I am not a fan of speculative fiction, but Nancy McCabe’s Vaulting Through Time made me want to explore this genre more because it’s that good! This book showed me what good speculative fiction can do!

I love this intergenerational, time-traveling story that is full of suspense and left me reading late into the night. McCabe’s characters are complex and endearing. Mrs. Grundy particularly captivated me as a well-written foil to Elizabeth who seems one-dimensional at first, but becomes one of the most complex characters. I vote for a spin-off!

The backdrop of gymnastics works so well, too! Gymnastics isn’t a common sport shared in YA, so I loved seeing this representation. When I was a kid, I trained at the same facility where Mary Lou Retton got her start, so I appreciated the nostalgia and reminder of how grueling gymnastics can be and how it requires young people to make big choice about their life at such an early age. This book thoughtfully incorporated both technical and emotional elements of the sport in ways that felt honest and authentic to the sport and the characters.

Don’t miss this stand out time traveling book! You won’t regret vaulting through time with Elizabeth.