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)
