From the Bookshelf of Mock Newbery 2026…

Eventown

Corey Ann Haydu

Start date: December 1, 2019

Finish date: December 31, 2019

Discussion: Newbery 2020

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Newbery 2020

* 2020 John Newbery Medal Awards
By Kristen · 28 posts · 271 views

last updated Mar 28, 2021 06:44AM

Final Round - 2020 Mock Newbery Award
By Kristen · 85 posts · 307 views

last updated Feb 05, 2020 12:39PM

What Members Thought

Jul 04, 2019 Jeanette rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens

From the start I could tell this book and I were not necessarily going to get on too well.
The book started by laying it on thick that something really tragic, bad, world-tilting, etc, etc had happened to our narrator and her family. I quickly got tired of being told something awful had happened but with no story development to go along with constantly being told.
It felt like the author was trying too hard to be profound.
The big reveal occurred too far into the story, about 280 pages into a 320 p ...more

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Apr 11, 2020 Jan rated it it was amazing

When I realized right at the beginning that there was some tragedy Elodee and her family were all trying to recover from, I thought, oh no, do I really want to read another book that deals with the loss of a parent or a child, or maybe both? I've read more than my share lately. It seems that the theme these last few years for middle grade books more often than not is all about the loss of a loved one and its aftereffects on the family left behind to cope with it. For Elodee's family the answer w When I realized right at the beginning that there was some tragedy Elodee and her family were all trying to recover from, I thought, oh no, do I really want to read another book that deals with the loss of a parent or a child, or maybe both? I've read more than my share lately. It seems that the theme these last few years for middle grade books more often than not is all about the loss of a loved one and its aftereffects on the family left behind to cope with it. For Elodee's family the answer was to leave everything behind, books, music, furniture, kitchen ware, even their car, and move to small and friendly Eventown where they could "get a fresh start". Nothing says getting a fresh start like leaving absolutely everything you own, including your job and all your friends and moving to a new town where you can forget your past. Life in Eventown for Elodee's family feels so easy and perfect. Almost too perfect. All the identical houses have identical rose bushes, the weather is always sunny and warm, everyone is welcoming and friendly, and neighbors greet you everywhere, everything you cook or bake turns out perfect and delicious, and all the kids love school and are always kind to each other. It's a very happy place. It reminded me a little of the movie Pleasantville. On the surface all is wonderful, but something not quite right is going on underneath all that pleasantness. Is everything really perfect, or have they just let themselves believe that? I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Actually I kept waiting and getting a bit impatient because I still hadn't found out what happened with Elodee's family and why they moved to Eventown. I knew it was bad from the way Elodee's parents and her twin sister were so shut down about it. Elodee seemed to be the only one who wasn't in complete denial. I just really wanted to know what was going on and had a hard time waiting. I should have trusted that the author knew what she was doing though. If she had revealed all those answers at the beginning of the story, instead of the end, it would have changed everything completely and been a totally different story, one that was nowhere near as lovely or heartbreaking, or emotional. Dang it if she didn't make me feel every emotion possible, and need to grab quickly for the tissues. There were so many times that I had to stop and read a sentence or two over again because the words, and the feelings I got from those words, just spoke to me. I took those words right into my heart. I wrote down one of them. Not because it was my favorite or that I related to it the most. Just because.

"Maybe if you love something enough, being near it can change everything. Maybe, if you love something enough, it matters more than fitting in and belonging and being safe". ...more

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Jul 16, 2019 Jen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Reminded me so much if Pleasantville and Inside Out

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 01, 2019 Wendy Garland rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, 2019, mental-illness

Eventown residents give up their memories - good and bad to live an "even" and close to perfect life. When a new family moves in, looking for peace, one daughter begins to question the system. This is an intriguing idea and Corey Ann Haydu sets up the premise so well.
...more

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Apr 13, 2019 Krystal rated it really liked it

The Giver sort of feel, as a grieving family leaves home for Eventown, where everything is perfect, and hard things are easily forgotten. I enjoyed it.

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Apr 28, 2019 Chrissy rated it liked it

Shelves: kid-s-stuff

The premise is interesting but this vein of story, where you're never sure if it's fantasy or reality bugs me a little. ...more

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Nov 11, 2019 Marie rated it liked it

It seemed like kind of a strange story but I plugged along and liked the overall message of the book.

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Jul 23, 2019 alisonwonderland (Alison) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, magical-realism, 2019-publication-date, summer-reading-2019

The cover blurb by Rebecca Stead is spot on: "Beautiful, mysterious, and deeply satisfying!" I liked this middle grade novel about feelings and memories very much! ...more

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