In Another Time

Gr 9 Up—It's 1942 and Glasgow native Maisie McCall leaves her home to work as a lumberjill in the Scottish Women's Timber Corps. Maisie has a lot to learn. As she and her fellow lumberjills navigate the forests of Scotland, Maisie meets John, a mysterious Canadian lumberjack who will change her life forever. With her axe by her side, Maisie tackles new challenges, develops new relationships, and embarks on new adventures—even finding herself on the silver screen. This book seems like a great fit for any teenager who is looking for a YA Outlander readalike or romantic historical romp. However, they will be sadly disappointed. The romance between John and Maisie feels contrived. The protagonist is fully realized, but as her relationships continue—especially her connections to her family members—they seem to lack a natural development and progression. While the book takes place in Scotland, there are very few reminders of this, and readers will become easily lost in a swampy setting with lots of details about time but not place.