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) Gr 5-7-What would you give up to always be content, to never experience grief or intense anger? Would you give up choice, variety, creativity, joy? These are exactly the questions addressed when Elodee and her twin sister Naomi move with their parents to Eventown in order to get a fresh start in their lives. The family has experienced something terrible-an unknown event from which they have not been able to recover. All of that changes upon the family's arrival in their new town. It is quite literally a place where the sun always shines. There are no cars needed in Eventown since everyone bikes, the neighbors are friendly, and their new school is pleasant. Her parents are happy, as if the strain on them has been lifted, and her sister fits in like a glove. Elodee is only one who feels a distant strangeness, as if it is all a little too pleasant. Elodee begins to question her "perfect" new home. She notices that all the houses look exactly the same, the library is filled with blank books, and the ice cream shop only serves three flavors. Elodee must being to unravel her family's past in order to figure out what's missing and find true emotional closure for all of them. ­VERDICT An emotionally complex and wonderfully told story that will capture tween readers.-Patricia Feriano, Montgomery County Public Schools, MDα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Praise for The Someday Suitcase : “A touch of magic, the promise of snow, and so much love I can barely keep it together to write this sentence. I know Clover and Danny will stick with me for a long, long time.” - Kate Milford, New York Times bestselling author of The Greenglass House “Beautiful, true, and magical. This book touched my heart.” - Lauren Myracle, author of the Wishing Day series ★ “Quietly superb prose...Haydu doesn’t romanticize illness, but she provides comfort through art, science, magic, love, and a purple suitcase. A sharp, clear-cut piece that knows life is beautiful and sickness isn’t.”   - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ★ “Haydu’s second middle-grade novel is poignant and powerful. A heartbreaking story about the healing power of friendship amid human fragility.”   - Booklist (starred review) ★ “In this moving, exquisitely written story, Corey Ann Haydu explores the thin line between science and magic within an intense bond of friendship.” - Shelf Awareness (starred review) “Haydu does not shield readers from hard truths, creating complex characters who face difficult situations. This sensitive work will strike an emotional chord with middle-graders.” - School Library Journal ★ “[A] thought-provoking novel... [A] memorable and brave heroine.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Corey Ann Haydu doesn’t shy away from tough topics in her books. Eventown is no exception.” - Time for Kids “[An] original, thought-provoking and engaging novel exploring how our stories shape us and can help us heal from even the most terrible loss... Haydu offers an inspired creation in the “perfect world” of Eventown.” - Buffalo News ★ “At once enchanting, heart-rending, and bittersweet.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ★ “An emotionally complex and wonderfully told story.” - School Library Journal (starred review) “Readers will feel for the brave, unconventional Elodee, who both affirms her individuality but also feels the loneliness of it... A hope-tinged tale about the long aftermath of t