What do you think?
Rate this book
A Year Without Autumn
The author of the best-selling Emily Windsnap series spins a gripping tale about a girl who stumbles into the future--and must change its course to save a friendship.Jenni Green’s family vacation has finally arrived! Even though she has to deal with her annoying little brother, her slightly overbearing dad, and her very pregnant mom, she gets to spend a week with her bestest friend in the world, Autumn. But twelve-year-old Jenni’s world turns upside down when she takes an old elevator to visit Autumn and discovers that everything has not only is her friend in a different condo, but tragedy has struck Autumn’s family, Jenni’s mother has had her baby, and everyone is a year older. When Jenni realizes that the elevator caused her to skip a whole year, she tries to go back, but soon finds that fixing things won’t be as easy as pressing a button. How can she alter the past and keep her family and Autumn’s from falling apart? With honesty and insight, Liz Kessler explores how the bonds of family and friendship can endure through time.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
138 people are currently reading
2384 people want to read
About the author
Liz Kessler
79 books961 followersLiz Kessler is the author of three novels about Philippa Fisher as well as the NEW YORK TIMES best-selling Emily Windsnap series. She lives in Manchester, England.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 393 reviews
Read
May 21, 2022اولين كتابي كه توي ١٤٠١ تموم شد.
March 6, 2017
Jenni, her little brother and her parents visited the same park every year for a week. So did her very best friend Autumn, her little brother and parents. The day of their arrival was the same as it always was, and when the girls saw each other they were full of excitement for the week ahead.
But the plan to go horse riding the following day was thwarted by a strange and frightening occurrence for Jenni. When she finally found Autumn, everything had changed. And to Jenni’s horror it appeared she had somehow been transported one year forward – in the meantime tragedy had struck and the girls’ friendship was not the way it was.
What could Jenni do? When she discovered what had happened she knew she had to somehow go back in time to change the outcome. But could she? Was it even possible for her to do that? Or was she stuck in the future?
A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler is an fun time travel novel which I enjoyed. The adventure that surrounds Jenni was well thought out; the obvious friendship between the two girls was important. A lovely novel for tweens, A Year Without Autumn is one I recommend.
But the plan to go horse riding the following day was thwarted by a strange and frightening occurrence for Jenni. When she finally found Autumn, everything had changed. And to Jenni’s horror it appeared she had somehow been transported one year forward – in the meantime tragedy had struck and the girls’ friendship was not the way it was.
What could Jenni do? When she discovered what had happened she knew she had to somehow go back in time to change the outcome. But could she? Was it even possible for her to do that? Or was she stuck in the future?
A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler is an fun time travel novel which I enjoyed. The adventure that surrounds Jenni was well thought out; the obvious friendship between the two girls was important. A lovely novel for tweens, A Year Without Autumn is one I recommend.
May 31, 2019
one of my all-time-faves as a kid
I related to autumn a lot when I was in fifth grade. I understand every single feeling of hers cause I kinda was in the same situation. hope nobody drowns in parents related problems like me and autumn did :)))
I related to autumn a lot when I was in fifth grade. I understand every single feeling of hers cause I kinda was in the same situation. hope nobody drowns in parents related problems like me and autumn did :)))
February 26, 2020
i try to imagine keeping something like that a secret for me whole life. it would be like always wearing a mask over your face. which everyone believed was the real you. you would be the only person who knew it wasnt and who knew that you could never take it of.
Liz kessler
Would you like to see future if is possible?
What if there is an elevator that will take you to the future?
What if you have a bad future?
A girl who sees the future unintentionally and tries to change her past
It was an interesting book and better suited for a teenager.
اگر دیدن آینده امکان پذیر باشد آیا دوست دارید آن را ببینید؟
اگر آسانسوری باشد که شما را به آینده می برد چه میکنید؟
اگر آینده بدی در انتظارتان باشد چه میکنید؟
دختری که ناخواسته آینده را میبیند و سعی دارد گذشته اش را تغییر بدهد
کتاب جالبی بود و برای رده سنی نوجوان مناسب تر است.
Liz kessler
Would you like to see future if is possible?
What if there is an elevator that will take you to the future?
What if you have a bad future?
A girl who sees the future unintentionally and tries to change her past
It was an interesting book and better suited for a teenager.
اگر دیدن آینده امکان پذیر باشد آیا دوست دارید آن را ببینید؟
اگر آسانسوری باشد که شما را به آینده می برد چه میکنید؟
اگر آینده بدی در انتظارتان باشد چه میکنید؟
دختری که ناخواسته آینده را میبیند و سعی دارد گذشته اش را تغییر بدهد
کتاب جالبی بود و برای رده سنی نوجوان مناسب تر است.
June 18, 2015
I think that A Year Without Autumn is a good book and it’s written by Liz Kessler. It is fantasy and all but I won’t recommend it to adults because it’s for children. Adults will probably think it’s boring and childish.
