13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 Little Blue Envelopes
by Maureen Johnson
HarperTeen First Edition Edition (2006)
368 pages
ISBN: 0060541431
Grades 8-10
 
Guided by 13 letters from her free-spirited "runaway aunt" Peg, 17-year-old Ginny is on a once-in-a-lifetime trip through Europe.  The catch:  She can only open one letter at a time, and she must complete the task in said letter before opening the next letter.  Oh, and her aunt has been dead for three months.  Her first destination is London, specifically the home of handsome Richard, a Harrods employee whose job duties include selling underwear to the Queen.

Part epistolary novel, part quest, 13 Little Blue Envelopes is a veritable page turner.  I was quite delighted to travel vicariously through Ginny and couldn't wait to discover what adventures awaited her.  Her travels take her from London to Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Corfu.  There are a couple of failed missions ahead of her, both of which seemed completely realistic and both of which disappoint me as much as they do her.  But she meets some interesting people, sees some fabulous sights, and learns about the beloved aunt she barely knew.

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