This could be a long-shot even for AskMe

December 14, 2007 7:01 AM

In middle school I read a story about time-travel. Can you help me identify it based on these inaccurate and erratic details?

What I remember: a boy moves to a new town with his mother and her abusive boyfriend. Exploring the attic (or the woods nearby) of his new home, he finds a door that is able to transport him a set number of years into the future or the past depending on which direction he enters--which he does to escape his family troubles. His mother is eventually killed by the boyfriend/step-dad, which causes him to retreat to the past and wait for the chance to prevent her death--which he ultimately fails.

A few inaccurate and erratic details:

Title may be something along the lines of "The 50 Year door"

I think the author had a short one-word name like "Avi" and it may be only one story in a compilation rather than a whole novel, but nothing I searched by that author seemed to match.

The story is premised by saying that the author is merely relaying a story he found in a briefcase which may or may not be true.

At a couple points, he has run-ins with his future/past self whom we learn he is unable to see.

He meets and falls in love with a girl with whom he shares the secret of the door as they grow older together.

posted by sambosambo to writing & language (4 comments total)

Avi is a pretty well-known writer of children's and young adult books. Here's his complete booklist.
posted by Partial Law at 7:11 AM on December 14, 2007

I think I got it... Mr. Was?

I searched for "year door" time travel -mario. =)
posted by ulotrichous at 7:14 AM on December 14, 2007

Looks like ulotrichous got it. And if I had to guess, I'd say you also read Something Upstairs by Avi one time, which is the only thing he wrote that's even close in that it has time travel and an attic. Easy enough to combine random little details in your head.
posted by Partial Law at 7:24 AM on December 14, 2007

I've googled and searched for that book for a while, ulotrichous. Thanks.
posted by sambosambo at 8:06 AM on December 14, 2007