It’s about a 12 year old girl called Jenni. She and Autumn are best friends and they are inseparable. One day, they decided to go on a trip together. They were supposed to go horse-riding, but everything seemed to change when she used an old elevator to Autumn’s condo. She was shocked when she saw Autumn’s face. The face that was up all the time, the hair that was messy all over…… It all turned into a face like a ghost and hair in a neat ponytail. Where was crazy old Autumn?! Everyone seems to have changed and the only one left behind was her……
The author wasn’t very good with writing personalities because, the main character, Jenni, lacks personality. She is very quiet in the story and has only a little thought going on. Autumn, on the other hand, was described as a crazy and popular girl. Both girls have opposite personalities and it makes their friendship a bit unbelievable. The author should have focused more on giving both characters enough personality.
Although Liz Kessler wasn’t really good with personalities, she made the story easy to understand. She didn’t stop in one scene and go to another, it was flowing on and on. By doing this, readers won’t get confused when they are reading the book.
This is a book about friendship and about not wasting time. Time’s ticking and you’d better appreciate what you have now when you can because they or it might disappear without warning, anytime.
It’s about a 12 year old girl called Jenni. She and Autumn are best friends and they are inseparable. One day, they decided to go on a trip together. They were supposed to go horse-riding, but everything seemed to change when she used an old elevator to Autumn’s condo. She was shocked when she saw Autumn’s face. The face that was up all the time, the hair that was messy all over…… It all turned into a face like a ghost and hair in a neat ponytail. Where was crazy old Autumn?! Everyone seems to have changed and the only one left behind was her……
The author wasn’t very good with writing personalities because, the main character, Jenni, lacks personality. She is very quiet in the story and has only a little thought going on. Autumn, on the other hand, was described as a crazy and popular girl. Both girls have opposite personalities and it makes their friendship a bit unbelievable. The author should have focused more on giving both characters enough personality.
Although Liz Kessler wasn’t really good with personalities, she made the story easy to understand. She didn’t stop in one scene and go to another, it was flowing on and on. By doing this, readers won’t get confused when they are reading the book.
This is a book about friendship and about not wasting time. Time’s ticking and you’d better appreciate what you have now when you can because they or it might disappear without warning, anytime.
July 26, 2021
۳.۵⭐
والا میشه گفت اینو خیلی وقت پیش خوندم و فکرهای خودمم دقیق یادم نیست اما انقدری یادمه که بین یه حس نگرانی دردناک و افتضاح و شادی و آرامش گیر افتاده بودم!
والا میشه گفت اینو خیلی وقت پیش خوندم و فکرهای خودمم دقیق یادم نیست اما انقدری یادمه که بین یه حس نگرانی دردناک و افتضاح و شادی و آرامش گیر افتاده بودم!
February 18, 2012
I liked the premise of this book, but I was also quite weary about it when I first heard about it. I thought the idea behind it was interesting, but I'm always a little apprehensive of time-travel novels (I can find them very confusing) and I think that this book is aimed more towards middle grade children rather than young adults. However, I found it surprisingly enjoyable!
I admit that, at the start, I didn't think that I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did. Our protagonist, Jenni, is 12 years old and so talks quite immaturely, but this should be expected. She is quite excitable and the overuse of exclamation marks did start to bug me a little. However, as things start to change in Jenni's life, when she finds a lift which can transport her through time, her attitude, outlook and emotions quickly begin to mature, which I was thankful for. I'm glad that she didn't completely mature though - it was definitely as though it was a young teenager communicating with us.
I'd say that this is probably aimed more towards 9-12 year olds, but as the book progressed, I think some of the issues discussed and the story in general could appeal to young adults. I actually liked the simple style that it was written in. The time travel idea wasn't made to be complex, and as it was straight forward, it was really easy to follow. It is, despite some serious subjects, a light and easy read that a lot of people may enjoy.
Jenni tries to visit her friend Autumn one day, and finds that she has travelled a year into the future, where we learn that something disastrous has happened which has destroyed Autumn's life and that also threatens their friendship. I found the way that Jenni handled herself and the situation to be both believable and interesting. I didn't really find the sub plot, where Jenni meets a woman who has also travelled into the future, to be particularly interesting but it was a good attempt of adding something extra to the story and I can see why people would enjoy it.
The story flowed well and it was certainly a page turner at points. I found myself to get quite absorbed into Jenni and Autumn's story, wishing I could help. As I was so enthralled, it didn't take me very long at all to finish this one. The story unravelled at a good pace and it wasn't very predictable, especially towards the end, which I really enjoyed. Everything was summed up by the end, and so there was a satisfying ending. If you find reading about changing and developing friendships, you'd probably enjoy this. Don't be put off by the sci-fi idea, even if you're not usually a fan - this is a simple, quick and enjoyable read.
I admit that, at the start, I didn't think that I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did. Our protagonist, Jenni, is 12 years old and so talks quite immaturely, but this should be expected. She is quite excitable and the overuse of exclamation marks did start to bug me a little. However, as things start to change in Jenni's life, when she finds a lift which can transport her through time, her attitude, outlook and emotions quickly begin to mature, which I was thankful for. I'm glad that she didn't completely mature though - it was definitely as though it was a young teenager communicating with us.
I'd say that this is probably aimed more towards 9-12 year olds, but as the book progressed, I think some of the issues discussed and the story in general could appeal to young adults. I actually liked the simple style that it was written in. The time travel idea wasn't made to be complex, and as it was straight forward, it was really easy to follow. It is, despite some serious subjects, a light and easy read that a lot of people may enjoy.
