'It's 1998 and Clara and her parents are staying at the Mount Buffalo Chalet for the national park centenary celebrations. It couldn't be more different from their last visit - they were a family of four then.
'With her twin brother Darius gone, Clara has no reference point anymore, no guide. It's like being lost in the bush without a compass.
'Without him, she doesn't really know who she is.
'After a strange night, Clara wakes up in 1893. There she meets Alice, a girl who lives within the fern-filled valleys at the base of Mount Buffalo. To her surprise, Clara realises she is Guide Alice, considered a rebel of her time, an adventurous non-conformist who spent much of her life boldly leading people along the rugged trails between granite tors and misty mountain peaks.
'The 1890s were a difficult era in Australia's history. The country is in the grip of a terrible Depression, and desperate people can be dangerous. When Alice's life is threatened, Clara must rediscover the courage she has always had, and become the girl she was always meant to be.
'When help is needed, Clara will be the first to dive right in...
'Bringing in themes of early feminism and issues such as bullying, never being a bystander, managing grief and finding your courage, this engaging middle grade timeslip story draws on the true history of Mount Buffalo and the incredible role the Manfield family - and Guide Alice in particular - played in the preservation of the National Park and the development of tourism in the Mount Buffalo region.'
Source: Yellow Brick Books website
