13 Little Blue Envelopes (Little Blue Envelope #1)

Reader reviewed by KJ

13 Little Blue Envelopes easily makes my top three books and is one of the few books worthy of more than five stars.
While the books isn't gripping and littered with cliffhangers I still found it hard to put down and managed to read it in a matter of hours that just flew by.
Personally, I have wanted to travel for as long as I can remember which possibly makes me a little bias towards a book about travelling blindly around Europe on your own, guided only by letters left to you by a deceased relative - mixed with a little romance for those who are interested.
For those who want to travel or like the idea of an adventure this book would be perfect for you. For those who couldn't care less, 13 Little Blue Envelopes is both funny and fascinating.
It wont be a wasted read.

Reader reviewed by Randi

Ginny is 17, and her aunt just passed away. One day she gets a letter in the mail from her aunt instructing her to go to her favorite chinese restaurant which awaits a package containing (wait for it) 13 blue envelopes containing instructions on when she can open the next one, and what she has to do. These envelopes send her on a trip through Europe alone.

I felt like I was with Ginny sometimes in Europe because the author is pretty good at her descriptions. I liked how it stayed pretty light hearted, and I really enjoyed the little journeys that Ginny was sent on. From London to Amsterdam to Denmark to Greece, Ginny sees it all. And what I liked so much about her tour, is that her aunt didn't want her to be a tourist. She wanted her to see the country as she did, from a lover turned resident. And Ginny did, and she had some downfalls. Her aunt didn't always come through with her letters which helped the predictability factor that usually happens with these teen books. The ending wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either. I felt like I still needed more, but am content all at the same time.

Reader reviewed by AlbanianGirl

Ginny, 17, reads a letter from her free-spirited, unpredictable Aunt Peg, who has recently passed away. She is given several destinations, four rules, and the instruction to open one envelope upon her arrival at each place. Thus begins a rapid tour of Europe as the teen struggles to accomplish the tasks established by her aunt. The motivation: Ginny wants to understand the woman's wanderlust and, possibly, she just wants a connection to her beloved relative. Throughout her adventures in Rome, Paris, Greece, England, and the Netherlands, the teen collects pieces of Peg's past and learns more about her rapid departure. She also learns much about herself. 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.

I read very few books that aren't paranormal, but something about this book screamed 'buy me' from the shelf. I did, and I loved it. I can't wait for the second one to be released. One of my favorite books.
I could see myself traveling around following the advice on note cards that my relative left me. It sounds like so much fun, and she gets into so many different things along the way!

This is one of my favorite books ever! I love a book that takes me on a trip, and this took me on one wild ride across England! Ginny goes on this pre-planned adventure that her aunt has set up for her, but it does not exactly go as planned. Keith and all of his friends were hillarious, and I found myself crying at some of the things Ginny was finding out about her aunt.

Reader reviewed by two sided freek

An exceptional book that shows you independance. It is a happily ever kinda story, more like a I know who I am and not afraid to show it. It really conveys a deep message "you don't need other people to find yourself" Sorta like Bitter endings

Reader reviewed by Lavendermc

13 Little Blue Envelopes is this summers most delightful, fun and insightful read! In this book, we follow Ginny, who, in turn, is following a chain of letters her late aunt had written for her. These letters bring Ginny so many things; these things I will let you discover on your own.


I think everyone learns different things when put in Ginnys shoes. Thats one of the wonders of this book. I loved so many aspects about this book that this review could run for a long while. I will stick to the things I remarked earliest. This novel has a wonderful flow to it; things go fast but at a pace that gives the reader enough time to learn something and appreciate the authors articulate descriptions and dialog. Also, the element of suspense brings this book to life in such a way that only summer reads can be: a definite picker-upper for the slightly depressed and/or madly occupied person (both categories in which I fall into easily).


In addition, this book gives land-locked people the chance to visit far-off places and for the not-so-land-locked people, a chance to revisit certain wonders of the world. All in all, this book is a little gem and I absolutely recommend this book to all girls out there who need a little slice of inspiration. I cant wait to read more from Maureen Johnson, my interest has definitely been piqued!

Reader reviewed by Sarah

The first time i read this book, I didn't really like it. But it's one of those books that get better every time you read it.

13 Little Blue Envelopes was about a girl named Ginny traveling through Europe with only letters from her dead aunt as a guide. The letters cause her to go on a crazy trip that she's gauranteed to never forget, but it also helps her to do things that she would never have dreamed of being bold enough to do. In England she finds love, in France a little cafe with decorations of little dogs, and so much more.

This was a book that gave me a strong urge to go to Europe. It was really good, and kept me interested.

Reader reviewed by Grace

All Ginny has left from her "runaway aunt" is thirteen envelopes, each one containing instructions and sending Ginny traveling all through Europe. As she goes to each destination, she meets new people and learns more about her aunt and herself.

I liked the idea of the book: following instructions from envelopes and finding answers. But this book seemed more to be like a tour of Europe, and when I read other people's reviews from YA Books Central, I saw that showing the sights of Europe is a main part of the author's purpose. The ending of the book was kind of a disappointment, sort of like, what was the whole point of Ginny following her aunt's instructions? But it is still a good book for teens.

Reader reviewed by Ari

13 Little Blue Envelopes is a superb read. It follows the journey of 17 year old Ginny whose recently passed Aunt Peg has sent her a letter and gives her different locations to go to, and rule that she opens an envelope at each locations. So Ginny begins a journey throughout Paris, the Netherlands, England, and many other places. In these places, Ginny learns about her aunt and her life. During this time, she learns about her aunt and herself. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm sure it will be a hit with many girls.