Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush by Virginia Hamilton
New York, NY: Philomel Books (1982).
Teresa, or Tree for short, takes care of her older, mentally-challenged brother while her mother works. It's not a terrible life, but when the ghost of her uncle, Brother Rush, appears, his ability to show her the past begins to alter how she views the present. The catalyst for Tree's travels back in time is Brother Rush. However, Tree does not always travel bodily, instead viewing events in a detached manner or through the eyes of her younger self. Tree's methods of travel make this teen novel paranormal fiction rather than time-travel fantasy.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2009).
Minli and her parents live on Fruitless Mountain, where people are poor and food difficult to grow. The only hunger Minli's father can feed is her desire for stories. Determined to change her family's fortune, Minlin sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon. Along her journey, Minli is told stories by the people she meets, and these stories weave through the narrative. The inset stories in this immersive fantasy are drawn from traditional Chinese tales and Grace Lin's full-color illustrations reference Chinese folk paintings.
The Changeover by Margaret Mahy
New York: Penguin (1984).
When Laura Chat's brother becomes ill, she knows doctors can't help him. The only person who can help her is Sorensen Carlisle, a witch. When it becomes apparent that the only way to save her brother is to “changeover” into a witch, Laura takes the leap. Set in contemporary Australia, this teen fantasy novel depicts witchcraft as a personal strength and sensitivity that is not at odds with a conventional lifestyle. The strength of the novel lies in Mahy's realistic rendering of relationships- both familial and those of budding romance.
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