Cat has recently started at a new school on a sports scholarship, and she’s feeling the pressure of early morning training sessions and the need for total commitment. Fanny loves to swim and she lives for racing, but family chores and low expectations for girls make it very hard for her to fit in even the occasional training session.
Cat and Fanny have never met. They both live in the same Sydney suburb, but in different worlds, or at least different times: Cat in current-day Sydney, and Fanny in 1908. But one day, time slips, and they swap places.
As each girl lives the other’s life, with all the challenges and confusion it presents, she comes to appreciate and understand herself and the role of swimming in her own life.
Narrated in alternating chapters by Cat and Fanny, Elsewhere Girls is a moving and funny story of two girls with a deep connection. It’s a fresh and engaging exploration of the challenges and pressures for young women growing up in the past and today.
Fanny, based off of the famous real life Australian swimmer Fanny Durack, isn’t expected to achieve much but has dreams of making it to the Olympics. Cat, on the other hand, has lots of pressure from her recent sport scholarship. It’s great seeing how both girls – from two very different periods in time – can find so much in common with each other.
This is Emily Gale and Nova Weetman’s first collaboration together, having both written many children’s books individually. Each chapter is written by one of the two authors, giving their distinct style a chance to shine. Cat’s chapters are all about dealing with pressure, while Fanny’s are about taking opportunities and trying your hardest. A perfect story for kids aged 10+.
Elsewhere Girls is a wonderful and witty coming-of-age story that highlights the struggles that many young women face. With themes of courage, pressure, and friendships, it is the perfect gift for young readers everywhere.
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