13 Little Blue Envelopes

This is a very charming book by Maureen Johnson. I had great fun watching the characters travel around Europe, while perpetually complaining about either being a tourist, or trying (and usually failing) to cross that ever-present cultural barrier. The book was unique, because it was basically dictated via letters from someone who had already died. Each character had a distinct personality, and most of the time, the author reflected the country or region where they were supposed to be from. The only problem for me was that the ending seemed to be abrupt. If Ms. Johnson intended a cliffhanger, she definitely succeeded.

One day, Virginia "Ginny" Blackstone finds a package with 13 blue envelopes inside. She opens the first one, and is immediately given a task. She has to go to London and embark on a crazy cross-country mission to follow in her late artist aunt's footsteps. With every completed letter, she meets new people, sees new sights, and learns about new countries. But if Ginny's aunt was so persistent about the 13 envelopes, what could be the treasure at the end of her journey?

Related links:
• Author's website
• Author's blog