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13 Little Blue Envelopes: Summary and book reviews of 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, plus links to an excerpt from 13 Little Blue Envelopes and a biography of Maureen Johnson.

13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 Little Blue Envelopes
by Maureen Johnson
Hardcover: Sep 2005,
317 pages.
Paperback: Oct 2006,
318 pages.

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BOOK SUMMARY

Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it's all because of the 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

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 her artist, a playwright/thief/bloke-about-town called Keith, go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous -- though utterly romantic -- results. Ginny isn't sure she'll see Keith again, and definitely doesn't know what to think about him.

Could the answer be in the envelopes?

Ginny doesn't know it, but adventures in Rome and Paris are in envelopes 6 and 8. The rules are that she has to open one at a time, in order, so perhaps it isn't surprising that she discovers things about her life and love one by one. Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it's all because of the 13 Little Blue Envelopes.
BookBrowse

It's easy to get absorbed into Ginny's journey of self-discovery. This would be a great choice for teenage girls who are drawn to such books as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.  (Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).

Full Review Members Only (173 words).

Media Reviews

  Booklist - Gillian Engberg
Gr. 8-11. Johnson's plot stretches plausibility......But readers will probably overlook any improbabilities and willingly accompany Ginny through her sensitive, authentically portrayed experiences--uncomfortable, lonely, giddy, and life changing--as she pieces together family mysteries and discovers herself.

  KLIATT - Janis Flint-Ferguson
Ages 12-18. As she comes to the last of the letters, Ginny has grown from the shy teenager she was to one who is more independent, more invested in the life around her. At the end of the journey, she better understands her aunt and her aunt's passion for living even in the face of illness and death.

  Kirkus Reviews
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.

  School Library Journal - Emily Garrett
The reason Ginny is sent to meet certain people is not always clear; sometimes she (and readers) wonder about the point of the exercise. Overall, though, the novel drives home the importance of family, love, and the value of connections that you make with people. It is a quick read that will interest high school girls.

  Publishers Weekly
Ages 12+. Equal parts poignant, funny and inspiring, this tale is sure to spark wanderlust.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated 2 of 5 of 5 by Andrea
Boring Travel Guide
This book reads like a travel review instead of a novel. Went here, did this. It's as if the author wanted a tax write-off for her tour of Europe, so she wrote a book. There is very little actual plot, little "why" to the actions the main...   Read More

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Madison
13 Little Blue Envelopes
I was in BAM! (Books A Million) a couple weeks ago looking for new books to read. I came across this book and thought it seemed interesting. I have started to read this, I am not finished but I can already tell that I love this book! I have under...   Read More

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by reader42
Liked it alot!
This book is really good. I recommend you try it!!! At first I couldn't get into it but then as the book went on I became very intrigued.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by oceanlover123
13 little blue envelopes
This is a really good book. It shows the adventure and romance we all wish was in our lives. If you like the Gossip Girl books and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books, you will really like 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by amber rose
i loved it!
I think that this book was very interesting. Who ever doesn't like this book is just crazy. It has adventure, romance, bravery, and in the end it solves that Ginny never really figured out who was sending her these letters, but she has a strong...   Read More

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by jackie
13 little blue envelopes
I love this book! It could have not been better!

...33 More Reader Reviews

Maureen Johnson is the author of four books to date, The Key to the Golden Firebird (2004), The Bermudez Triangle (2005), 13 Little Blue Envelopes (2005) and Devilish (Sept 2006) - all written with a female teenage audience firmly in mind. 

She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and studied writing and theatrical dramaturgy (the art of the theater and the writing of plays) at Columbia University.

During the years before she could write full time she served up hamburgers in the company of mad scientists and talking skeletons in New York, tended bar in Piccadilly Circus, nervously worked alongside live tigers in Las Vegas, and once got mixed up with the entire...

Continued...  Beyond the Book (members only)

Readalikes Full readalike results are for members only

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These are 2 of the 6 readalike suggestions for 13 Little Blue Envelopes. Members have full access to all readalikes. If you are a member, please login. To find out more about membership, click here.

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