Summary
Ginny is a shy, introverted seventeen year old. She lives a very sheltered life, but thanks to her Aunt Peg, she has little adventures. When Aunt Peg dies she leaves Ginny a series of letters that take her through Europe on a discovery adventure. With each new letter, Ginny must step more and more outside of her comfort zone. She begins to understand her aunt more as she experiences Europe through Aunt Peg's eyes.
Johnson, M. (2005). 13 little blue envelopes. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.
My Impression
Reviews
Aunt Peg was full of wonder, and 17-year-old Ginny always felt more interesting around her. When Ginny receives a letter from Aunt Peg containing $1,000 and instructions for a mysterious journey, she is propelled into a series of experiences that will change her life. She receives a package containing 13 little blue envelopes, to be opened one at a time and only when she’s completed the task in each letter. She goes to London, Scotland, Italy, Rome, Paris and elsewhere, ultimately realizing that she can be interesting by herself; she doesn’t have to be with Peg to feel interesting. The envelopes draw Ginny around the world and the reader along with her, the letters providing a nice change of pace to the third-person narrative. Johnson’s writing is sophisticated and humorous, her characterizations pitch perfect. Aunt Peg seems as real as Ginny, though we find early on that she has died and exists for Ginny only through her letters and memory. A sure hit with fans of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. (Fiction. 12+)
(2010). 13 little blue envelopes. Kirkus Reviews, Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/maureen-johnson/13-little-blue-envelopes/
Suggestions for Use in Library
- Read the novel and tie it into geography lessons
- Book talk books that have sequels
- Display with adventure books
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