Love, Aubrey

Aubrey is an 11-year-old girl who has recently lost her dad and younger sister, Savannah, in a car wreck. After the wreck, Aubrey’s mom struggles to care for Aubrey, unable to manage her grief… read analysis of Aubrey

Gram is Aubrey’s maternal grandmother. She brings Aubrey back to her home in Vermont after Mom, whose mental health has steadily worsened since the wreck that killed Dad and Savannah, unexpectedly abandons Aubrey. As… read analysis of Gram

Bridget is an 11-year-old girl who lives with her family in the house next door to Gram’s. Bridget is friendly and open with Aubrey from the start. Unlike Aubrey’s friends back home, she doesn’t… read analysis of Bridget

Aubrey’s mom and Aubrey are the lone survivors of the car wreck that killed Dad and Savannah. Mom was driving at the time, and though the wreck was an accident, Mom struggles with… read analysis of Mom

Dad is Aubrey and Savannah’s father. He and Savannah died in a car wreck, which Aubrey and Mom survived. For much of the novel, Aubrey struggles to process her grief, and she can’t even… read analysis of Dad

Jilly is Savannah’s imaginary friend. Aubrey takes to writing letters to Jilly in which she tries to express all the sadness, frustration, and grief she feels in the wake of the wreck and Mom… read analysis of Jilly

Mabel is Bridget’s younger sister. She reminds Aubrey of Savannah, who was around Mabel’s age when she died. This initially causes tension in Aubrey’s friendship with Bridget, as the painful memories of Savannah… read analysis of Mabel

Amy Carlisle is the guidance counselor at Aubrey’s new school in Vermont. She is aware of Aubrey’s recent trauma and her difficult family situation, and the two have regular meetings to ensure that Aubrey… read analysis of Amy Carlisle

Marcus is a boy in Aubrey and Bridget’s class at school. Aubrey initially considers Marcus to be something of an oddball—he doesn’t fit in with the other kids, he sometimes acts out, and he… read analysis of Marcus

Sammy is Aubrey’s pet betta fish. Aubrey buys him when she is trying to survive on her own after Mom abandons Aubrey, leaving her to fend for herself. Having Sammy makes Aubrey feel a… read analysis of Sammy

Bridget’s mom lives next door to Gram. She and her family go out of their way to ensure that Aubrey feels safe and welcomed in their home and in Vermont. When she first… read analysis of Bridget’s Mom

Uncle David is Aubrey’s uncle, Mom’s brother, and Gram’s son. It’s David who travels to Colorado to bring Mom home to seek treatment for her mental health, demonstrating the love and care… read analysis of Uncle David

Aunt Janet is Mom’s good friend from college. Mom runs away to Janet’s home in Colorado in the wake of the car wreck that kills Dad and Savannah, leaving 11-year-old Aubrey alone and… read analysis of Aunt Janet

Mr. Pudlow is the principal of Aubrey’s new school in Vermont. Aubrey has a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Pudlow before the school year starts, during which she sneaks a glance at his notes and… read analysis of Mr. Pudlow

The Language Arts teacher Ms. Engleheart is Aubrey’s homeroom teacher. Aubrey develops a (perhaps unfair) grudge against Ms. Engleheart after she tasks her students with writing a letter about how they spent their summer—Aubrey’s… read analysis of Ms. Engleheart

Christian is a boy in Aubrey and Bridget’s class at school. Bridget develops a crush on him, so she’s thrilled when he invites the girls to his Halloween party. Later, Bridget stops talking about… read analysis of Christian