the author
Suzanne La Fleur grew up near Boston, Massachusetts. As soon as she could scribble squiggly lines on a piece of paper, she would “read” aloud her tales to anyone who would listen.
In fourth grade, she was handed a pristine blank composition book. Her assignment was to write five sentences every day…which turned into five pages… which turned into a novel! When she finished, Suzanne announced to everyone that she was going to be a writer. She rarely changes her mind!
Preparing to be an author, she double-majored in English and European history at Washington and Lee University. She graduated with honors and a manuscript for another novel. She went on to study writing for children, earning an MFA at The New School in New York City. It was there she began her debut children’s novel, Love, Aubrey.
Suzanne divides her time between homes in Manhattan and Natick, near Boston. She has two cats, a playful Siamese, Perseus, and a shy Himalayan, Suki.
Source:
Author website
Also by Suzanne LaFleur:
Eight Keys. Wendy Lamb Books. 2011.
Love, Aubrey. Wendy Lamb Books. 2009.
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