Switching Well

by Peni R. Griffin

The two of them live in the same town--Amber in 1991, and Ada in 1891--and they both have real problems. Amber's parents are getting divorced, and she seems to be the last to know. Ada's father doesn't think women have minds of their own. So the two troubled girls hit on the same solution: they each go to the Haunted Well and make an impulsive wish. Suddenly, Amber finds herself in 1891, and Ada in 1991. They would do anything to return home--but it may be impossible to cross time again.

Genres: Fantasy, Time Travel, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical

218 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chapters alternate between the stories of two different girls (1891 and 1991) who throw a piece of candy into a well and are granted their wish - to live 100 years from when they do now. Each deals with the others environment fairly well, adapting and making friends.

The first third of the book seemed fairly juvenile to me. Once both girls started adapting and plotting ways to try to head home, I thought the writing and story improved, and the book ended on a high note. This author has written other middle grade books and others on this theme. Will try to encourage my middle grader to check out one of the later ones. A solid 3½ stars.

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing and gripping read. I highly recommend it.

[Aisha Manus · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I read this book more than 20 years ago and while I only really remembered the very basic premise I remembered really loving it. So when I came across it recently I decided I wanted to read it again and see if the Magic was still there and it was!!! Of course because it was written 25 years ago the language at times in not politically correct and it’s hard to fathom how parents could handle a child’s disappearance almost nonchalantly, but this story was so fascinating and a great way to introduce children to historical fiction. My feminist/atheistic/history loving self cheered at various point because it was just good. While I usually claim it to be the babysitters club books as when I fell in love with reading it might have been this stand alone novel that kept me there!

[Douglas Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the story a bit tedious at first and almost put it down. But as I progressed it got better and at the end I found that I liked it. It's the story of two girls, Amber in 1991 and Ada in 1891 both in the same geographical location in San Antonio, Texas. There is a well on the property and both girls go there to make a wish and suddenly find themselves switched in time. How each girl copes with being 100 years removed from with what they are used to is the main focus of the story. Not a profoundly moving story but it has a fair amount of depth and a nice conclusion. It's another time travel story and Griffin handles it very well and in the end leaves you with a bit of wonder.

[Sara Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ecco un altro di quei libri sottovalutati, relegati al reparto dei libri per bambini, presto dimenticati e andati fuori commercio.
Un vero peccato, a mio avviso sarebbe potuto diventare un best-seller! Narra di due ragazze appartenenti a epoche diverse che si scambiano tramite un singolare "viaggio nel tempo". E' una storia avvincente ed entusiasmante (Nonchè educativa, dato che mette a confronto pregi e difetti delle due epoche).

[Nicole Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first chapter was hard to get through and the the next three to follow moved kind of slow. However, the book is written really well in terms of language for the time periods, the plot, the surroundings. The author also jumped right into the purpose of the novel in the first three chapters which i did enjoy. The author did a wonderful job at narrating the “switch” between the two girls. It flowed so well.
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The storylines were really easy to follow and i really enjoyed the way the author had both girls explore their new eras. I think everything about this novel was pieced together so nicely.
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I also enjoyed the authenticity of the time periods. From the language, to the clothing, everything matched the time period the girls were in. The ending of the book could have been a little more detailed, but overall it was a good and quick read!

[Cheryl]

QNPoohBear says in a discussion about The Root Cellar and Charlotte Sometimes "Switching Well is similar and another one I loved in my younger days." Another reviewer has it on their 'vintage' shelf. 1993?! I guess I'm getting old!

Anyway, if you want to discuss any of the other two, they are available on openlibrary.org and we're discussing them in the Children's Books group here on GR this coming month, May 2021.

edit: turns out that this book is available at OL, too!

[Andrea Lucero-watje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes, a book you read in childhood leaves a deep and lasting impression. I first read this book almost 30 years ago when it was a new release that I probably picked up at the library or a Scholastic book fair. When I found it on Thriftbooks, I immediately purchased it and began my trip down memory lane. This isn’t exactly quality literature, but was probably one of the first “other world” or “time travel” books that I ever experienced. It was such a fun reread and helped remind me why I liked it so much in the first place.

[Cindy Wlazelek · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I participated in a Mother-Daughter reading group for several years back when she was in upper elementary school. This was our selection for one of the times when it was our turn to host. We very much enjoyed the book.
Along with the usual discussion subjects, we were treated to Peni Griffin’s attending our book discussion. What a treat!!!

[Mary Burkholder · Rating 3 out of 5]

A unique story of two girls who wish into a well and switch places in the world across a century. The differences they encountered were interesting to think about. But the story felt like a stretch much of the time, naturally!

