A parent might reach for this book when their teen is struggling to process the overwhelming grief of losing a parent or is using fantasy as an escape from a painful new reality. After thirteen-year-old Lisa's parents are killed in a plane crash, she must leave her life in New York City to live with her aunt in a small town. To cope, Lisa retreats into a fantasy world, 'slipping' back in time to her childhood and her imaginary friend. This book sensitively explores profound grief, loneliness, and the power of imagination as both a sanctuary and a barrier to healing. For older readers, it validates the deep desire to turn back time while gently illustrating the importance of facing the present to find a way forward.
The central event is the death of both parents, which is handled directly and is the catalyst for the entire plot. The approach is secular and focuses on the psychological and emotional experience of grief. Lisa's time travel is a fantasy element that serves as a powerful metaphor for dissociation or a deep psychological retreat as a coping mechanism for trauma. The resolution is realistic and hopeful. Lisa does not magically 'get over' her grief, but she takes the first steps toward acceptance and building a new life, suggesting healing is a process.
Ideal Reader
A teen, aged 12 to 15, who has experienced a significant loss and is coping by becoming quiet and withdrawn. This book is for the introspective reader who may be using their own imagination, books, or games as a way to escape difficult feelings. It will resonate with a child who feels utterly alone in their grief and yearns for things to be the way they were.
Parent Prep
No specific scenes require previewing for graphic content. Parents should be aware that the depiction of grief is raw and honest. The fantasy 'time slip' element should be understood as a metaphor for a psychological coping strategy. A parent can read this book cold with their child, but it is an excellent catalyst for conversation about healthy and unhealthy ways of coping with immense sadness. A parent notices their teen has become profoundly disconnected after a traumatic event. The child seems to be 'somewhere else' much of the time, is resistant to new experiences or friendships, and might express a desire to go back in time or for everything to be 'normal' again.
Age Experience
A younger teen (12-13) will likely focus on the magical element of the time slips and relate strongly to Lisa's feelings of loneliness and not fitting in. An older teen (14-16) is more likely to interpret the fantasy as a psychological construct and will have a deeper appreciation for the complex emotional dynamics between Lisa and her aunt, and the nuanced depiction of the healing process.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many books about grief that focus on external plot points, this book offers a deep, internal exploration of a specific coping mechanism: imaginative regression. The seamless blend of realism and fantasy makes the psychological experience of grief feel tangible and visceral. It uniquely captures the feeling of being untethered from reality after a trauma and the powerful pull of a past that no longer exists.
Read plot summary
Thirteen-year-old Lisa is suddenly orphaned when her parents die in a plane crash. She is uprooted from her life in New York City and sent to live with her well-meaning but overwhelmed Aunt Dena in a small town. To cope with her immense grief and dislocation, Lisa begins to retreat into her own mind, 'slipping' into the past to spend time with Mary Rose, an imaginary friend from her early childhood. This fantasy becomes a powerful and necessary refuge, but it also isolates her from her new reality, her aunt, and a potential new friend. The story follows Lisa's internal struggle as she navigates her grief, ultimately needing to find a way to let go of her fantasy past to begin living in the present.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Lisa's 'slips' back in time to be with Mary Rose feel very real to her. Do you think this was a helpful way for her to deal with her sadness at first, or did it hold her back from healing?
2
Aunt Dena tries hard to connect with Lisa, but Lisa often pushes her away. What could each of them have done differently to understand each other better earlier in the story?
3
At the end of the book, Lisa says goodbye to Mary Rose. What do you think this moment represents for Lisa and her journey forward?
4
The title of the book is 'Bring Back Yesterday.' After reading the story, what do you think the author is trying to say about the past and the present?
