Debbie Parker’s To Valerie, with Love, Jenny is about the strong bond between sisters despite their differences. When Valerie was fourteen years old, her parents revealed that they were having another baby. Opposed to the idea of another sibling, Valerie expressed her distaste and even suggested that they get an abortion. However, her parents only reprimanded her for being disrespectful about the decision they had made so Valerie had no choice but to accept it. Time passed and Jenny, the youngest daughter of the family, was born. She was born with Down Syndrome which Valerie was not familiar with. Slowly learning about Jenny’s special needs, Valerie came to love her sister with all her heart. However, due to unforeseen events, Valerie lost all respect she had for her older sister, Didi, and decided to raise Jenny on her own, of course with the help and guidance of her oldest sister Priscilla, her brothers-in-law, and her relatives. After seventeen years passed, Didi tried to make it up to Valerie, but her sister was still holding on to her anger from the past. One day, an unfortunate accident puts Jenny’s and Didi’s lives in danger. Valerie is suddenly faced with a devastating reality and a surprising consequence. Will Valerie finally learn to let go of the negativity in her heart, accept all that has happened, and forgive the person who had hurt her the most?

To Valerie, with Love, Jenny by Debbie Parker shows the struggles of a family that experienced an unexpected tragedy. It is a fresh and well-written book filled with valuable lessons regarding love, letting go, and forgiveness. I personally felt Valerie acted in a bratty manner. I did understand that she was still young and the events leading up to the accident were affecting her thoughts about everything including her sister, Didi, but I still felt like she could have handled everything better. This gives you an insight into how well Parker has written and shaped her characters for them to affect me so much even when I have finished the book. Valerie is a unique and feisty character and I felt so relieved when she finally learned to open her heart to the people she pushed away. I loved her character development; it was steady and it took her a long time to finally let go and learn to love her sister again without a shadow hanging over them. I also loved the rest of the characters for the support they provided Valerie and the advice they gave her. The story wouldn’t be as amazing as it was without the reliable brothers-in-law, selfless sisters, caring relatives, and supportive friends. Jenny, of course, played the biggest part in teaching Valerie the lesson of forgiveness and letting go. This story is truly about strong family bonds and facing your own fears and mistakes head-on. It is a story of redemption, acceptance, and love. Overall, the story has evoked such strong feelings in me. Well done!

To Valerie, with Love, Jenny by Debbie Parker is a story with an eerie feel that grips the reader strongly from the first page. Valerie is fourteen when she discovers that her mom is pregnant and she isn’t happy about it. Her parents are old and she doesn’t see why they should have another baby. But she eventually accepts it and welcomes her baby sister, Jenny, born with Down Syndrome. A car accident takes her parents away and Valerie is left alone to raise Jenny. Years later, Jenny gets into danger and while wanting to save her sister, Valerie unlocks a secret door into her soul that she never knew existed and to a gift she never knew she had. The connection with her sister deepens and her life transforms in a way she never expected.

This is the story of a bond between two sisters and the power of love. The supernatural dimension of the narrative feels real and translates the hidden power of love. Valerie’s journey is very beautiful and I loved how her contact with her sister allows her to understand, even slowly, who she really is. Debbie Parker writes from the heart and crafts a story that will appeal to the humanity of readers. The use of the epistolary style was great. The drama, the awesome dialogues, and the terrific descriptions are just a few of the elements that provide depth to this narrative. To Valerie, with Love, Jenny is an inspiring story that will make readers look at people with conditions differently. It is a very emotional story that is equally entertaining.