[Miri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book! I only wish it had been a bit longer because I was sad when I had finished it.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting bit of time travel. Very satisfactory ending. It did make one think about how they would do in the circumstances. I enjoyed it.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ho un debole per le storie che parlano di viaggi nel tempo e quindi non potevo ignorare questo romanzo per ragazzi in cui le due protagoniste, Ada Bauer del 1891 e Ambra Burak del 1991, finiscono letteralmente una nell'epoca dell'altra, dopo aver espresso il desiderio di vivere 100 anni prima o dopo, accanto a uno strano pozzo della loro città, San Antonio in Texas. Le ragazzine affronteranno soprattutto i contro di questo "scambio" temporale e di usi e costumi di una società a cui non appartengono, in particolar modo perché sono minorenni che vengono affidate a istituzioni di tutela: Ada finisce in una moderna casa famiglia, mentre Ambra scopre le ingiustizie di un orfanotrofio del XIX secolo. L'autrice è stata molto brava nel descrivere ansia e preoccupazioni di entrambe, alternando i due punti di vista per ciascun capitolo. La parte migliore, per me, resta comunque quella finale, in quanto il tentativo di risoluzione coinvolge non solo Ada e Ambra, ma anche gli altri personaggi che gravitano intorno a loro. Infatti, essendosi scambiate nello stesso luogo a un secolo di distanza, fanno conoscenza con la famiglia dell'altra e stringono nuovi legami. Consigliato e... attenzione a ciò che desiderate!

[Mellanie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14433904

[Laura Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING! The character development, the historical detail, the suspense and wonder of the time travel...pure magic, from start to finish. I first read this when I was twelve. I just recently re-read it, fifteen years later, and was still captivated. Would definitely recommend!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting. Two girls, Ada and Amber, switch between 1891 and 1991. Many time travel/switch books deal with the technological changes, but this one also deals with social changes--roles of women,attitudes about race, disabilities, etc.

A bit of a slow start--and what are the odds that two girls, 100 years apart in San Antonio, Texas, would each wish to be 100 years in the past/future, at the same abandoned well, simultaneously? That aside, how they at first relish the change, then try to adapt to their new situation, begin to miss their own time, and finally try to figure out how to get back to it makes for a very satisfying story. In the meantime, there's an interesting exploration of what the "safety net" for misplaced children looks like in each time period, and how well it works, or doesn't. There's a terrific wrap-it-up link from the past to the present at the very end.

Solid time-travel adventure with lots of girl power. I had liked The Ghost Sitter, but heard this was even better. It's out of print, so read it at your library!
The Ghost Sitter

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books as a child. I remember being so interested by the premise of time travel and seeing how much has changed over the course of one century. This also kinda sends the message to be careful of what you wish for. Both of the main characters are unhappy with their lives and wish they could live during a different time period. And when this comes true, they realize that their new lives aren't all that they measured up to be, and instead they wish they could go back to what they had before. I think having it from these two perspectives shows how different people were back then and really opens my eyes to how quickly the world is changing. I was so captivated by this story, and I still don't think I've read anything like it ever since.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'ho ritrovato finalmente!! Era da un sacco di tempo che pensavo e ripensavo al titolo! Letto quando ero una ragazzina alle prime armi con i libri, ricordo che mi aveva letteralmente incantato.
Sfortunatamente non ho la più pallida idea di che fine abbia fatto, ma ricordo benissimo la trama: due ragazzine di epoche diverse che, insoddisfatte della loro realtà, tramite lo stesso pozzo esprimono il desiderio di poter andare l'una avanti e l'altra indietro nel tempo.
Il loro desiderio si realizza e dà il via ad uno dei più bei libri "per ragazzi" che abbia mai letto.
Peccato che sia misconosciuto!!
Dovrò assolutamente rileggerlo più avanti, dopo tanto cercarlo glielo devo!

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fun to think about my daughter reading this book. It does a good job of contrasting 1991 and 1891 without going into the details that you wouldn't want to think about when you are ten years old. Good in the "girl power" genre. The girls are smart and try to make the best of each situation.

[Kim Burean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ada, from 1891, and Amber, from 1991, are both having family troubles. They both go to an old well and wish to go forward/back in time. The girls switch places and through numerous adventures, must find their way back to their own times.

I've always loved time travel novels, and this one did not disappoint!

[Hannah]

I adored this book when I was young, and I was happy to find today that it really is just as spectacular as I remembered it. So well crafted, well characterized, and with so much interesting stuff going on. I'm glad this book is still around.

[Soobie has fog in her brain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soobie a dodici anni:

Racconta la storia di due ragazze che, esprimendo un desiderio simultaneo, vanno una nell'epoca dell'altra. Ambra ve nel 1891 e Ada si ritrova nel 1991.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as her "11,000 Years Lost" but interesting. Two girls the same age but living in different centuries are mysteriously switched. Each one has to draw on her inner resources to cope with new and very different surroundings.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated what each girl learned as her wish was granted and she either moved forward or backward in time. The best part was that they changed lives for the better in ways that only they could do. I recommend this book highly to young people, especially girls.

[Alysha Speer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Switching Well is a tale of two girls living in different times that do not like their lives. But when they have to live as the other person they realize their world was a bit better.

[Joanna Fedewa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of my favorite books.

[Cws]

JAR6-Gri

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Teen book about time travel. Not bad for what it is.

[TIffany Holman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the one that made me realize that my favorite genre is Historical Fiction:) It's a tween book, but will totally be passed down to my kids!

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Childrens book, but I liked it.