In 13 Little Blue Envelopes (2005), Ginny never finishes the European scavenger hunt, created by her late aunt Peg, which ends when her backpack is stolen in Greece. Now home in the U.S., Ginny gets an e-mail from Oliver in London, who claims to have the letter that will continue her hunt. Spontaneously, Ginny travels to England and connects with Oliver as well as her old flame, Keith, who surprises her with his new girlfriend. Once again, Johnson's legions of fans will happily follow Ginny's European adventures for the humor, realistic dialogue, and delicate journey through the grieving process.

Following the 2010 Gulf Coast oil spill, eleven-year-old aspiring ornithologist and "bird artist" Bouler created paintings in exchange for donations to the clean-up effort. Here she shares her love of birding, her own conservation efforts, and ways for others to take action. Though content is a little sparse, the book's message and design--including impressive original sketches--will successfully reach young environmentalists. Websites.

Ginny Blackstone returns for another delightfully madcap adventure in Europe in this follow-up to Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes (2005). Seemingly out of nowhere, Ginny receives an e-mail containing a scanned copy of the never-opened 13th and final letter from her deceased aunt, stolen along with her backpack while she hopped from country to country in the first novel. The person in possession of the letter instructs her to respond if she's interested, leading her back to England, where she gets another chance to see her not-boyfriend Keith, with whom she has a relationship that they've agreed is "kind of something." Inevitably, they embark on another trip encompassing France, Belgium, Holland and, eventually, a messy, drunken New Year's Eve in Ireland, though this time with the addition of two new, not altogether welcome traveling companions. Ginny's narrative, told in an intelligent, third-person voice, establishes her firmly as a sympathetic, often hilarious everygirl, whose efforts to understand herself and who she'd like to be are fraught with moments both romantic and heartbreaking. Johnson's skill in creating secondary characters that are unusual, realistically flawed and utterly believable is again on display here. While there are no big surprises in this oft-told story of a teen's growth through travel and new relationships, this is an appealingly smart and honest read that fans of the first will find deeply satisfying. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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 th 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