The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous
Welcome to Jumbo, Texas, where everyone seems to know everyone else’s business and colorful characters can be found around every corner.
For Merilee Monroe, life is best when everything is exactly where it belongs. Her routines are carefully followed, her prized PEZ dispensers are lined up just right, and anything that disrupts her Very Ordered Existence can leave her feeling, as Grandma Birdy would say, all “nervy.”
Then two strangers arrive in town.
Biswick and Veraleen don’t simply interrupt Merilee’s carefully ordered world. They turn it upside down.
As unexpected friendships form and the people around her reveal struggles of their own, Merilee begins to discover that life doesn’t always follow a schedule—and sometimes the people and changes we never planned for are exactly what we need.
Set in the unforgettable small town of Jumbo, Texas, The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous is a moving and often funny story about family, friendship, acceptance, redemption, and finding your place in the world.
“Heart-stirring. This book is marvelous.”
- VOYA, Starred Review
Inside the Story
MERILEE
Bright, observant, and happiest when life follows a predictable order, Merilee relies on her Very Ordered Existence to make sense of the busy world around her.
BISWICK
A persistent young newcomer to Jumbo who takes an immediate interest in Merilee and refuses to remain outside the carefully drawn boundaries of her world.
VERALEEN
Big-hearted and unforgettable, Veraleen arrives in Jumbo carrying a past of her own and soon becomes part of the community surrounding Merilee.
JUMBO, TEXAS
A tiny West Texas town filled with eccentric personalities, complicated relationships, family feuds, friendships, secrets, and plenty of people who have opinions about everyone else.
WELCOME TO MERILEE’S V.O.E.
Merilee likes things just so.
Her routines have an order.
Her PEZ dispensers have an order.
Her days have an order.
Predictability makes the world feel manageable.
But life in Jumbo, Texas, has other plans.
When Biswick and Veraleen arrive, Merilee discovers that not everything—or everyone—fits neatly into the places we expect. And perhaps a little disorder can make room for something marvelous.
THE VOE OF MERILEE MARVELOUS
EXTRAS
Bring Finding Esme Into the Classroom
Dive deeper into The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous with the Reading Guide, featuring discussion questions and activities for readers and educators. Then explore fun facts, behind-the-scenes details, and more from Merilee’s wonderfully ordered world.
The Praise for Esme
“Crowley is a wonderful storyteller, both in her conversational style and in crafting characters that you can’t shake from your thoughts – and don’t want to.”
- Jennifer Mill
“...Crowley proves herself... at creating an ensemble cast richly adorned with quirky particulars, and... have an emphatic absurdity that makes them beg to be read aloud.”
- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Other Books by Suzanne
A heartfelt middle grade story blending grief, friendship, courage, and a touch of the mystical as young Odo learns to face his fears and step beyond the world he knows.
The Stolen One follows Katherine Bab as questions about her mysterious past lead her toward discoveries that could change everything she knows about herself.
A touching story about Merilee Monroe, a wonderfully unique girl whose carefully ordered world begins to change in unexpected ways.