The Time-Traveling Fashionista and Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile

Gr 5–8—Calling all fashionistas! Fans of this series and those new to it will enjoy this installment, which takes 12-year-old Louise Lambert to the land of the pyramids. Louise, a devoted fan of vintage clothing, is excited about finding the perfect dress for an upcoming party to welcome her crush and his family to town. Followers of the series know better than to believe that a trip to the Traveling Fashionista Vintage Sale will end simply with a great outfit. When Louise tries on a Grecian frock, she is transported first to the set of her favorite classic movie, Cleopatra. It is from there that her adventure truly begins with the discovery of a pearl necklace. When she tries it on, she finds herself in ancient Alexandria as a servant to Cleopatra. Here, instead of worrying about her next history exam, she worries about helping the famed queen evade sinister murder plots. Can Louise keep history as is it should be and return to her present-day life unharmed? Turetsky blends history with fashion and the normal happenings of a seventh grader seamlessly, making Louise's adventures intriguing and even believable. The beautiful, full-color illustrations of the fashion pieces are woven into the book and bring the story to life. Readers will be hard pressed not to want to learn more about Cleopatra after finishing this story and will anxiously wait to see where Louise's sartorial choices will take her next.—Betsy Davidson, Cortland Free Library, NY