Jenni tries to visit her friend Autumn one day, and finds that she has travelled a year into the future, where we learn that something disastrous has happened which has destroyed Autumn's life and that also threatens their friendship. I found the way that Jenni handled herself and the situation to be both believable and interesting. I didn't really find the sub plot, where Jenni meets a woman who has also travelled into the future, to be particularly interesting but it was a good attempt of adding something extra to the story and I can see why people would enjoy it.
The story flowed well and it was certainly a page turner at points. I found myself to get quite absorbed into Jenni and Autumn's story, wishing I could help. As I was so enthralled, it didn't take me very long at all to finish this one. The story unravelled at a good pace and it wasn't very predictable, especially towards the end, which I really enjoyed. Everything was summed up by the end, and so there was a satisfying ending. If you find reading about changing and developing friendships, you'd probably enjoy this. Don't be put off by the sci-fi idea, even if you're not usually a fan - this is a simple, quick and enjoyable read.
August 27, 2021
من چند فصل اولش رو خونده بودم و امروز رفتم تا ادامهش بدم انقدر کشش داشت که همینجوری نشستم تا تموم بشه. کتاب دوستداشتنی و خوبی بود.
تاریخ: ۱۴۰۰/۵/۲۹
تاریخ: ۱۴۰۰/۵/۲۹
February 13, 2013
Jenni and Autumn are twelve years old and best friends. Jenni, the narrator of the story, is somewhat in awe of Autumn: Autumn is the more outgoing of the two girls and comes from a slightly more affluent and bohemian family.
While the two families are on holiday together Jenni finds herself transported to a year into the future. She discovers that in the year that has passed a terrible tragedy has occurred with consequences for both families and the girls’ friendship.
This was a truly bizarre book. The story is both a time-travel adventure and a coming-of-age story and while it is quite good fun I’m not really convinced that either aspect of the story really worked.
Throughout the course of the novel Jenni finds herself up to three years in her future. I’m prepared to accept the author’s explanation that Jenni looks older when she travels into the future. It is harder to believe that the three years of emotional maturity that Jenni has missed would not pose some sort of a barrier to her friendship with the older Autumn, but this is not addressed at all in the story.
Even more ridiculous is the character of Mrs Smith, another time-traveller that Jenni meets. She is a 50 year-old woman who as a young girl imagined herself running the resort as an older woman. She and her then boyfriend broke up and lost touch some 35 years ago but she has returned to the resort in the hope that he will remember her dream and they will rekindle their romance.
If this was a braver novel it might have explored the idea that sometimes childhood friendships decline because the children simply grow apart. David Almond conveys Michael’s alienation from his childhood friends beautifully in Skellig. There was certainly scope to do this in A Year Without Autumn: I found Autumn more interesting and likeable as a grief-stricken 13 year-old than an excitable twelve year-old. Instead, the story fell back into clichés about friendship lasting forever and love being about meeting the one and seizing the moment.
It’s pretty obvious from the moment that Jenni arrives in the future that the lift is a time machine. However, no explanation is given as to why there is a time machine posing as a lift. No one has built it; it’s just there. Fortunately, despite being in the middle of a time-share resort, it has not led to the widespread displacement of holidaymakers.
More worryingly, from the perspective of the story’s internal logic and Mrs Smith’s love life, Jenni manages to change history by taking an object from an alternative future back to the present day, thus ensuring that the alternative future never happens. Back to the Future II and the 1972 Dr Who story The Day of the Daleks both explore the impossibility of changing the past by means obtained from the future. Here the contradiction is breezily ignored, resulting in an unsatisfying conclusion to the story arc.
A Year Without Autumn is a teenage melodrama. I think some upper Key Stage 2 girls would enjoy it for independent reading but it does not have sufficient depth to be used as a class novel. All of the central characters are girls and so I do not think it is aimed at or would particularly appeal to boys.
While the two families are on holiday together Jenni finds herself transported to a year into the future. She discovers that in the year that has passed a terrible tragedy has occurred with consequences for both families and the girls’ friendship.
This was a truly bizarre book. The story is both a time-travel adventure and a coming-of-age story and while it is quite good fun I’m not really convinced that either aspect of the story really worked.
Throughout the course of the novel Jenni finds herself up to three years in her future. I’m prepared to accept the author’s explanation that Jenni looks older when she travels into the future. It is harder to believe that the three years of emotional maturity that Jenni has missed would not pose some sort of a barrier to her friendship with the older Autumn, but this is not addressed at all in the story.
Even more ridiculous is the character of Mrs Smith, another time-traveller that Jenni meets. She is a 50 year-old woman who as a young girl imagined herself running the resort as an older woman. She and her then boyfriend broke up and lost touch some 35 years ago but she has returned to the resort in the hope that he will remember her dream and they will rekindle their romance.
If this was a braver novel it might have explored the idea that sometimes childhood friendships decline because the children simply grow apart. David Almond conveys Michael’s alienation from his childhood friends beautifully in Skellig. There was certainly scope to do this in A Year Without Autumn: I found Autumn more interesting and likeable as a grief-stricken 13 year-old than an excitable twelve year-old. Instead, the story fell back into clichés about friendship lasting forever and love being about meeting the one and seizing the moment.
