  | Candace, the universe, and everything Author: Smith, Sherri L. | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Thirteen-year-old Candace discovers a portal in her locker that connects her across time and space with two other women who also had the same locker as girls, and the three go on to investigate the origins of the portal.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (07/01/25)
School Library Journal (+) (09/01/25)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/07/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 06/09/2025 The secrets of a middle schooler’s locker connect three generations of Black girls across time in this speculative novel by Smith (Pearl). Struggling to navigate changing friendship dynamics, 13-year-old Candace Wells starts eighth grade with a pit in her stomach. After "a bird of unordinary colouring" flies out of her locker, Candace discovers a notebook belonging to someone named Tracey Auburn, who seems to be sending Candace messages through the pages from the past. Tracking down the volume’s owner, Candace meets adult Tracey, who shares that the same bird flew into her locker in 1988. Candace and Tracey soon encounter elderly quantum physicist Loretta Spencer, who informs the pair that the locker is a knot in time through which only the unusual bird can travel-and that Loretta needs Candace and Tracey’s help to map all the knots in Chicago. Chapters alternate between Candace in the present, Tracey in 1988, and Loretta in 1968; interspersed throughout are brief, sensorial excerpts from an in-universe children’s story about a window in the sky. The trio’s heartwarming bond takes center stage; with help from the older women, who act as her mentors, Candace learns how to navigate friendship woes and a first crush. Ages 10-up. Agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Sept.) - Copyright 2025
School Library Journal - 09/01/2025 Gr 5 Up—Smith delivers a captivating blend of science fiction and coming-of-age storytelling that explores friendship, identity, and wonder across generations. Thirteen-year-old Candace Wells feels unmoored by changing friendships at the start of eighth grade, but her world expands dramatically when a mysterious bird flies out of her new locker. Inside, she finds a purple notebook filled with advice "For Girls Like Me," written by Tracey Auburn in 1988. When new messages begin to appear, Candace tracks down the now-adult Tracey, a college professor, and the pair are soon led to 93-year-old physicist Loretta Spencer, who had the same locker in 1948. Together, they discover that Candace's locker is a portal through space and time that connects their lives. Smith expertly weaves together multiple time lines, showing each woman at age 13, facing pivotal moments of growth and change. The speculative elements are grounded in real physics concepts, such as Fibonacci sequences and particle accelerators, while excerpts from an in-universe children's book add literary resonance. Candace's voice is clear and compelling as she navigates shifting friendships, a first crush, and the overwhelming realization that she's part of something cosmic. The intergenerational mentorship is especially well crafted, avoiding clichés while showing how wisdom and curiosity flow in both directions. The novel's grounding in Chicago history, with connections to the Underground Railroad and Fermilab, adds richness to the narrative. VERDICT 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.—Rose Garrett - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
