13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

This tear-jerker will leave readers wanting to follow the next chapter in Darius’ life.Īfter surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself. Khorram’s debut novel is filled with insight into the lives of teens, weaving together the reality of living with mental illness while also dealing with identity and immigration politics. For the first time in a long time, Darius learns to love himself no matter what external forces attempt to squash his confidence. Sohrab teaches Darius what friendship is really about: loyalty, honesty, and someone who has your back in a football (soccer) match. But all that changes when Darius meets Sohrab, a Bahá’í boy, in Yazd. When he arrives in Iran, learning to play the Persian card game Rook, socializing, and celebrating Nowruz with a family he had never properly met before is all overwhelming and leaves Darius wondering if he’ll ever truly belong anywhere. He’s mocked for his name and nerdy interests at Chapel Hill High School in Portland, Oregon, and doesn’t speak enough Farsi to communicate with his Iranian relatives either. Iranian on his mother’s side and white American on his father’s side, Darius never quite fits in. When Darius’ grandfather becomes terminally ill, Darius, along with his parents and younger sister, travels to Iran for the first time in his life. 12+)ĭarius Kellner suffers from depression, bullying by high school jocks, and a father who seems to always be disappointed in him. A sure hit with fans of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Aunt Peg seems as real as Ginny, though we find early on that she has died and exists for Ginny only through her letters and memory. Johnson’s writing is sophisticated and humorous, her characterizations pitch perfect. The envelopes draw Ginny around the world and the reader along with her, the letters providing a nice change of pace to the third-person narrative. She goes to London, Scotland, Italy, Rome, Paris and elsewhere, ultimately realizing that she can be interesting by herself she doesn’t have to be with Peg to feel interesting. She receives a package containing 13 little blue envelopes, to be opened one at a time and only when she’s completed the task in each letter. When Ginny receives a letter from Aunt Peg containing $1,000 and instructions for a mysterious journey, she is propelled into a series of experiences that will change her life. Aunt Peg was full of wonder, and 17-year-old Ginny always felt more interesting around her.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson