The Time Traveling Fashionista and Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile by Bianca Turetsky

Readers will be enthralled by this book’s beauty before starting to read this time traveling tale.  Perfect for children ages 9-12 or for the young at heart interested in fashion design, the novel’s 25 beautiful full color illustrations will entice any reader along with the delightfully told story of a young girl, time travelling by vintage fashion.  Twelve-year-old Louise Lambert discovers a beautiful lavender Grecian gown at the Traveling Fashionista Vintage Sale and is swept back in time to Hollywood’s 1963 set of Cleopatra.  After a short period of time spent as the head costumer designer’s assistant, Louise uncovers an antique pearl necklace, which then transports her to 51 BC Ancient Egypt during the time of Cleopatra’s rule.  An exciting and entertaining read for any age, this novel, with its exquisite illustrations weaving together fashion and history is sure to please. Check out Bianca’s website: http://timetravelingfashionista.com/

Interview with Bianca Turetsky:

1) Where did you get the inspiration to write a series based on fashion and time travel targeted towards kids?

I enjoy shopping for vintage fashion and have my own collection of vintage clothing, so one day when I was shopping in New Haven at one of my favorite stores, Fashionista Vintage and Variety, I found a pink dress, similar to the one used in the first book in the series, The Time Traveling Fashionista on Board the Titanic.  I also used the name of the first owner of this shop, Miss Baxter, as a main character in the first book.  Fashionista Vintage and Variety also started as a popup store, which is the inspiration for Marla and Glenda’s Traveling Fashionista Vintage Sale, the two ladies who are based on the current shop owners of the New Haven store. 

2) Is the main character, Louise Lambert, based on you? Tell us about some of your favorite pieces in your vintage clothing collection!

I happened to stumble upon the main character’s twelve-year-old voice, but I definitely wrote Louise with my own characteristics in mind.  I grew up in Fairfield, the town that Louise’s Connecticut hometown is based on.  I also was on the swim team, had braces, loved vintage clothing even at a young age, am an only child, and had a best friend named Brooke growing up.  My favorite piece of vintage clothing is probably the dress I found in a small vintage clothing shop in Spain.  This was during the time I went to Versailles to do research for my second book, The Time Traveling Fashionista at the Palace of Marie Antoinette.  I then traveled to Spain where I found a vintage long white lace dress from 1910 in a small vintage shop that unfortunately closed soon after I happened upon it. 

3) Will your book series continue with a fourth installment coming soon or are you working on a new project?

Right now I am working on bringing the series to television or film.  It will remain a trilogy for now, but if I am able to create a TV series or movie based adaptation I will continue the series.  I have not yet decided on a possible historical time period for Louise’s next adventure.  Any suggestions? Send me a tweet @BiancaTuretsky!

My 10 year old friend Lucy reading The Time Traveling Fashionista and Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile by Bianca Turetsky with Rory's Promise by Michaela MacColl next to her

Rory's Promise by Michaela MacColl

 As the Christmas season draws near and fall semester comes to a close, Christmas shopping is sure to be on our minds.  Rory’s Promise is perfect for your younger siblings or nieces and nephews, even for younger kids you might babysit for!.  Main character Rory Fitzpatrick is a gutsy quick-witted young orphan who will do everything to stay with her younger sister, Violet.  The two sisters along with many other orphans live at the Foundling Hospital in New York City run by nuns.  When the head nun, Sister Anna decides to send Violet and a group of other orphans West to find new homes, Rory secretly follows to keep her promise to her sister to stay together at all costs.  If you’re looking for a fun and educational gift for a young person in your life, or are interested in the history of America’s orphan trains, this book is sure to pique your curiosity.  (Further reading on this subject geared more for our age is Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline).  Check out Michaela’s website: http://www.michaelamaccoll.com/

Interview with Michaela MacColl:

1) What motivated your interest in writing children’s books—specifically historical fiction for kids?

I have two kids, who were at the time four and six years old.  I wanted to get them interested in traveling in a way that was appealing to young kids like them.  So writing about famous historical characters in a variety of locations in time and place seemed like a good approach. 

2) Do you think you’ll ever write a novel geared towards young adults or even adult fiction in the future?

Middle grade and young adult fiction are actually the only two genres that are growing right now.  I am very comfortable continuing to write in these genres.  I particularly love working with people in children’s publishing, who are for the most part extremely pleasant and happy individuals.  I also love the direct writing style involved in books for children around the ages of 9 to 12, in which the author must get write to the point of the story.  Writing historical fiction in the perspective of a child is such a different vantage point to delve into, as they see the world in a simple, more straightforward light. 

3) What are you working on next?

I have been signed on by Calkins Creek, an imprint of Highlights, to complete a trilogy of these Hidden Histories starting with Rory’s Promise.  My next book in the series will focus on Dred Scott’s oldest daughter during the first few months of the Dred Scott case trials.  I also write niche-appropriate young adult novels, the latest of which is called The Revelation of Louisa May, coming in April 2015.  This is my third book in my literary mystery series with Chronicle Books.  I am currently dividing my time between two different series and two different publishers, so I am always busy writing.  I’ve always enjoyed learning more about famous people and how they grew up to be that way.

Print Book-Lover Poster for my Publishing Class Project

Print vs. Digital--Independent and Used Bookstores