It’s pretty obvious from the moment that Jenni arrives in the future that the lift is a time machine. However, no explanation is given as to why there is a time machine posing as a lift. No one has built it; it’s just there. Fortunately, despite being in the middle of a time-share resort, it has not led to the widespread displacement of holidaymakers.
More worryingly, from the perspective of the story’s internal logic and Mrs Smith’s love life, Jenni manages to change history by taking an object from an alternative future back to the present day, thus ensuring that the alternative future never happens. Back to the Future II and the 1972 Dr Who story The Day of the Daleks both explore the impossibility of changing the past by means obtained from the future. Here the contradiction is breezily ignored, resulting in an unsatisfying conclusion to the story arc.
A Year Without Autumn is a teenage melodrama. I think some upper Key Stage 2 girls would enjoy it for independent reading but it does not have sufficient depth to be used as a class novel. All of the central characters are girls and so I do not think it is aimed at or would particularly appeal to boys.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2015
کتاب خوبی بود. برای نوجوانان بین 12 تا 15 سال، یا کمی بالا پایین، خیلی مناسبه. در مورد دوستی و ارزش یه دوست خوب. در مورد خانواده و اطرافیان و اینکه چقدر برخوردهای ما موثر هست توی زندگی خودمون و زندگی دیگران و البته با تم سفر به آینده که خیلی هم داستان هیجانانگیزی داشت.
فقط مشکلش توصیف تقریبا ضعیف صحنهها بود که من خیلی نمیتونستم تصورش کنم.
دومین کتابی که تو فیدیبو خوندم که البته برای خواهرم خریده بودمش
فقط مشکلش توصیف تقریبا ضعیف صحنهها بود که من خیلی نمیتونستم تصورش کنم.
دومین کتابی که تو فیدیبو خوندم که البته برای خواهرم خریده بودمش
November 27, 2011
Although it took me a few chapters to really be pulled into this novel, I found it to be quite a fun, sweet read overall. It's summer and 12-year-old Jenni is going on the annual family vacation with her family; her best friend Autumn's family has a condo nearby as well, so the two girls get to spend the whole week together. One day, heading to Autumn's place, Jenni uses this old elevator that she thought was broken and it takes her forward in the future, where she sees how awful things have become: her baby sister's been born and her parents are fighting all the time, Autumn's little brother has been seriously hurt, and no one seems happy. The more Jenni looks into the future and tries to figure out what went wrong, the more she realizes that she has to change things somehow, only she doesn't know how.
Jenni and Autumn didn't feel like fully developed characters at the beginning of the book, but they really grew on me as the pages went on. At first, Jenni was too passive and Autumn was almost bossy, so I didn't get a good feel on why they were friends or why I should care, but when the time travel began, they suddenly came to life and developed real emotions. I feel like the target age group for this book would love these characters, since they're normal girls who rely on each other for support through tough times. The magic of the elevator played a big role in the book's plot, obviously, since it revolves around time travel, but there were no other magical elements in the book, making it seem very contemporary despite this science fiction-y catalyst.
Jenni is a very smart main character, trying to figure out what's going on and how she can stop it, and I liked seeing the ways in which she tried to observe the future without giving herself away. Her appearance ages, so no one notices anything different about her, but she has no knowledge of the past year, nor has she mentally aged. Still, she came off as an extremely smart and endearing 12 year old, determined to make things right despite everything seeming so far out of her reach.
I didn't know how this book would end, as I couldn't think of an easy way to wrap things up, but the author did a good job finding a smart and believable way to end it. I closed the book feeling satisfied and feel confident that many others will too.
Jenni and Autumn didn't feel like fully developed characters at the beginning of the book, but they really grew on me as the pages went on. At first, Jenni was too passive and Autumn was almost bossy, so I didn't get a good feel on why they were friends or why I should care, but when the time travel began, they suddenly came to life and developed real emotions. I feel like the target age group for this book would love these characters, since they're normal girls who rely on each other for support through tough times. The magic of the elevator played a big role in the book's plot, obviously, since it revolves around time travel, but there were no other magical elements in the book, making it seem very contemporary despite this science fiction-y catalyst.
Jenni is a very smart main character, trying to figure out what's going on and how she can stop it, and I liked seeing the ways in which she tried to observe the future without giving herself away. Her appearance ages, so no one notices anything different about her, but she has no knowledge of the past year, nor has she mentally aged. Still, she came off as an extremely smart and endearing 12 year old, determined to make things right despite everything seeming so far out of her reach.
I didn't know how this book would end, as I couldn't think of an easy way to wrap things up, but the author did a good job finding a smart and believable way to end it. I closed the book feeling satisfied and feel confident that many others will too.
September 27, 2011
A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler follows Autumn and Jenny who are headed to the timeshare that their families have vacationed at for years. While on the way to Autumn's house Jenni takes an elevator and finds another woman in Jenni's apartment. She soon learns that the elevator has taken her one year into the future, a future where Jenni and Autumn's life has fallen apart because of a horrible accident. Jenni must deal with everything and figure out how she keeps ending up in the future.
This is a terrific and original book about how one thing can change everything and how loss and tragedy can effect a whole community. A book of family and friendship. I loved both Jenni and Autumn and the interaction between their families. The magic aspect was added perfectly and even slightly believable, making it just a little more than a contemporary novel. I finished the book very quickly and couldn't put it down.
