Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

In the wake of a destructive tornado, young Ivy develops feelings for another girl in this tender novel, perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish.

“Blake captures all the exhilaration of a first crush without shying away from Ivy’s confusion… . . . The sisters’ relationship is one of the great rewards of this novel that includes a large and vivid cast of secondary characters, who give the story its sense of abundant texture.” —The New York Times Book Review

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 is an exquisite addition to queer middle grade—and children’s literature at large.

“Ivy’s story is no mere niche-filler in LGBTQ middle-grade realism—it’s a standard-setter.”―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Filling a much-needed gap in middle grade literature, this story addresses not just the topic of a first crush, but also the invisibility frequently felt by middle children… . . . Young readers will find Ivy’s challenges very real and will sympathize with her choices, both good and bad.”―School Library Journal (starred review)

“This is an emotionally sensitive and elegantly written novel about loss and the first stirrings of love.”―Publishers Weekly (starred review)