Johnson, Maureen (2006). 13 Little Blue Envelopes. New York, New York: HarperTeen.
ISBN: 9780060541439
352 pages
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 4 stars
Subjects: Death, Family, Europe, Travel, Grief, Mystery, Identity
Reader's Annotation
17-year-old Ginny receives letters with instructions from her late aunt Peg that lead her on a wild adventure across Europe that help her understand her aunt a little more and allow her to find more about herself in the process.
Summary
Ginny is a 17-year-old who has always lived a peaceful life in New Jersey, content to let her aunt be the adventurous one in the family. Her artistic aunt Peg, known to disappear for lengthy periods of time, does so in Europe, but after three years, Ginny receives a call that reveals that her aunt died of brain cancer. Before she died, however, she planned one more adventure- but for Ginny, not for herself. Ginny receives a plane ticket and a thousand dollars and instructions limiting what she can take with her and how she must conduct herself on this adventure of her life that has her forging connections with strangers across the continent, learning more about her aunt, and finding out more about who she is.
Notes
This theme of letter after the grave might resonate with teens who happened to catch P.S. I Love You (either book or movie), in that the letters encourage the protagonist to find herself after the death of a loved one.
Awards
ALA Teens' Top Ten 2006
ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2005
New York Public Library "Best Books for the Teen Age 2006"
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best 2005
Fall 2005 Book Sense Pick
International Reading Association Young Adults' Choices 2007
Other Information
Girls will likely find this book easier to jump into because it is strong with female characters and it has a strong female voice. Anyone who has ever wanted to experience adventure and to pick up and go, however, will relate to this tale of travel, adventure, and love.
Author Information