Appropriateness: There is no adult content in this book. There is no romance (except a bit of matchmaking with older characters) and the middle school age characters act like normal middle school aged students. I would recommend this book to readers 10-14
This is a terrific and original book about how one thing can change everything and how loss and tragedy can effect a whole community. A book of family and friendship. I loved both Jenni and Autumn and the interaction between their families. The magic aspect was added perfectly and even slightly believable, making it just a little more than a contemporary novel. I finished the book very quickly and couldn't put it down.
Appropriateness: There is no adult content in this book. There is no romance (except a bit of matchmaking with older characters) and the middle school age characters act like normal middle school aged students. I would recommend this book to readers 10-14
July 10, 2014
حقیقتا به نظرم ارزش سه ستاره داشت و به خاطر این که به طرز مسخره ای تونست آینده رو تغییر بده (در حالی که من توقع داشتم همه چی بدتر از قبل شه) دو ستاره فقط، اما چون منو یاد بهترین دوستم انداخت لایق پنج ستاره ست.
از دست دادن سال های عمر و... اینکه اگه درست بپرسی مردم به سوالات جواب میدن، عالی بود
در کل لذت بردیم:دی
از دست دادن سال های عمر و... اینکه اگه درست بپرسی مردم به سوالات جواب میدن، عالی بود
در کل لذت بردیم:دی
August 5, 2019
This is a story bout time travel. I can accept one year forward but two, three and more? Goshh Jenni pissed me off!! She followed whatever Autumn wanted to do. Okay I shouldn't hate her lol what do you expect from 12 years old kid 🤣
🌟🌟🌟.5
🌟🌟🌟.5
April 25, 2018
This book receives 3/3.5 stars from me. It was not at all what I was expecting! A quick read surprisingly... it only took me a few hours to finish. It was SOOOO sad and kindove depressing though!!!
The ending was happy, but the rest of the book was so sad!!! I was on the verge of tears at one point, and that’s saying a lot, because I’m NOT a crier!!! The writing style is beautiful, and SOOO engaging... the storyline just makes me sad:(
Not sure if I would read this again or not. I’m a happy peppy person most of the time, and I love happy books that are funny and adventurous. Not a fan of sad books😂😂😂
A big fan of Liz Kessler though. Love the Emily Windsnap series!!! Also LOVE that Ms Kessler is from England!!!
My favorite part in this book is when Jenni’s dad says, “Fancy a walk?” ❤️❤️❤️ It made me happy:) The way that English and Australian people talk is beautiful! It makes me smile:)
The ending was happy, but the rest of the book was so sad!!! I was on the verge of tears at one point, and that’s saying a lot, because I’m NOT a crier!!! The writing style is beautiful, and SOOO engaging... the storyline just makes me sad:(
Not sure if I would read this again or not. I’m a happy peppy person most of the time, and I love happy books that are funny and adventurous. Not a fan of sad books😂😂😂
A big fan of Liz Kessler though. Love the Emily Windsnap series!!! Also LOVE that Ms Kessler is from England!!!
My favorite part in this book is when Jenni’s dad says, “Fancy a walk?” ❤️❤️❤️ It made me happy:) The way that English and Australian people talk is beautiful! It makes me smile:)
September 24, 2017
This book was SO good. Once I started it I could not stop. I felt really close to the characters. I would recommend this book to people who want a page turner. I liked how you could go into the future with the character and see what happens. This was a really good book.
September 29, 2019
معرکه نبود اما دوست داشتم خوندنشو
May 26, 2021
Moving Forward in Time
Cute story that involved going forward in time. I think my sixth grade students would enjoy this book. It also dealt with what it means to be a friend.
Cute story that involved going forward in time. I think my sixth grade students would enjoy this book. It also dealt with what it means to be a friend.
April 9, 2012
Jenni is looking forward to spending the end of her summer vacation with her family at their timeshare apartment. While it’s great to get away, she also gets to spend the last weeks of summer with her best friend Autumn and her family. Autumn is the best friend Jenni could wish for: she’s exciting while Jenni is cautious. After Jenni takes a ride in the rickety old elevator in their building, she knocks on Autumn’s apartment door only to find someone else living there. Although it might seem impossible, Jenni seems to have travelled a year in the future. It seems unimaginable to Jenni, but something has happened in the last year that has put a wedge in Jenni and Autumn’s friendship. As Jenni keeps travelling further into the future, she sees everything she knows unravel each year. While her friendship with Autumn once seemed indestructible, a tragic event has distanced them and Jenni actually went a year without talking to Autumn. Was it really worth it for Jenni to see the future and is it set in stone?
