Ivy thought her life was complicated when her mother recently gave birth to twin boys. Now she and her older sister Layla seem to be taking a backseat to these two little babies and all the time and attention they require. Things get even worse when a tornado forces them into the storm cellar as it completely destroys the only home Ivy has ever known.
Now two adults and four children are crammed into one motel room as insurance companies are consulted and damage is assessed. Ivy finds comfort in her drawing notebook until it mysteriously disappears during their one night in the shelter/elementary gym the night after the storm. Ivy fears the drawings will fall into the wrong hands. Not just everyone will understand the secret Ivy has revealed in the detailed artwork in this precious notebook.
Ivy feels completely ignored by her family as she tries to solve the mystery of who took her drawings. One by one the drawings are being slipped into her locker with strange notes from someone called the Keeper. Ivy has several suspects, one of which is a new girl, the daughter of a local doctor. Ivy thinks June is beautiful and when she invites Ivy to her treehouse and asks for help on a new school project, Ivy begins to have feelings she thinks might mean she has a Crush on June.
Talking about something as big as the fact that Ivy might like girls is not something easy to discuss. Her parents are preoccupied with the babies and the storm damage. Her sister recently reacted strangely when her best friend came out as gay, and Ivy's best friend Taryn is more interested in a boy from their class than she is listening to Ivy's problems.
Author Ashley Herring Blake explores the confusing feelings of sexuality in IVY ABERDEEN'S LETTER TO THE WORLD. Her descriptions of Ivy's artwork leap off the page, and readers exploring their own sexual feelings will totally relate to Ivy's struggle. This middle grade novel will help any questioning readers find inspiration and courage to be themselves.
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