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Once Was a Time

Leila Sales (Goodreads Author)

4.06 · Rating details · 1,032 ratings · 256 reviews

In the war-ravaged England of 1940, Charlotte Bromley is sure of only one thing: Kitty McLaughlin is her best friend in the whole world. But when Charlotte's scientist father makes an astonishing discovery that the Germans will covet for themselves, Charlotte is faced with an impossible choice between danger and safety. Should she remain with her friend or journey to anoth ...more

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Hardcover, 322 pages

Published April 5th 2016 by Chronicle Books

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· 1,032 ratings · 256 reviews

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Mar 31, 2016 Giselle rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016, from-publishers, age-children, 3-star, arc-electronic, blog-tour, genre-historical, genre-friendship-first, genre-time-travel

An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review. Quotes have been pulled from an ARC and may be subject to change.

Charlotte Bromley's scientist father has been working on creating a theory that time traveling can exist. So when he doesn't come home one day, and her and her very best friend Kitty gets kidnapped by the Nazis, she has to make the very hard decision to stay or leave. This one decision changes her life, and with it, her ideal place called home.

Charlotte is still very ...more

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Nov 16, 2019 Lata rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: auth-f, kids-and-ya, time-travel, scifi-fantasy, x2019-read

3.5 stars. Not bothered with the mechanics of time travel, this is about the grief suffered by main character Charlotte "Lottie" Bromley who travels from 1940 England to 2013 Wisconsin and loses touch with all her family, her best friend Kitty, and everything that was familiar. Lottie's forced to make a new life in the US; she's lost, feeling guilty for abandoning Kitty, and tried to remake herself in her new world, falling in with a group of mean girls at school, and takes comfort in a friends ...more

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Mar 24, 2016 Sandra rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars, children-fiction, middle-grade, 2016, netgalley

Lottie Bromley and Kitty McLaughlinare are 10 years old, live in Bristol in 1940, and are best friends for ever. Lottie's father is a promising scientist working very hard to understand how time travel works. His research is specially important at this moment, since time travel could be such an important weapon during the war. And of course it can be dangerous too. Kitty, Lottie and her father confirm this when they are kidnapped by Nazi officers who are sure Mr. Bromley has revealed time travel Lottie Bromley and Kitty McLaughlinare are 10 years old, live in Bristol in 1940, and are best friends for ever. Lottie's father is a promising scientist working very hard to understand how time travel works. His research is specially important at this moment, since time travel could be such an important weapon during the war. And of course it can be dangerous too. Kitty, Lottie and her father confirm this when they are kidnapped by Nazi officers who are sure Mr. Bromley has revealed time travel's secret. Just when Lottie and Kitty are going to be shot by the Nazi officers, something absolutely incredible happens, Lottie sees a portal. She knows she is the only one who noticed it, and she has to decide what to do. There's not enough time to take Kitty with her. Lottie decides to go trough the portal, and ends in Sutton, Wisconsin, 2013.

A new huge challenge begins for her. She has to adapt to a new life, accept the idea she has lost her family and friends for ever, and live with the guilt of have left her best friend behind. She knows all of these are the consequences of her decision of going through the portal, but there's only one thing she is not going to give up. She will find Kitty. This plan is brought to a completely new level when a card from Kitty reaches Lottie's hands. She will find her friend even if that means travel to a different time and place.

This story has action and heart warming moments. Although time travel is a component, it is not the most important of them. That's the reason I'm not labeling it as science fiction. I think the author uses time travel as an excuse to tell a beautiful story about friendship, perseverance and the difficulties of adapt to a new situation after a life changing event.

The characters are well traced, and both, Lottie and Kitty, are really easy to relate with. The plot is smartly weaved. Along the book I found many thing that look like inconsistencies, but everything comes to place at the end.

And talking about the end, it deserves its own paragraph. I would say it is a happy end, but the bittersweet-happy ending type. They exist. Believe me. :) It's a hard task to explain this without giving away spoilers. Let's say it is not the "everything-is-perfect-now" type of ending, but it's a consistent and surprising end, which makes perfect sense with the whole story.

