Time Travel at Puddle Lane

Siblings Ariella and Yosef love attending Puddle Lane School in the heart of London and are particularly fond of the librarian, Miss Richie. One day, they see her remove an item from the library’s cabinet of historical objects, take it into the storeroom, and return moments later covered in soot. Ariella and Yosef decide to investigate and, waiting until the library is empty, they select a soap dish from the cabinet. As they open the storeroom door, they are astounded to find themselves in a bustling, Georgian street and realise they have been transported back in time. The pair must use their modern-day knowledge to save the life of a ten-year-old girl before they can return home.

This fascinating story, with short chapters and attractive black-and-white illustrations, enlivens this era for young readers, vividly describing the sights, sounds and smells of 1820s London. The story demonstrates how small acts of kindness can affect people’s lives in profound ways. Ariella and Yosef are Jewish and there are several cultural references throughout the tale. Part of the Bloomsbury Readers series, this book was created in consultation with The Centre for Literary in Education (CLPE) and is ideal to encourage reading confidence and comprehension.