Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller

Told in a diary style format, this book introduces us to Lily Tripp, who every year since her 9th birthday has woken up on New Year’s Day in a different century. She has already lived a year in Roman and Victorian times and although her family or friends are also transported to the different eras with her, none of them act as if it is anything other than normal and don’t seem to be aware of any travelling in time. The previous year at midnight she had wished to be back in the 21st century and happily found herself in 2025, righting the timeline, or so she thought. As Lily waits to turn 13, she is really hoping that her time travelling is now over, especially as her long term crush will be at the same New Year’s Eve party, hosted by her arch-enemy and school mean-girl, Georgia. As we soon discover, midnight arrives and Lily finds herself in yet another century, but to make matters worse, this time she is actually a servant in Georgia’s household and it is clear that their feelings for each other have not changed, even if the year has. There is something else that is making this timehop unbearable, as although Lily’s best friend Poppy is also there as a fellow servant, she is becoming very friendly with the horrible Georgia, while Lily is finding herself in more and more trouble. Will Lily ever make it back to a century that she can enjoy properly and is she destined to always have Georgia there causing trouble too?

Author Tait has found a unique and extremely entertaining take on the much-loved diary format, with a wonderful mix of sci-fi and historical facts thrown in. Lily and her friend Poppy are both very likeable and relatable characters and their trips through time and history not only offer fantastic opportunities for fun and chaos, such as clothing and food that hasn’t been invented yet (chicken nuggets in the 17th century?), but also demonstrate that the universal problems of a 13 year-old such as friendship and family dramas, first crushes and just navigating life, are still there no matter when or where you live in history.

Full of hilarity, warmth and the right amount of tension, I can see this clever debut title being hugely popular and can’t wait to see where in history Lily might end up next.