17 year-old Ginny receives a packet of thirteen little blue envelopes from her favorite aunt, which are numbered. The first contains instructions to go to New York to pick up a package, get on a plane, and fly to England, where her aunt lived. Through the rules outlined in the first letter, Ginny realizes that she must follow the instructions on the first before opening any of the other envelopes. She can’t bring money, guide books, or any electronic devices including laptops, phones, or cameras. The only major problem with following this plan created by her aunt is that her aunt has been dead for three months. Aunt Peg was a wanderer and an artist, and completely unpredictable. The letters from Peg take Ginny all over Europe tracing a path that Peg once took. Ginny meets old friends, heroes, and employers of Peg’s, and does things she never thought she, Ginny, could or would do—she even asks an Italian stranger out for cake! She also becomes the patron of a one-man play performed by an English boy named Keith. In Greece, Ginny’s backpack is stolen, and she must return to London without completing the final mission. Or does she?
I enjoyed the format in the book, which consists of letters from Peg to Ginny in a handwritten font, and chapters in a different font and a standard form. Ginny is able to travel as a single, female teenager without social constraints, and the experiences she has are extraordinary and require her to develop great independence. There’s also a potential love interest. I would recommend it, especially to anyone suffering from a travel bug!
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