I love time travel and was looking forward to A Year Without Autumn, but once I started reading this book and realized that the main character was twelve, I wasn’t so sure anymore. As the story started to unfold, I was sure I knew what was going to happen. Autumn’s bossy ways and Jenni’s belief that she didn’t deserve her best friend would push them apart. As it turns out, things were much more complicated than this. As Jenni tries to piece together what happened to ruin her friendship with Autumn, she finds out that a tragic event occurred on the very day she travelled to the future. As she travels into the future a year at a time, she finds that this event didn’t just affect her friendship with Autumn but her whole family as well. This aspect of the plot was touching and made me emotionally invested in the story. The characters also proved to be less superficial than they first appeared. As I said, I love time travel. Some of the particulars of the time travel made my head spin and I think there were a few things that didn’t make sense. However, the overall affect worked well. Another thing I didn’t like was the character of Mrs. Smith: that plotline felt a bit forced to me. Of course, a few flaws doesn’t stop me from liking a book. I easily found myself wrapped up in the story and sitting on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. A Year Without Autumn is not only about time travel and fantasy, but also about friendship and family. It’s a great read for younger readers looking for a story about friendship and growing up with a twist.
3.5/5
I love time travel and was looking forward to A Year Without Autumn, but once I started reading this book and realized that the main character was twelve, I wasn’t so sure anymore. As the story started to unfold, I was sure I knew what was going to happen. Autumn’s bossy ways and Jenni’s belief that she didn’t deserve her best friend would push them apart. As it turns out, things were much more complicated than this. As Jenni tries to piece together what happened to ruin her friendship with Autumn, she finds out that a tragic event occurred on the very day she travelled to the future. As she travels into the future a year at a time, she finds that this event didn’t just affect her friendship with Autumn but her whole family as well. This aspect of the plot was touching and made me emotionally invested in the story. The characters also proved to be less superficial than they first appeared. As I said, I love time travel. Some of the particulars of the time travel made my head spin and I think there were a few things that didn’t make sense. However, the overall affect worked well. Another thing I didn’t like was the character of Mrs. Smith: that plotline felt a bit forced to me. Of course, a few flaws doesn’t stop me from liking a book. I easily found myself wrapped up in the story and sitting on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. A Year Without Autumn is not only about time travel and fantasy, but also about friendship and family. It’s a great read for younger readers looking for a story about friendship and growing up with a twist.
3.5/5
February 4, 2021
Honestly this may be one of my favorite books ever along with Randi Reisfeld 's "What The Dog Said" and Lucy Gold 's "Bias".
If I could give this book to each and every one of my friends I would. This is THE MOST vivid, most imaginative novel that had me transported away to another place for a whole 3 hours. The writing was THAT good, it was like magic. (So good it's scary, guys...)
It really doesn't matter what age you're at, you can pretty much read this novel. It manages to tackle pretty much all subjects. I especially liked how mature the main character was, since I notice a lot of the novels I read when I was younger I didn't connect to them since they were all shallow and immature. This mc has real worries and thought patterns, it's just R E A L I S T I C, okay?!?
So STOP READING THIS REVIEW AND GO READ THE DANG BOOK!!!
Geez, are you STILL here?! Did you not just hear what I said?! READ IT
Okay... I'm outta here. *smacks book into your hands* Just take it.
Thanks, Liz Kessler, for a lovely novel. :)
If I could give this book to each and every one of my friends I would. This is THE MOST vivid, most imaginative novel that had me transported away to another place for a whole 3 hours. The writing was THAT good, it was like magic. (So good it's scary, guys...)
It really doesn't matter what age you're at, you can pretty much read this novel. It manages to tackle pretty much all subjects. I especially liked how mature the main character was, since I notice a lot of the novels I read when I was younger I didn't connect to them since they were all shallow and immature. This mc has real worries and thought patterns, it's just R E A L I S T I C, okay?!?
So STOP READING THIS REVIEW AND GO READ THE DANG BOOK!!!
Geez, are you STILL here?! Did you not just hear what I said?! READ IT
Okay... I'm outta here. *smacks book into your hands* Just take it.
Thanks, Liz Kessler, for a lovely novel. :)
December 28, 2016
This was a quick and easy read. The time travel aspect of it was interesting, but Jenni and Autumn both felt a little "undercooked". While I appreciate that Middle Grade fiction has a considerable amount of constraints in terms of character development and also plot, the ending was a little too pat for me, and I think it might have been interesting to take it in a different direction -- all things considered, however, the ending I would have liked would be too bleak for MG fiction, most likely. I don't see why a younger reader (or one less likely to overthink) wouldn't really enjoy this book, though.
September 27, 2023
I have to admit .this book gave me Anxiety.
But I really injoyed it.
I have injoyed Liz Kessler writing and will probably read more by her .
FYI.... Horses can be unpredictable...
Lol I'm a owner of 5 of them .lol .
But I do love them
But I really injoyed it.
I have injoyed Liz Kessler writing and will probably read more by her .
FYI.... Horses can be unpredictable...
Lol I'm a owner of 5 of them .lol .
But I do love them
July 2, 2025
This book disappointed me. I was really looking forward to it at first but that quickly turned to confusion, annoyance, boredom, and distaste. It felt like at some moments, too much was happening too fast, and at others, too little too slow! It also really ticked me off that the author seems to have little to no experience with horses. To me, it almost feels as if she was trying to find some dangerous activity at random and just decided, “Oh, horse riding. I can make that overdramatic and deadly!” 🙄 Overall, I almost wish I had not read this book but when all is said and done, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If you enjoyed it, good for you! But we’ll have to agree to disagree.
October 15, 2020
This was a really good story about an accidental time traveler who tries to prevent a tragedy from happening to her best friend. This is a great story for those who like middle grade fiction.
