by Ashely Herring Blake

Winner of the 2019 Stonewall Book Awards

Gone is not a word Ivy thought she would ever use to describe a house. A person, maybe. Summer vacation. The last of the chocolate cake. But not a house. And certainly not her house.

Ashley Herring Blake’s middle grade novel, Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World opens with a disaster. The Aberdeen’s house is destroyed by a tornado that rips through the small town where they live, displacing the family of six: Ivy, her mom and dad, her older sister Layla, and twin baby boys who are only 10 months old and consume much of the family’s attention. Ivy, already feeling lost in the shuffle of a busy family, is devastated to learn that her notebook has gone missing. Ivy is an artist. Her notebook and pens are among her most prized possessions. But Ivy’s frantic search for the notebook is compelled by a larger fear of being found out; Ivy’s notebook is filled with pictures of girls holding hands. 

While a quick Google search will bring up a number of diverse, engaging, award-winning LGBTQ+ books for YA readers, there are far fewer books for middle grades/pre-teen readers. It’s not that romance isn’t handled in middle grades books — there are plenty of books about pre-teen crushes — but they rarely feature queer or questioning characters. This is the gap that Herring Blake so brilliantly fills. Through Ivy, readers can relate to the tumultuous time of first crushes and what it is like when you feel differently than those around you. 

One of the unique contributions Herring Blake makes is the supportive community she creates for Ivy. This is not a tale of middle school homophobia or bullying — the story focuses on Ivy and those closest to her. The best friend of Ivy’s sister has recently come out and Ivy observes Layla’s struggle as she comes to grips with the news. Ivy becomes close to Robin, the owner of the hotel where the family is staying, who is also lesbian. These two plot lines are critical to Ivy’s development offering her a glimpse into the complexities of being queer and, in the case of Robin, a role model and mentor to answer Ivy’s (and readers’) questions. 

Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World is a sensitive and thoughtful story of personal discovery and coming of age. It is most appropriate for readers ages 10-13.