A Review of “The Time Traveling Fashionista and Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile” by Bianca Turetsky

fashionista

Readers will be enthralled by this book’s beauty before starting to read this time- traveling tale.  Perfect for elementary-age children or for the young at heart interested in fashion design, the novel’s 25 beautiful full-color illustrations will entice any reader, along with the delightful story of a young girl, time travelling by vintage fashion.  Twelve-year-old Louise Lambert discovers a beautiful lavender Grecian gown at the
Traveling Fashionista Vintage Sale and is swept back in time to Hollywood’s 1963 set of Cleopatra.  After a short period of time spent as the head costume designer’s assistant, Louise uncovers an antique pearl necklace, which then transports her to 51 B.C. Ancient Egypt, the time of Cleopatra’s rule.  An exciting and entertaining read for any age, this novel, with its exquisite illustrations weaving together fashion and history, is sure to please.

Interview with Bianca Turetsky:

Where did you get the inspiration to write a series based on fashion and time travel targeted towards kids?

BT: I enjoy shopping for vintage fashion and have my own collection of vintage clothing, so one day when I was shopping in New Haven at one of my favorite stores, Fashionista Vintage and Variety, I found a pink dress, similar to the one used in the first book in the series, “The Time Traveling Fashionista on Board the Titanic.”  I also used the name of the first owner of this shop, Miss Baxter, as a main character in the first book.  Fashionista Vintage and Variety also started as a pop-up store, which is the inspiration for Marla and Glenda’s Traveling Fashionista Vintage Sale, the two ladies who are based on the current shop owners of the New Haven store.

Is the main character, Louise Lambert, based on you? Tell us about some of your favorite pieces in your vintage clothing collection.

BT: I happened to stumble upon the main character’s 12-year-old voice, but I definitely wrote Louise with my own characteristics in mind.  I grew up in Fairfield, the town that Louise’s Connecticut hometown is based on.  I also was on the swim team, had braces, loved vintage clothing even at a young age, am an only child and had a best friend named Brooke growing up.  My favorite piece of vintage clothing is probably the dress I found in a small vintage clothing shop in Spain.  This was during the time I went to Versailles to do research for my second book, “The Time Traveling Fashionista at the Palace of Marie Antoinette.”  I then traveled to Spain, where I found a vintage long white lace dress from 1910 in a small vintage shop that unfortunately closed soon after I happened upon it.

Will your book series continue with a fourth installment coming soon or are you working on a new project?

BT: Right now I am working on bringing the series to television or film.  It will remain a trilogy for now, but if I am able to create a TV series or movie-based adaptation, I will continue the series.  I have not yet decided on a possible historical time period for Louise’s next adventure.  Any suggestions? Send me a tweet @BiancaTuretsky.

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