A speculative middle grade novel about three generations of Black girls connected across time and space through a wormhole in their school locker.

What if your locker was a wormhole to the past?

On the first day of eighth grade, Candace Wells opens her locker and is astonished when an unusual bird flies out. Soon after, a notebook mysteriously appears on the top shelf, labeled Tracey Auburn, 1988. Stranger still, as Candace reads the notebook, new messages start to appear.

Professor Tracey Auburn only vaguely remembers a bird flying into her locker in eighth grade, way back in 1988, and losing a notebook she could have sworn she put on the top shelf. Until Candace shows up at her office with the missing notebook forty years later.

Quantum physicist Loretta Spencer will never forget the bird flying out of her locker in eighth grade in 1948. Her life’s work has been to study the portal and others like it, and now she needs Tracey’s and Candace’s help to complete her research.

So begins an unlikely friendship and a hunt around Chicago and the state of Illinois to uncover the secrets of the locker, the universe, and everything. One thing’s for sure: Eighth grade will never be the same again.

BIO

Sherri L. Smith is not a pilot, but she makes an excellent passenger (unless it’s a very small plane). She is the author of numerous acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books for young people, including Flygirl, the winner of the California Book Awards’ Gold Medal; The Blossom and the Firefly, the winner of the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators; Orleans; and Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen? She teaches creative writing at Hamline University. Born in Chicago, Sherri now lives in Los Angeles. Learn more at SherriLSmith.com and follow her on Twitter @Sherri_L_Smith.

REVIEWS

* “A captivating blend of science fiction and coming-of-age ­storytelling that explores friendship, identity, and wonder across generations . . . ­A sophisticated blend of science and ­realism for readers who enjoyed the time-travel ­mystery of Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me or the ­intergenerational depth of Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon. A strong addition to those seeking diverse speculative fiction with ­emotional resonance.” -- School Library Journal, starred review

“A stellar work of middle-grade science fiction . . . Smith’s novel is filled with cosmic metaphors, intergenerational connections, science, and self-discovery . . . With its contemporary When You Reach Me tone, Candace, the Universe, and Everything reminds readers that although the universe is boundless, our connections to each other are limited and thus extremely meaningful.” -- Shelf Awareness

“With perceptive prose and nods to both “A Wrinkle in Time” and the Underground Railroad, this is a cerebral speculative mystery to be savored.” --The Washington Post

“Smith offers nuanced portrayals of the well-rounded characters and their relationships, combined with enjoyable fantasy elements . . . A heartwarming adventure that explores courage, self-belief, and dreams.” -- Kirkus Reviews

[H]  G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers  /  September 09, 2025

1.3" H x 8.3" L x 5.6" W (0.9 lbs) 336 pages

For ages 10 and up