Book recommendation: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

(Note: An updated version of this recommendation is available here.)

I bought this book a couple years ago, but I’ve read it a few times since then. 13 Little Blue Envelopes is just one of those books that I can’t help returning to.

Want to know why?

13 Little Blue Envelopes starts out a bit sad, with the main character, Ginny, dealing with the death of her aunt. But from there, the novel goes on to tell the story of Ginny following a trail of letters left to her by that aunt. The adventure she ends up taking is all at once sad, funny and exactly what Ginny needed.

I loved the humour in this novel, whether that was the humour of the situations or the characters. And the characters themselves were people that I liked. I wanted to keep reading about them, particularly Ginny and Keith.

Luckily for me, and anyone else who enjoyed the book as much as I did, there’s a sequel. I haven’t had the chance to read The Last Little Blue Envelope, but it’s one I’m definitely looking forward to.

Goodreads summary:

Would you follow the directions?

Would you travel around the world?

Would you open the envelopes one by one?

Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.

In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.

The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.

Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–-though utterly romantic–-results.

Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it’s all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.