In the overall a great middle grade novel. It's my first book by this author. I know her previous novels are YA, so probably won't read them (I'm a bad YA reader, sorry), but I'd be interested in future middle grade novels by Sales. And again, don't let the time travel stuff prevent you form picking this story. It's not a science fiction book.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Find more children's book reviews in Reviews in Chalk ...more

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Oct 22, 2015 Alexa rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2016, flights-of-fantasy-2016

Once Was a Time wasn't quite what I expected it to be. But that didn't deter me from finding it enjoyable! I thought it was pretty good, particularly for the target age group. And I like that it surprised me too! ...more

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Apr 26, 2016 Martha Pasatiempo rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Everyone!

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book was amazing. It was short-which made it a super quick read. However, the story was beautifully crafted. It was so refreshing to read a story that was about a friendship, and involved no romance whatsoever. The ending was kinda cheesy, but overall it was really good.

Basically, this book is about Charlotte (Known as Lottie) and her friend Catherine (Known as kitty.) It begins in their in England during WWII. Lotttie's dad was a scientist who studied time travel, and her mom left because This book was amazing. It was short-which made it a super quick read. However, the story was beautifully crafted. It was so refreshing to read a story that was about a friendship, and involved no romance whatsoever. The ending was kinda cheesy, but overall it was really good.

Basically, this book is about Charlotte (Known as Lottie) and her friend Catherine (Known as kitty.) It begins in their in England during WWII. Lotttie's dad was a scientist who studied time travel, and her mom left because she couldn't stand his secretiveness. Lottie also had an older sister, whom she often argued with and wasn't on very good terms with. Lottie was an avid reader, reading under the dinner table and even taking it as far as to read during school from under her desk. Typical booknerd.

Kitty was an only child, and so her parents were all over her. They watched her all the time, so she stayed at Lottie's house most of the time. The two were really good friends, and practiced being 'physic' with each other. She is obssessed with anagrams, and makes them about everything. She also loved swimming, which isn't show until later in the book.

The story starts out with these two girls living their day to day lives in England during the war. But then they are kidnapped, and just as they are about to be killed to convince Lottie's dad to tell the kidnappers about time travel, Lottie spots a portal and takes her chance and jumps in it.

The portal brings her to America in the year 2013, where she becomes good friends with a librarian and is fostered by foster parents whose only kid is away at college in Hawaii. The rest of the book is about her adapting to America and the new time period, along with the normal stuggles of a 10 year old girl in 5th grade. She becomes part of the popular group, and ends up bullying Jake, the guy who helped her when she first landed in America.

Whilst all this is happening, she is also grieving for Kitty who she she thinks she killed because she didn't bring her through the portal. Until she found a post card in a book from her beloved friend, and goes on the hunt to find her. This leads to her going to Jake, and pleading for forgiveness so she can follow him on his trip to Italy, where she believes she can find Kitty. There, the two become good friends and she does eventually find Kitty who is then 86 years old.

Lottie and Kitty reunite and Kitty moves back with Lottie, pretending to be her grandmother. Kitty was left in charge with Lottie's dad's job of figuring out time travel, which she did. She was the one who made the portal that saved Lottie's life at the beginning.

The novel ends with Kitty on her deathbed with Lottie by her side. It was extremely sweet, and just how the novel should have ended.

Now onto my thoughts (sorry if that summary was terrible, I'll get better I swear!)

Overall, I loved this book. The plot wasn't too complex, which is probably due to the author not sharing how exactly she percieved time travel to work in the novel. Whilst I feel like that was kind if lazy on the authors side, I think it fit with the story well. You didn't NEED to know how it worked. Just that it did, and it saved Lottie and Kitty's lives. I also loved how the time travel was from the past the the present (kinda). Not even that-but also to a completely different country! It was really interesting to read about Lottie adapting to the modern world, along with the American world with all of our weird customs. The fact that she had a 'normal' life besides being a time traveler was also really interesting. She had to deal with bullying (being the victim AND the bully),what the true meaning of modern friendship was, and just how to be independent and be herself not what others wanted her to be. It was really cool.

I loved all of the characters in the book, and the roles they played. There are too many to name them all, but I will name my favorites. Our main character, Lottie, is a huge bookworm which makes reading in her POV so much more fun because its basically like diving into your own head. The librarian she meets is also one of my favorites, despite her scenes being limited. Lottie's parents are the typical teenage parents, which was fun. And the popular girls were a great addition, even if they did make me want to punch their faces inside out. Oh! And Jack. Can't forget Jack. I LOVED him. He is basically a male, non bookish me. He was awesome.