Things I liked:
- The plot was very unique and exciting. There were a lot of plot twists and the story line keeps you engaged the entire time.
- Cute ending and everything works out the way it is supposed to.
- Poses great questions about fate.
- Great friendship between Jenni and Autumn.
Things I liked:
- The plot was very unique and exciting. There were a lot of plot twists and the story line keeps you engaged the entire time.
- Cute ending and everything works out the way it is supposed to.
- Poses great questions about fate.
- Great friendship between Jenni and Autumn.
October 17, 2025
Oke, also...
1. Juli klingt viel langweiliger als Autumn, der englische Name.
2. Das war das 2. Re-Read, das Buch wird jedes Mal besser ✨️
3. Ich hätte fast geheult, sitze aber im Bus, ich hol das später nach.
4. Wie cute sind Thea, Mikey und Craig!?
5. Das Buch spricht wirklich ernste Themen an. Das finde ich einen der Pluspunkte 😊
6. Es ist super spannend aber auch melancholisch geschrieben. Eine mega Schreib- und Übersetzungsarbeit 👍🏻
7. Das Buch hat ein Happy End, aber als Kinderbuch würde es es nicht bezeichnen.
8. Lest es unbedingt, wenn ihr Zeitreisen mögt. Das Buch hat eine andere Art gefunden, dieses Thema zu verpacken! 💕
9. LEST ES GENERELL!!
10. Bye, viel Spaß beim Schmökern 😊
1. Juli klingt viel langweiliger als Autumn, der englische Name.
2. Das war das 2. Re-Read, das Buch wird jedes Mal besser ✨️
3. Ich hätte fast geheult, sitze aber im Bus, ich hol das später nach.
4. Wie cute sind Thea, Mikey und Craig!?
5. Das Buch spricht wirklich ernste Themen an. Das finde ich einen der Pluspunkte 😊
6. Es ist super spannend aber auch melancholisch geschrieben. Eine mega Schreib- und Übersetzungsarbeit 👍🏻
7. Das Buch hat ein Happy End, aber als Kinderbuch würde es es nicht bezeichnen.
8. Lest es unbedingt, wenn ihr Zeitreisen mögt. Das Buch hat eine andere Art gefunden, dieses Thema zu verpacken! 💕
9. LEST ES GENERELL!!
10. Bye, viel Spaß beim Schmökern 😊
April 8, 2019
I think this was a great book. A possible theme is to appreciate what you have because it could be taken away in a second. For example, when Jenni realizes she time traveled everything in her life was drastically different and she had to try and help things.
January 11, 2012
I won a copy of this on 'Girls <3 Books' blog ages ago but put it to one side as I had a mountain of other books to read. Every year at the library we do a 'Book of the Year' event where we have to read 6 books then vote for the best, this year this book is on the list. They are all Children's/Middle Grade books.
I thought I had better start reading the nominated books and as I had my own copy of this I thought it would be a good place to start.
Jenni and her family always go to the same place on holiday, organized little condo's where activities are planned and there is nice places to go walking, and best of all she gets to see her best friend Autumn. In the main building complex there are two lifts, one that everyone uses and one that has been broken for years, but one day Jenni is waiting for the lift and the old one whirs into life, so she takes it, but when she steps out 1 floor up she discovers she has gone 1 year into the future and life has changed drastically. She needs to figure out how to get back and change everything that's gone wrong.
I thought this book sounded quite exciting, different and intriguing and I was looking forward to reading it. I started it this morning and finished it at about four this afternoon, it's only 245 pages and easy to read font.
I liked Jenni as a character and the air of mystery in the book was good, I liked how the girls relationship changes as the events influence them, but there were also moments where I was disappointed something happened, or one of them said something that caused more problems.
There were bits of this book I found myself really getting into and rather enjoying but there were also bits where I started to skim read a little bit, waiting for something to happen again. I liked the conclusion of the book and was glad with the outcome, but there was also a continuation question that arised which i can't say here because it would ruin the storyline and conclusion - major spoiler, but it just didn't make total sense to me.
I'm not trying to be negative and it was a sweet little book, as I say there were quite a few parts that I really did enjoy and I liked the narrative style, it just didn't wow me.
I thought I had better start reading the nominated books and as I had my own copy of this I thought it would be a good place to start.
Jenni and her family always go to the same place on holiday, organized little condo's where activities are planned and there is nice places to go walking, and best of all she gets to see her best friend Autumn. In the main building complex there are two lifts, one that everyone uses and one that has been broken for years, but one day Jenni is waiting for the lift and the old one whirs into life, so she takes it, but when she steps out 1 floor up she discovers she has gone 1 year into the future and life has changed drastically. She needs to figure out how to get back and change everything that's gone wrong.
I thought this book sounded quite exciting, different and intriguing and I was looking forward to reading it. I started it this morning and finished it at about four this afternoon, it's only 245 pages and easy to read font.
I liked Jenni as a character and the air of mystery in the book was good, I liked how the girls relationship changes as the events influence them, but there were also moments where I was disappointed something happened, or one of them said something that caused more problems.
There were bits of this book I found myself really getting into and rather enjoying but there were also bits where I started to skim read a little bit, waiting for something to happen again. I liked the conclusion of the book and was glad with the outcome, but there was also a continuation question that arised which i can't say here because it would ruin the storyline and conclusion - major spoiler, but it just didn't make total sense to me.
