13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

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

Maureen Johnson's Website

Three Little Words: A Memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Rhodes-Courter, Ashley (2008). Three Little Words: A Memoir. New York, New York: Atheneum Press. 

ISBN: 9781416948063

320 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Memoir

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Adoption, Family, Isolation, Love, Relationships

Reader's Annotation

This is the true story of Ashley Rhodes-Courter's journey over nine years and fourteen foster homes as she tries to find love, security, and herself among insurmountable obstacles. 

Summary

Ashley Rhodes-Courter entered the foster care system at the age of three, and over the course of nine years, she was juggled from one foster home to another, 14 in all. The horrors described as she moves from one caseworker to another, one home to another, and one school to another as she endures abusive foster families and horrific living conditions would be appalling enough in a fiction tale. Knowing that she truly endured all of this, however, makes her tale even more poignant and heartbreaking. Although it mostly sheds light on a broken foster care system, it also shows that there is a litght at the end of the tunnel, and that there is a way out for those who are determined enough and strong enough not to be beaten down by the system. 

Notes

She tells her story in clear language that will make any teen instantly relate to her story, as far removed from their own lives as it may be. The fact that she not only made it through all of this, but managed to thrive, is a testimony to her courage and strenth of will. 

Other Information

Readers who enjoyed this memoir may also want to check out Dave Pelzer's A Child Called It for its similarly remarkable true tale of abuse and dysfunctional family relationships. 

Author Information

Ashley Rhodes-Courter's Website

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

Maguire, Gregory (1996). Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. New York, New York: Regan Books 

ISBN: 9780739468975

409 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 17-19

Stars: 5 stars

Subjects: Fairy-tale, Love, Deception, War, Relationships, Family

Reader's Annotation

Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, is not necessarily the evil woman portrayed in The Wizard of Oz, but perhaps a misunderstood witch who cares too much as she tries to right the ills in her world. 

Summary

Elphaba  is the product of her mother's illicit relationship with a traveling salesman and owes her green skin to her mother's use of an elixir sold by the same man. Her deformity makes her hideous to those around her, and when her beautiful younger sister is born without the use of her legs, Elphaba becomes responsible for her as well. She eventually goes off to college and becomes the roommate of Galinda, a popular young witch desperate to be successful and well-liked by everyone. Galinda is both drawn to and jealous of the power Elphaba has. When Elphaba learns that the Wizard of Oz is a corrupt man changing talking, intelligent Animals into mindless beasts, she sets herself in opposition to him and the mainstream, but despite her best efforts, everything seems to go wrong. Characters from The Wizard of Oz make brief appearances, but the focus is on social issues, religion, and politics. It often is very dark and not all readers will find satisfaction with the ending. 

Notes

Fans of the musical Wicked seeking the same happy, inverted fairy tale, might be disappointed by the dark tone of this book. Just to be clear, although the musical was adapted from this book, the two are very different in tone and treatment of characters. This is also not a children's book- it handles adult subjects of sex, love, and politics in a somewhat unforgiving manner that doesn't shy away from the darkness. I would recommend this more strongly for older teens. 

Awards

Other Information

This is part of the Wicked Years Series, as of yet including Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men. Readers who enjoy Wicked may enjoy following the aftermath of Elphaba's actions. Other reimagined fairy tales include Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Mirror Mirror, and Lost. 

Author Information

Gregory Maguire's Website

How They Met, and Other Stories by David Levithan

Levithan, David (2008). How They Met, and Other Stories. New York, New York: Knopf Books. 

ISBN: 9780375848865

256 pages

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Anthology

Age Level: 15-19

Stars: 4 stars

Subjects: Sexuality, Love, Families, Relationships

Reader's Annotation

This is an anthology of 18 stories about life and love, spanning the spectrum of emotion and types of love, and ultimately asking the question: what is love? 

Summary

This book contains 18 short stories about all kinds of love- from guy/girl to guy/guy, and everything in between. It examines the types of love between families, friends, and lovers even as it offers hope to those seeking love. It dives into stories about fix-ups (Starbucks Boy), love triangles (The Princes), and strangers meeting (The Number of People who Meet on Airplanes), among others. Each one is hopeful, endearing, and although they are unrelated, they all share the common thread of being about love. 

Notes

This book presents a collection of easily readable stories- this is ideal for teens on the go who are unable to commit to a lengthy story. Instead, they can dive in where and when they please, and they are guaranteed to emerge from this book a little more optimistic about love and life. 

Other Information

Fans of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (book or movie) might recognize David Levithan's humorous style and interesting take on love and life. They may also enjoy taking a look at Levithan's Boy Meets Boy. 

Author Information

David Levithan's Website