Basically the whole book was awesome. I recommend it to anyone who wants a quick what interesting read. ...more

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Jun 22, 2014 Celeste_pewter rated it it was amazing

I've loved Leila Sales's work since coming across This Song Will Save Your Life several years ago, so I was thrilled when I heard that she was branching out into middle-grade fiction.

In Once Was a Time, Sales introduces us to Charlotte "Lottie" Bromley and Kitty McLaughlin, two best friends growing up in 1940. Against a backdrop of rationing, war and anti-German sentiment, Lottie is grappling with the idea that her father has done the impossible and figured out the secret to time-traveling.

How I've loved Leila Sales's work since coming across This Song Will Save Your Life several years ago, so I was thrilled when I heard that she was branching out into middle-grade fiction.

In Once Was a Time, Sales introduces us to Charlotte "Lottie" Bromley and Kitty McLaughlin, two best friends growing up in 1940. Against a backdrop of rationing, war and anti-German sentiment, Lottie is grappling with the idea that her father has done the impossible and figured out the secret to time-traveling.

However, such discoveries come with a price. Lottie and Kitty are kidnapped by German scientists, and Lottie ends up traveling through a portal to 2013. Now, as she tries to adjust to a life she never imagined, she grapples with the memory of the friend she left behind...

So, what readers should know from the get-go, is that this despite the description, Once Was a Time isn't strictly a time-travel story. Yes, time-travel acts as the instigator for Lottie's journey into the future. But outside of that one instance of travel, the actual phenomenon of time-travel is more or less never discussed for the remainder of the novel.

Does this detract away from the story? Absolutely not. Because as Lottie adjusts to life in 2013 and to the United States to boot, Sales makes it a point to illustrate a thoughtful, occasionally heartbreaking look at just what it takes for one girl to adjust to extraordinary circumstances beyond her control. It isn't just a question of learning new things; it's a question of coming to terms with the idea that everything and everyone she knew is now likely gone, and through no fault of her own.

Lottie actually makes it a point to look up her family at one point, and the end result is exactly what one might assume. While one would expect Lottie to grieve, Sales makes it a point to emphasize that pragmatism about the situation, and how she's very much retained the "keep calm and carry on" mentality that many likely had during the war. It's actually refreshing to see just how positive Lottie is about her new life; it's not what she wanted, but darned if she won't try and make the best of it - through new friendships, relationships and more.

While her old life eventually comes back to haunt her vís-a-vís a mysterious postcard from Kitty, Sales makes it a point to balance her pursuit of her old life with normal teenaged antics - e.g. an awkward, burgeoning friendship with a not-so-popular fellow student - which serves as a reminder of just far Lottie has come, and also a nice reminder of how normal and consistent teenagers are in every generation.

Though the ending is whimsical and occasionally sad, it's also a perfect end for Lottie's journey. Without giving spoilers away, Sales shows that life really is what you make of it, and Lottie is able to find a new, happy normal in a situation she never anticipated.

Bottom line: While Once Was a Time definitely wasn't what I expected, it was a beautiful tale about friendship, family and personal strength. I highly recommend this book for fans of contemporary fiction, and for fans of Leila Sales. ...more

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Jun 17, 2017 Blair rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2017

I'm overjoyed to have a daughter who is also a reader. My oldest child, who is 10, reads several books a day some days and often comes to be and tells me, "Mommy, this book was so good. You have to read it!" Sadly, Mommy is a much slower reader and doesn't make time for reading the way she could, so I don't always get around to my daughter's recommendations.

The other night I found my child in bed, sobbing quietly. I asked her what was wrong. "It's okay," she assured me. "It's just this book I fi ...more

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Mar 27, 2016 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: friendship, middle-grade-fiction, 2016-reads, net-galley, childrens-books, fiction, war, time-travel

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I was drawn to this book first by the whimsical cover, and then by the description of time travel and a friendship that stands the test of distance and time. I was not disappointed!

