In her debut novel, librarian Nancy Runstedler uses two fantastical elements – the occult and time travel – to lure readers into a narrative that informs as it entertains.

The story begins shortly after the death of Maggie Kaufman’s father, which has left the teenager numb with grief. Upon finding an old Ouija board in her attic, Maggie, along with her best friend Gillian and younger brother Cole, connect with a spirit named Hope – a young woman who lost her own father – who sends them back to 1915. The trio is tasked with figuring out how to blend in, help Hope, and, eventually, get back to their own time.

As Maggie and Hope bond over their shared mourning, the story expands, letting the time-travel and supernatural devices fall by the wayside in favour of some First World War history, with a particular focus on Canadians of German descent being shipped off to internment camps. Even the displaced Kaufmans find themselves a target of wartime fear-mongering.

Though the plot contains some interesting elements, it is undermined by the book’s overwrought third-person narration. Maggie’s every feeling and overly pragmatic thought is broadcast to the reader, which is bound to be frustrating for those at or above a middle-grade level.  

Equally disappointing is dialogue that often feels silly and incongruous with the novel’s teenage characters. When the kids discover the Ouija board and realize they have actually contacted a spirit, Gillian sputters to Maggie, “Girl, I th-th-think your house is haunted.”

Runstedler’s attempts to convey an adolescent voice end up feeling out of place with the child-like tone of the prose. These issues are an unfortunate impediment to an otherwise moving story.