I'm so happy this book will be made available again for more readers to get to read! it's a classic from my childhood. It's about a little girl named Sally, who discovers a mirror in the attic that can transport her to another time to search for a special, magical doll named Elizabeth. Rereading this brought back so many memories and reminded me of where I first got that magical whimsy and taste of fantasy. It is truly a gem and I am excited for this story to reach more people! I enjoyed it so much - as much as my first time reading it! Thank you so much to The Collective Book Studio and NetGalley for the advanced copy and letting me relive this beautiful story!

I remember having a really hard time getting a copy of this book when I first read it as it was out of print. It feels very much like a wee classic and yet doesn't seem all that widely known. I was pleasantly surprised to discover this new edition: it'll allow easier access for newer readers and it comes with lovely new coloured illustrations. The watercolour style looks pretty and suits the mood of the book.

Sally is a believable main character through whom we see the story. It's all shown from a child's perspective that comes with curiosity, excitement but also simplicity in the best way possible. Sally is to stay with her Aunt Sarah who she has never met and is rather worried about going there. Aunt Sarah seems a strict and rather cross old lady with an equally bad-tempered cat, Shadow. Sally doesn't feel happy at all and the old house scares her - it's almost like a witch's house!

Curiosity gets the better of her, though, as she makes for exploring the house and the left-behind belongings of a girl who lived in the house before her. Coincidently, this girl is also named Sally, which earns her the nickname 'the other Sally'. But most of all, Sally wants to find the other Sally's lost doll, Elizabeth. This doll is rumoured to be magical and it's been a great mystery just how she went missing.

It's a fairly simple plot but the mystery is nicely laid out and you keep on speculating along with Sally as to just what happened. While slowly working her way to uncovering the truth, Sally also finds that there are more sides to her Aunt Sarah and Shadow - neither of them is quite as grumpy as they seem! It's just such a lovely story of how this book brings together characters who are at least one generation apart and how they come to understand and even love one another.

This book brings together so many things that I love: an old house with more than just an attic to explore, naughty but loveable cats and a beautifully evolving relationship between Sally and her Aunt. It is an all round gorgeous book that even leaves you with the choice - was Elizabeth magical or not? Honestly, you could see it either way and it is up to interpretation. But whether it has anything supernatural going on or not, it is still a magical story to read.