Charlotte and Kitty are best friends, living in war-torn England in 1940. In a terrifying turn of events, Charlotte narrowly escapes a tragic fate by traveling forward in time to the year 2013. But now what? What happened to her family...to ...more

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Mar 07, 2015 Erica marked it as to-read

I need this ASAP. Or I might die. It's a fact. LeilaSalesWithdrawalItis < that's legit, right? ...more

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Mar 07, 2016 Micheline rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, time-travel, science-fiction, middle-grade

*An ARC was provided by Raincoast Canada in exchange for a honest review.*

*Actual rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

A middle-grade story about time-travel: that was literally all I needed to know about Once Was A Time to know that I had to read it. I've always loved middle-grade reads once and awhile, especially after a heavy book and/or an especially emotional one so the timing was definitely perfect to start this! Many of you are aware of how much of a big fan of time-travel I am, so i was especially *An ARC was provided by Raincoast Canada in exchange for a honest review.*

*Actual rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

A middle-grade story about time-travel: that was literally all I needed to know about Once Was A Time to know that I had to read it. I've always loved middle-grade reads once and awhile, especially after a heavy book and/or an especially emotional one so the timing was definitely perfect to start this! Many of you are aware of how much of a big fan of time-travel I am, so i was especially excited to see what was in store for Charlotte and her best friend Kitty...

This isn't a book about time-hoping though, like one might expect (or at least, that was my initial thought) There is only one jump through time but despite that, there is a lot of talk of time travel, as well as dealing with the consequences of traveling through time. Since it's a middle-grade story, I felt there was adequate information here to make it plausible, without feeling as though the concept was being dumbed-down for a younger audience. I really appreciated that because I think it would have been easy to make things overly simple because of the target audience's age.

Once Was A Time is a story about an incredible friendship between two young girls, Charlotte and Kitty. It is a truly beautiful friendship that survives many obstacles and tragedies. It warmed my heart to see how Charlotte and Kitty loved each other and how they would do anything for one another. I wish that more YA and adult novels focused on developing friendships like these! It's so much easier to accept characters going to any lengths for their beloved friends than for a boy they just met...but hey, maybe that's just me.

I read this book in two sittings but could have easily done so in one, if life hadn't gotten in the way. I adored the references to classic books such as A Little Princess, A Monster Calls, The Book Thief and yes, even Harry Potter ♥ The main character Charlotte was sweet and resilient. The friends she made throughout time were assorted but the most memorable were obviously Kitty - but also Jake and Miss Timms. Once Was A Time was a lovely story about time-travel, love, loss and friendship that stands the test of time, as it were. The ending felt a little bit rushed though and throughout I found myself hoping for more time-travel, but that's just the geek in me taking over. The bottom line: this story is about friendships that last a lifetime.

This review was previously featured on my blog:

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Oct 21, 2015 Ms. Yingling rated it really liked it

Copy received from the publisher

Lottie is growing up in England at the start of World War II. Her father is a scientist who is working for the government and thinks that he can unravel the secret of time travel. Lottie spends a lot of time with her friend Kitty, and the two are together when enemy agents kidnap Lottie and her father in order to get secrets out of him. Things look dire, and when Lottie sees a shimmering portal open, she dives through it, leaving Kitty and her father behind. She e Copy received from the publisher

Lottie is growing up in England at the start of World War II. Her father is a scientist who is working for the government and thinks that he can unravel the secret of time travel. Lottie spends a lot of time with her friend Kitty, and the two are together when enemy agents kidnap Lottie and her father in order to get secrets out of him. Things look dire, and when Lottie sees a shimmering portal open, she dives through it, leaving Kitty and her father behind. She ends up in modern day America, and is helped by a boy named Jake, who takes her to the library. She sleeps there for a couple of days before being found out by Ms. Timms, the librarian, who hands her over to children's services. Lottie ends up with a very nice couple, Melanie and Keith, who have a grown daughter. They get her settled in and off to school, where she meets Sydney, Dakota, and Kiana, who are all popular girls. They are enthralled by her accent and quaint ways, but think that Jake is a geek and discourage Lottie from talking to him. Oddly enough, the three girls are just the type of students who would have bullied Lottie in her own time, but she sticks with the group in order to have friends with whom to hang out. She finds herself dragged into all manner of activities she would rather not do-- she'd rather hang out at the library with Ms. Timms. After finding a postcard from Kitty in the library copy of Burnett's A Little Princess, Lottie is determined to make her way to Italy to find Kitty. Jake's family happens to be going, so Lottie takes the money she has earned for working at the library for a number of years, begs Melanie and Keith to let her go, and sets out to find her friend, and also to try to uncover the secret of how she time traveled.
Strengths: This is a charming book not only about time travel, but about friendship. Lottie's struggles are dealt with realistically, and even her trip to Italy is believable. It is very different from other time travel books I've read, but I can see it being popular with readers who enjoyed Saunders' Beswitched or Farmer's Charlotte Sometimes. I wonder if that's why the main character is named Charlotte?
Weaknesses: I can't think of many books where people travel from other times to the present, and it's not the sort of time travel I would prefer to do!
What I really think: This book really stuck with me. I enjoyed Lottie's experiences in the modern times more than I thought I would, and was pleased with her quest for Kitty. I think it might be hard to find tween readers for this, however. Time travel books don't circulate well in my library, more's the pity. ...more

