The Other Elizabeth

by Susan TamElizabeth has been touring a restored village on the St. Lawrence river in Canada with her classmates. She is drawn to the tavern on the grounds. As she follows the tour guide, she is thrown back in time. She is no longer Elizabeth Duncan but Elizabeth Frobisher. She is no longer in the present but back in the past, the War of 1812 is about to begin and she is watching it happen. Elizabeth Frobisher is slowly recovering from her illness. Thus her family and friends dismisses her "strangeness" as part of her illness. She is found wandering around by family friends and brought home. Elizabeth realizes she is living in the past and tries to remember all she was taught in history class. She has to learn how to live in the 19th century - from the clothing to the food. She gets to interact with the Indians living in the area and she is a caretaker for her many siblings. Elizabeth's brother is joining the militia to fight. She is worried since she knows that the war will be starting soon. Can Elizabeth find her way back to the future? Or is she fated to stay in the past forever?This book would be excellent for young readers. It presents "history" in an unique way. The story pulls the reader in and keeps you interested till the very last page. The author details the many facets of living in the early 19th century. She provides a nice balance in the amount of information she provides - it is just enough to educate and inform the reader and not so much as to drag the storyline down. The story was an easy read and I believe young readers will enjoy learning about "history" in the context of the storyline.