Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

by Ashley Herring Blake

In the wake of a destructive tornado, one girl develops feelings for another in this stunning, tender novel about emerging identity, perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish.

When a tornado rips through town, twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen's house is destroyed and her family of five is displaced. Ivy feels invisible and ignored in the aftermath of the storm--and what's worse, her notebook filled with secret drawings of girls holding hands has gone missing.

Mysteriously, Ivy's drawings begin to reappear in her locker with notes from someone telling her to open up about her identity. Ivy thinks--and hopes--that this someone might be her classmate, another girl for whom Ivy has begun to develop a crush. Will Ivy find the strength and courage to follow her true feelings?

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World exquisitely enriches the rare category of female middle-grade characters who like girls--and children's literature at large.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

5 of 5 stars

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Rating: 4.5 Stars

What an incredible story!

Ivy's was already dealing with a lot of personal turmoil, when a tornado destroyed her family home, and Blake did such an amazing job navigating us through all Ivy's emotions.

Ivy was grappling with some serious isolation issues. Her mother had been on bed rest prior to the the birth of her twin brothers, and after the birth, she was extremely busy and tired from caring for them. But Ivy didn't just feel abandoned by her mother, she felt like she lost her sister too, and that she could not trust her sister with her secret. Her "secret" being, that she was questioning her sexuality. The weight of these worries compounded with her family now being homeless was a lot for anyone to handle, let alone a 12 year old.

Ivy's pain, confusion, and frustration was illustrated really well, and I felt all those emotions right along with her. I was really happy, when she connected with June, one of her classmates, and Robin, the owner of the Inn her family was staying in, because they helped her navigate her path a little better, each bringing her some happiness, and Robin giving her some guidance.

Overall: An exquisite story of finding yourself and your place in the world.



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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 23 November, 2018: Finished reading
  • 23 November, 2018: Reviewed