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Apr 27, 2017 Angela Germany rated it it was amazing

I finished reading “Once Was a Time” just the other night. I read a lot of books and hands down, this is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It is days later and I keep thinking about the book and the plot. I wish the cover was a little more inviting but NEVER judge a book by the cover. The book takes place in 1940 and also 2013. Lottie starts off as a 10 year old in the beginning of the book and is a 13 yr old for the second half of the book. While I absolutely agree with the School ...more

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Apr 05, 2016 Alexa Hamilton rated it it was amazing

Shelves: tween, science-fiction, historical-fiction

I am working really hard to review the right version of this book because I truly loved it. The easiest way to pitch it to anyone is to compare it to When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead because it beautifully shows love, loneliness, friendship and time travel. I may be a sci-fi geek but this book is for all the little girls and boys who like to read about readers, or thrilling situations that cause your life to change, or why you might be friends with a group of girls who are mean. There are so m ...more

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May 10, 2018 Cadence McDowell rated it it was amazing

I loved Once Was a Time and was kind of surprised that I did. It started out in like the 1940's which was a big turn off because I'm not a huge historical fiction fan. I gave it a try anyway and I'm glad that I did. It had a lot of ups and downs and a great storyline. The story of Lottie and Kitty will forever be great. ...more

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Jan 08, 2016 April rated it really liked it

Shelves: for-review, historical-fiction, middle-grade, sci-fi, time-travel

Once Was A Time by Leila Sales is quite a special read that I ABSOLUTELY recommend to middle graders and fans of time travel books and historical fiction. Read my review here ...more

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May 09, 2016 Maria Caplin rated it it was amazing

I never read time travel books. This story grabbed me and I had to find out what happened to Kitty and Lottie. The historic settings were years apart and captivated me. A must read for 2016 Newberry Club. Thanks Bill for the recommendation.

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Mar 06, 2019 Prince William Public Libraries rated it it was amazing

Shelves: history, childrens, historical-fiction, fiction, juvenile-fiction, middle-grade, sci-fi-fantasy

This story was very interesting, the friendship of 2 girls lasts a lifetime and how both of them travel far and look for clues to find each other. I love how this story combines the concept of the past, present, and future. I was on an emotional journey the whole time, like for example I was yelling, screaming excitingly, crying, because of the book… My family members had to come and check on me t see what was going one. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, it will remain one of my favorit ...more

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Jan 20, 2019 Amy rated it really liked it

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. It's a nice little story about friendship and determination with some time travel and history thrown in. Although I am much older than the characters in this book, it transport me back to my middle school days. Would definitely recommend it to middle graders. ...more

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Feb 19, 2017 Lara rated it really liked it

Shelves: time-travel, ya

*cries happily over friendship that stretches across time*

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Oct 17, 2017 Matt Gortner rated it really liked it

Shelves: msba

I thought the book handled the concept of time travel very well, and pulled the plot together in a way that made you go ahh. I like how she had to adapt to her her new environment.

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Oct 16, 2020 Lisa Simmons rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy

3.5 stars

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Nov 13, 2020 Jahnavigouri Panicker rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I found this book somewhat not as good as I thought it to be . The first section was interesting after that I found it not that nice. I don't honestly liked the main character also . I found this book really confusing and sad . I don't found this book the right book for me that is it. Maybe some people may like it .
I felt it an annoying read. Literally I don't want to give any negative feedback. Because I always respect the hardworkand dedication behind every published book . However I genuinely ...more

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Aug 15, 2015 Sam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own, arc-reviews

Huge thank you to Raincoast for this ARC!

