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The Last Little Blue Envelope

by Maureen Johnson
The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson High School HarperTeen/HarperCollins 284 pp. 5/11 978-0-06-197679-7 $16.99 g
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Readers who finished 13 Little Blue Envelopes and wondered what was in the thirteenth envelope finally have an answer—and it's a good one. Five months after Ginny's late aunt's last letter was stolen from a beach in Greece, Ginny gets an e-mail from an English guy named Oliver, who's found the letter. Anxious for a break from college applications, Ginny regards the message as "the universe…demanding that she return to England…and finish what she had started"—and okay, also see her "kind-of-something non-boyfriend" Keith again. The universe—in the guise of the thirteenth letter—responds by sending her on another multi-city European scavenger hunt. As in 13, the setting is vivid and the situations are hilariously absurd—breaking into a Parisian café, sleeping in a Belgian cat shelter/hostel. But this time, Ginny has a posse: she's accompanied by Oliver, an extortionist (albeit a dashing one); Keith, alluring as ever; and Ellis, Keith's girlfriend, who, to Ginny's chagrin, is kind of nice. The group's dynamic is always authentic, usually funny, and occasionally heartrending; Johnson excels at conveying emotions through natural-sounding dialogue. New readers and old fans will find much to like, right down to the final life-altering kiss, in this celebration of growing up, moving on, and embracing (sometimes literally) the unexpected. RACHEL SMITH
Gr 6 Up—In 13 Little Blue Envelopes (HarperCollins, 2005), Ginny Blackstone followed the instructions contained in the little blue envelopes written by her recently deceased aunt. But before she could read the 13 letter and finish her adventures that sent her all over Europe, her backpack was stolen, with the envelope in it. In this book, Ginny is contacted by a London teen who bought her backpack. She decides to return to England, collect the last letter, and finish what she started. Once she is there, though, things don't turn out quite the way she expected. Paul knows that she is selling her aunt's art and wants a cut for returning the letter. Thus begins a wild and tense journey through the British Isles as Ginny, her former boyfriend, his girlfriend, and Paul try to solve the clues and get along. Ginny, a practical and level-headed girl, is likable and easy to root for. With its blend of life lessons and a dash of romance, this sequel is sure to appeal to fans of the first book—Jessie Spalding, Tempe Public Library, AZ
In this 13 Little Blue Envelopes sequel, Ginny goes on another European scavenger hunt--this time with a posse. As in 13, the setting is vivid and the situations are hilariously absurd. The group's dynamic is always authentic, usually funny, and occasionally heartrending. Johnson excels at conveying emotions through natural-sounding dialogue in this celebration of growing up, moving on, and embracing the unexpected.
Reviewed by Jessie Spalding , May 01, 2011

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