I'm not trying to be negative and it was a sweet little book, as I say there were quite a few parts that I really did enjoy and I liked the narrative style, it just didn't wow me.
September 19, 2012
A Year Without Autumn – Liz Kessler
A Year Without Autumn tells of the story of a 12 year old girl (Jenni) who discovers what true friendship is all about. Autumn is Jenni’s best friend. The two girls do everything together and have great love and respect for one another.
One day Jenni suddenly finds herself exactly one year ahead, in the future. As the story unfolds, we learn of a tragedy that threatens to destroy their close friendship. As a result. Jenni has to figure out what events have taken place in the previous year that has made the girls bond become strained and on the verge of destruction. It is unravelling the clues that help Jenni find her way home.
This book recently won a Blue Peter award (2012). I think that this book is most suitable for girls between the ages of 11/12-14 years old. In my opinion, Kessler captures the stereotypical view of young teenage girls effectively. However, I feel that this stereotypical image is quashed as we see how Jenni grows and matures, as a person, from the challenges she faces throughout the story. Young girls may find this story relatable as they may be at the age which they may face many life’s struggles (that being of fitting in with peer groups and developing their own sense of identity simultaneously).
A Year Without Autumn tells of the story of a 12 year old girl (Jenni) who discovers what true friendship is all about. Autumn is Jenni’s best friend. The two girls do everything together and have great love and respect for one another.
One day Jenni suddenly finds herself exactly one year ahead, in the future. As the story unfolds, we learn of a tragedy that threatens to destroy their close friendship. As a result. Jenni has to figure out what events have taken place in the previous year that has made the girls bond become strained and on the verge of destruction. It is unravelling the clues that help Jenni find her way home.
This book recently won a Blue Peter award (2012). I think that this book is most suitable for girls between the ages of 11/12-14 years old. In my opinion, Kessler captures the stereotypical view of young teenage girls effectively. However, I feel that this stereotypical image is quashed as we see how Jenni grows and matures, as a person, from the challenges she faces throughout the story. Young girls may find this story relatable as they may be at the age which they may face many life’s struggles (that being of fitting in with peer groups and developing their own sense of identity simultaneously).
February 28, 2017
When you see a cover like A Year Without Autumn you're probably thinking that the author is writing about the season Autumn. Well not this time, this is a book about two best friends Jenni and Autumn. Jenni and Autumn have always been best friends but this year everything changes. When Jenni and Autumn take there usually summer vacation they decide to go horseback riding. As Jenni is heading to Autumns condo she sees a new elevator and decides to ride it. After a while she realizes that this elevator took her up one year in her life as the floor numbers went up. Not only did she disturb her present time but in this future Jenni sees many, many problems including serious injurys and even their friendship falling apart.
This book made me feel very excited, scared and very worried what the next outcome would be in Autumn and Jenni's struggle in friendship. I would recommend this book to lovers of drama, time traveling and plot twisting books. While I was reading this wonderful book I realized that some parts of it was very similar to Ivy and Bean and The Land Of Stories Series . If you do have a chance to read this book I know that you'll very much enjoy it!
This book made me feel very excited, scared and very worried what the next outcome would be in Autumn and Jenni's struggle in friendship. I would recommend this book to lovers of drama, time traveling and plot twisting books. While I was reading this wonderful book I realized that some parts of it was very similar to Ivy and Bean and The Land Of Stories Series . If you do have a chance to read this book I know that you'll very much enjoy it!
September 25, 2025
This was one of my favorite books as a pre-teen, and to this day it often crosses my mind. Reading A Year Without Autumn felt like stepping into a cozy yet unsettling dream. I tend to immerse myself completely in the books I read, and with this one, I couldn’t stop wondering, “What would I do?” The thought of having years of my life suddenly taken away, with everything changed, was haunting and anxiety inducing.
Yet, there was a cozy warmth to this story. I vividly remember the rainy evening I spent snuggled up, wrapped in a blanket, reading this book for the first time. Maybe it's the nostalgia, but this book just makes me feel safe. (dare I say it feels like autumn?)
This story made me appreciate everything around me even more, especially my family - the simplicity of my daily routine and how I might long for it if it were ever taken away. I guess that is the fragile beauty of everyday life.
On a side note, I now find myself irrationally wary of horses, even though neither I nor any of my family members have ever been close to one, let alone ridden one. Somehow, this book managed to instill that strange fear in me ever since. (luckily for Jenni she had her magic elevator, I don't!)
Yet, there was a cozy warmth to this story. I vividly remember the rainy evening I spent snuggled up, wrapped in a blanket, reading this book for the first time. Maybe it's the nostalgia, but this book just makes me feel safe. (dare I say it feels like autumn?)
This story made me appreciate everything around me even more, especially my family - the simplicity of my daily routine and how I might long for it if it were ever taken away. I guess that is the fragile beauty of everyday life.
On a side note, I now find myself irrationally wary of horses, even though neither I nor any of my family members have ever been close to one, let alone ridden one. Somehow, this book managed to instill that strange fear in me ever since. (luckily for Jenni she had her magic elevator, I don't!)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 393 reviews