I adore Lelia Sales' writing, though last year I admit my disappoint when it came to Tonight the Streets Are Ours. However, when I heard she was writing a middle grade novel, I had high hopes, and even higher expectations. I loved this book! In fact, I loved it so much I read it in a day.

This is a novel about time travel and friendship. More particularly can a friendship transcend through time and still survive. When Lottie jumps through a portal during Huge thank you to Raincoast for this ARC!

I adore Lelia Sales' writing, though last year I admit my disappoint when it came to Tonight the Streets Are Ours. However, when I heard she was writing a middle grade novel, I had high hopes, and even higher expectations. I loved this book! In fact, I loved it so much I read it in a day.

This is a novel about time travel and friendship. More particularly can a friendship transcend through time and still survive. When Lottie jumps through a portal during a critical moment in time, she is transported to 2013. She spends a lot of time blaming herself into believing that the Nazi's had murdered her best friend Kitty, and father. Interestingly, however, beyond this premise, this book has more to do with how a time traveler adapts to a new environment.

Lottie struggles a lot in this novel in regards to who she thinks she is, and who she perhaps wants to become in the "future." I felt for her in the story, because trying to feel apart of a world that isn't your own, it's awkward and uncomfortable. There's so much loneliness and isolation in this book as well, and even when Lottie makes friends, it never feels comfortable or "right." I loved the relationship that Lottie forms with Miss Timms, the town's librarian, and anytime she discussed funding cuts, and budget issues, my heart sank (as a library worker anytime you hear those words your heart sinks). But I loved their friendship and I loved how genuine it was, especially since Miss Timms encourages Lottie to try and find herself through the library. I also loved Lottie's desire to read the whole Children's Collection -- a girl of my own heart.

I wanted to smack Dakota and friends throughout this book. Especially anytime they would coarse Lottie into bullying Jake. I was so sad Lottie kept caving to the peer-pressure, but I also loved how much of a wonderful friendship she strikes up with Jake! He's such a darling character, full of energy and life, and being a kid like Jake who was bullied, I felt for her a lot during the story. The latter half of the novel where they are together in the search for Kitty was priceless, and I loved his level of encouragement. The ending made me cry like a baby, because it's just so bittersweet and wonderful.

Once Was A Time is just such an enchanting novel that will tug at your feelings and hang on for dear life. It's emotional, thoughtful, and very much a book-lover's book as well. If you can suspend your disbelief and enjoy the small science fiction aspects within the story, then you'll find a lot to enjoy here. I can't wait to re-read this one in the future! ...more

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Oct 30, 2015 Peach rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc, meh, edelweiss, 2016-releases, middle-grade, science-fiction

2.5

I was two seconds away from DNFing this because it starts off insanely boring. I'm new to Leila Sales. I've had Tonight The Streets Are Ours on my wishlist for eight years now, so I'd have to consider her middle-grade debut mediocre.

It's the year 1940. England is torn apart by war. Charlotte Bromley and Catherine "Kitty" McLaughlin are best friends. Charlotte's father is a scientist, investigating the theory of time travel. After being confronted and kidnapped by a suspicious group, Charlo 2.5

I was two seconds away from DNFing this because it starts off insanely boring. I'm new to Leila Sales. I've had Tonight The Streets Are Ours on my wishlist for eight years now, so I'd have to consider her middle-grade debut mediocre.

It's the year 1940. England is torn apart by war. Charlotte Bromley and Catherine "Kitty" McLaughlin are best friends. Charlotte's father is a scientist, investigating the theory of time travel. After being confronted and kidnapped by a suspicious group, Charlotte and Kitty are held captive along with her father by Germans, who demand information about time travel in exchange for their lives.

So when a portal miraculously materializes in the corner of the room, Charlotte is immediately pouncing for it. She tries to mention it to Kitty, but she's oblivious to it. So out of desperation, she dives in alone and abandons her best friend.

Obviously, she quashes the Wicked Witch of the East and follows the Yellow Brick Road and the story ends on a tragic cliffhanger.

Gosh, I kid. Instead of winding up somewhere glamorous, the portal tosses her into classic ol Sutton, Wisconsin. Being from 1900s England, Charlotte obviously has no clue where she is, so when she stumbles upon a residential area and a friendly boy, near her age, named Jake. She's initially hesitant and wanting only to return to Kitty.

