Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

Reach for this book when your child feels overlooked by a busy household or is beginning to ask private, quiet questions about their own identity and first crushes. After a tornado destroys Ivy Aberdeen's home, her world is literally and figuratively turned upside down. While her parents are distracted by the chaos of displacement and a new baby, twelve-year-old Ivy is left to navigate the loss of her home and the discovery of her secret sketchbook, which contains drawings that reveal her attraction to other girls. This is a gentle, affirming story about the intersection of external trauma and internal discovery. It is perfectly pitched for middle schoolers, handling the themes of 'coming out' and self-acceptance with grace and sensitivity. It serves as a beautiful mirror for LGBTQ+ youth and a powerful window for peers, emphasizing that everyone deserves to be seen for who they truly are, especially when life feels most uncertain.