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Claire Legrand

Claire Legrand

New York Times bestselling author of darkly magical books

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Some Kind of Happiness

October 9, 2015 by

Some Kind of Happiness

Release Date: May 17, 2016

Things Finley Hart Doesn’t Want to Talk About:

  • Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.)
  • Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer.
  • Never having met said grandparents.
  • Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot.)

Finley’s only retreat is the Everwood, a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook. Until she discovers the endless woods behind her grandparents’ house and realizes the Everwood is real–and holds more mysteries than she’d ever imagined, including a family of pirates that she isn’t allowed to talk to, trees covered in ash, and a strange old wizard living in a house made of bones.

With the help of her cousins, Finley sets out on a mission to save the dying Everwood and uncover its secrets. But as the mysteries pile up and the frightening sadness inside her grows, Finley realizes that if she wants to save the Everwood, she’ll first have to save herself.

Reality and fantasy collide in this powerful, heartfelt novel about family, depression, and the power of imagination, for fans of Counting By 7s and Bridge to Terabithia.

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★ Legrand handles the tough subject of childhood mental health gently and honestly, and. . . . paints a realistic picture of a girl trying to figure out what’s wrong with her. Finley’s quest to uncover family secrets reveals not just what kept her father away from his relatives but how a family sticks together through good times and bad.

Publishers Weekly, starred review

Depression and anxiety are usually reserved for YA fare, so it’s refreshing to see those matters brought to younger readers and especially to those kids struggling to voice emotions they don’t yet understand. Legrand handles the topic with sensitivity and compassion.

The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

A multilayered plot, engaging characters, and more than one mystery highlight this ambitious novel. . . . Legrand successfully weaves it all into a rich, nuanced tale that culminates in a convincing and satisfying conclusion.

School Library Journal

Legrand has pulled off a difficult trick in this novel. She’s constructed a story-within-a-story fairy tale that’s utterly compelling but sounds as though it was written by an 11-year-old girl. . . . A layered, thoughtful exploration.

Kirkus Reviews

Imagine if Wednesday Addams had written The Princess Bride and you’ve got some kind of idea of Some Kind of Happiness — a dark and meditative fantasy written with Claire Legrand’s signature light touch.

Tim Federle
author of Better Nate Than Ever

Finley’s marvelous adventure will resonate with anyone who has battled a broken heart through the power of story. The courage she finds along the way will leave you cheering – and believing in magic – even in the darkest part of the woods.

Natalie Lloyd
author of A Snicker of Magic

There’s old-fashioned appeal in the kids roaming free and exploring the outdoors, and . . . the story’s exceedingly satisfying and well told.

Common Sense Media

★ A quiet magic is at work in Legrand’s novel, in which she adeptly interweaves Fin’s imaginative writing with the real-life narrative, underpinning all with an appeal to honesty and self-acceptance. This beautiful and reflective tale carries echoes of Katherine Patterson’s The Bridge to Terabithia (1977) and will resonate with thoughtful readers who enjoy pondering life’s bigger questions.

Booklist, starred review
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PRAISE

a 2017 Edgar Award Nominee

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of Summer, 2016

A New York Public Library Best Book for Children

A quiet magic is at work in Legrand’s novel, in which she adeptly interweaves Fin’s imaginative writing with the real-life narrative, underpinning all with an appeal to honesty and self-acceptance. This beautiful and reflective tale carries echoes of Katherine Patterson’s The Bridge to Terabithia (1977) and will resonate with thoughtful readers who enjoy pondering life’s bigger questions.

Booklist
starred review

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