Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

Ivy Aberdeen has a secret.  She's not even sure what it means, but she has a notebook full of drawings of girls holding hands.  She isn't ready to show it to anyone yet, and she works on the drawings late at night when everyone else is sleeping. 

That's what she's doing the night her dad throws open her door to tell her a tornado is coming.  When the storm has passed, Ivy's house is gone.

The family is devastated.  Ivy only has the two things she grabbed on the way out--her notebook and pillow.  Her family spends the night in a temporary shelter where she feels isolated.  Since her twin brothers were born, Ivy has felt like she's not really important to the family anymore. 

When they get ready to leave in the morning, Ivy's notebook is missing.  She's angry and terrified at the thought of her private drawings out in the world.

On her first day back at school, one of the drawings appears in her locker with a note, "Maybe you should talk to someone about this."  Maybe she should, but she's just not ready.  The secret is making her distant from her best friend who only wants to talk about cute boys anymore, and her older sister who used to be so close isn't an option anymore.

The only person she's really connecting with is June.  June only moved to town a few months ago, and most kids think she's weird, but Ivy loves how enthusiastic and accepting June is.  Plus, she gets nervous and excited whenever June is around.  Could this be what a crush feels like?

Ashley Herring Blake's first middle grade novel is a beautiful and emotional story of a girl dealing with a tragedy while trying to find her place in her family and in the world.  This book is perfect for middle grade LGBTQ collections.  Blake handles what can be a sensitive issue for middle school audiences with gentleness and heart.  Highly recommended!