Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World--"Is this what a crush felt like? A constant stomachache, a bubbly feeling in your fingertips?"

Title: Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

Author: Ashley Herring Blake


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Twelve-year-old Ivy and her family are displaced and devastated when a tornado destroys their home. Ivy is especially upset because she loses her notebook of secret drawings (some of which are of girls holding hands) and feels lost and ignored by her stressed-out parents. Meanwhile, Ivy becomes friends with and develops a crush on June, and then starts to receive mysterious notes from someone who has found her notebook.  Who's the keeper of Ivy's secrets?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): This book is adorable; I felt so warm and fuzzy after reading it. Ivy is a realistic seventh-grader who expresses her feelings through her art and is just figuring out her sexuality.  The tornado is terrifying to read about; the Indiana girl that I am has been through several tornadoes but never one that destroyed my home. I would have been so very upset had that happened to me when I was twelve.

I also found myself sympathizing with Ivy's parents.  Ivy's mom is struggling to take care of her baby twins and still care for Ivy and Ivy's older sister, Layla. Living in one hotel room is tough for the family, and Ivy is still adjusting to the birth of her baby brothers and is upset at an argument she heard her sister and friend having. Sometimes when you are the parent, it is easy to forget that your kids can get stressed out too, and poor Ivy was trying so hard to be brave and strong for her family.

Basically, I wanted to give Ivy a big hug. Poor thing.

I was grateful for an adult lesbian character whom Ivy confides in, and even though her friendship with June does not turn out like Ivy hopes, I feel that it is written in a sensitive and realistic way--middle grades readers are getting a positive example of how to deal with situations that can be challenging and awkward.

The Aberdeen family struggles, but they become closer in the end and literally and figuratively rebuild their lives.


This book is under consideration for the 2019 Rainbow Book List.


My final takeaway (in 75 words or fewer): I feel like I lament the fact that there are not as many LGBTQ-themed books for middle grades readers, and I know there need to be more. However, the ones I've reviewed so far have been outstanding, and Ivy Aberdeen is no exception.

This sweet story of family, friendship, and first crushes should be included in upper elementary and middle school libraries.


Memorable quotes/passages from the book:

• "Resilient means the ability to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties. It doesn't meant things aren't hard. It just means we keep going. We keep living. We keep trying" (hardback edition, pg. 110).
    
• "Is this what a crush felt like? A constant stomachache, a bubbly feeling in your fingertips?" (pg. 180).
    
• "Ivy frowned. How did it work when two girls were getting married? Did both of them get rings? Ivy's head clouded with all the things she didn't know and didn't know how to ask" (pg. 212).
     
• "If a person was questioning all that stuff, that person doesn't have to know all the answers. They don't have to be sure about anything. They don't have to label themselves as anything but a human being if they don't want to. Does that make sense?" (pg. 219).

Other reviews:  The School Library Journal and Kirkus


This book is available in the Greensboro Public Library.