The Time Tree

Set in present-day London, this quiet novel combines the themes of middle-school friendship, literacy and time travel. One day, while sitting in their favorite tree in the park, Joanna and Rachel encounter a strange girl named Anne. The two modern girls quickly realize that Anne is a traveler from the past and they understand that she is no village idiot, but a clever deaf girl. Persecuted by people in her time, Anne finds safe haven in the tree with Joanna and Rachel, who, in turn, teach their new companion to read. Once Anne has learned to communicate through writing, the cross-time link dissolves. Richemont's gently resonant tale has the ring of truth. Ages 8-12. (May)