Kirkus Best Books of 2019 * Kids’ Indie Next Pick List * Bookpage Best Books of 2019: Middle Grade
“Beautiful, mysterious and deeply satisfying.” —Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me and Goodbye Stranger
The world tilted for Elodee this year, and now it’s impossible for her to be the same as she was before. Not when her feelings have such a strong grip on her heart. Not when she and her twin sister, Naomi, seem to be drifting apart. So when Elodee’s mom gets a new job in Eventown, moving seems like it might just fix everything.
Indeed, life in Eventown is comforting and exciting all at once. Their kitchen comes with a box of recipes for Elodee to try. Everyone takes the scenic way to school or work—past rows of rosebushes and unexpected waterfalls. On blueberry-picking field trips, every berry is perfectly ripe.
Sure, there are a few odd rules, and the houses all look exactly alike, but it’s easy enough to explain—until Elodee realizes that there are only three ice cream flavors in Eventown. Ever. And they play only one song in music class. Everything may be “even” in Eventown, but is there a price to pay for perfection—and pretending?
“Engrossing.” —New York Times Book Review
“Enchanting, heart-rending, and bittersweet.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“An emotionally complex and wonderfully told story.” —School Library Journal (starred review)
“Thought-provoking.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
- Magical Realism for Kids: A town where every blueberry is perfectly ripe, waterfalls appear on the way to school, and the biggest mystery is why there are only three flavors of ice cream.
- A Moving Sister Story: Elodee and her twin, Naomi, used to be inseparable. But in a town that demands everyone be the same, they’ve never felt more different from each other.
- Powerful Family Secrets: Moving to Eventown was supposed to erase the past, but Elodee can’t shake the feeling that the biggest secrets are the ones her own family is trying to forget.
- Conformity vs. Individuality: In a place where everything is perfectly “even,” Elodee’s messy feelings and insatiable curiosity make her a dangerous glitch in a flawless system.
“Silly and her sisters are flesh-and-bone characters; they gripped me by my very heart and pulled me into their tense and mysterious family story. With beguiling moments of magical realism and engaging turns of phrase, Corey Ann Haydu has crafted a glowing middle grade debut.”