In retrospect, the idea is fabulous but I expected action. There was nothing that completely had me. Charlotte is snatched by CPS and really does nothing to fight it. I thought she'd go on the run or try harder to return to her timezone. She pretends to be part of a Mean Girls-esque clique, dreams of Kitty occasionally, and struggles to choose a curriculum. #FirstWorldProblems

I expected action and drama and better friendships, all of which we did not receive. Charlotte was a terrible friend. Kitty. And why was Kitty so perfect? I need Kitty to be my best friend. (view spoiler)

The story needed to be longer. I feel like I'm missing a vital chunk of the plotline. Why do portals randomly appear? Why didn't Charlotte try harder to return to her century? Why was Jake so okay with everything? So many unanswered questions. Leila Sales is a talented writer, nonetheless, but I was hardly knocked from my chair by this. ...more

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Apr 26, 2016 Katy rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. (Thanks, LibraryThing!)

Once Was A Time begins with Lottie and Kitty, best friends who live in war torn England in 1940. Lottie's father is scientist researching time travel and certain people would do anything to get their hands on his research. Lottie and Kitty are kidnapped in an attempt to persuade Lottie's father to share his research. Right as things go from bad to worse, a portal appears in front of Lottie, she makes ...more

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Nov 25, 2015 Carly [A Beauty & Her Books] rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, already-own

Thank you to Raincoast Publishing for sending me this ARC novel is exchange for an honest review.

This book is targeted towards children in grade school, about ages 9-13. It is not about a sappy romance, but instead about friendship and the hardships that some come across.

Starting with the cover art, it represents the subject of the book perfectly. The two girls on the cover, Lottie and Kitty, are presented in the time periods in which they are trapped. The decades that are shown in the lettering ...more

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Sep 20, 2016 Elevetha rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016, middle-grade, decent-enough, craptastic-review, timey-wimey-wibbly-wobbly

This definitely had a few issues, especially concerning what would have happened realistically in some of the situations, but but but I actually really ended up enjoying it. The story took a surprising and not unwelcome turn and I loved how the story played out, as bittersweet as it was.

Some of the things I scoffed a bit at were that

(view spoiler) ...more

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Jan 18, 2017 Chelsea Couillard-Smith rated it liked it

Shelves: middle-grade-fiction

A lovely tribute to female friendship, with a time-travel twist. I enjoyed the way Sales balances the time-travel aspect with what is really a book about female relationships and about friendship more generally - what it means to be a friend, how relationships change, the ways that children hurt each other. Many of the characters are a bit one-note, including the foster parents and the mean girl characters, but Charlotte is wonderfully realistic and richly portrayed, particularly in the way she ...more

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Jul 08, 2016 Susan Dunn rated it really liked it

Shelves: j-fiction, junior-book-club

Charlotte and her best friend Kitty have know each other since they were babies. At ten years old they are still as thick as thieves. The are also both fascinated with Charlotte’s father’s work investigating time travel. He is convinced that traveling through time is a possibility - and that time portals exist and can occasionally be seen. The problem is though, that once you go through a time portal you don’t know where you’re going to end up - and you can never come back to the exact place and ...more

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Apr 06, 2018 Kimberly rated it it was amazing

Once Was a Time by [Sales, Leila]In 1940 Charlotte Bromley and Kitty McLaughlin are best friends. When Charlotte's father, a scientist, discovers something that the Germans will want, Charlotte has to make a hard decision. Should she stay with Kitty or travel somewhere in time and place. Her decision leaves her alone in the world. She does not know what happens with Kitty. She knows she has to find a way to return to her friend.

This book is written for children in grades 4-6. I believe, although ...more

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Childrens Historical, Time Travel. Book with time travel from Holocaust time period to modern day. [s]	8	24	Nov 11, 2020 06:24AM
Play Book Tag: Once Was a Time - Leila Sales - 4 stars	2	14	May 13, 2016 06:08PM

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About Leila Sales

Leila Sales

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Leila Sales was born in 1984 and grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in psychology in 2006. Now she lives in Brooklyn, New York, and works in the mostly glamorous world of children's book publishing. Leila spends most of her time thinking about sleeping, kittens, dance parties, and stories that she wants to write.

***Please note that ...more