The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

July 15, 2017
A few days before Christmas the Vanderbeeker family finds out they will have to leave their beloved brownstone by the end of the month--or will they?When their landlord, Mr. Beiderman, decides not to renew their lease, the Vanderbeeker kids--12-year-old twins Isa and Jessie, 9-year-old Oliver, 6-year-old Hyacinth, and 4 (and 3/4)-year-old Laney--spring into action to make him change his mind. They have neighbors sign a petition; Isa records a CD of her violin playing; Jessie builds a science project; Oliver writes a haiku; Hyacinth gives him a kitten; and Laney does a picture of the brownstone. Though the final outcome is predictable, it is the warm and supportive depiction of family, friends, and community that carries this book forward. The family is described as biracial, though what the two races are is not clear. (Mama has "stick-straight black hair" and dark eyes; Papa has "wild, untamable hair" and light eyes.) Set in Harlem, but with Dutch, German, and English names, the community feels white. The children are well-developed and wise beyond their years. They are also charged with duties beyond their years: the twins for example, are given the task of preparing the Christmas dinner for seven adults and five children. A heartwarming story about family and community that will appeal to readers who also enjoy an old-fashioned feel. (Fiction. 8-12)

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August 14, 2017
Glaser sets her uplifting debut novel in contemporary Harlem, where the biracial Vanderbeekers rent the bottom two floors of a four-story brownstone from an inexplicably grouchy and reclusive landlord, Mr. Beiderman. The story opens on December 20, with the Vanderbeeker parents telling their five children, who range from age four to 12, that Mr. Beiderman is not renewing their lease and at year’s end they will have to move out of the New York City home they’ve loved for years. The stunned children mount a mission to change their landlord’s mind in 11 days. Each of the rambunctious Vanderbeekers is endowed with a passion or talent, Mr. Beiderman’s ill temper is revealed to be grounded in tragedy, and Glaser infuses her novel with the comforting aura of a loving family in which everyone’s idiosyncrasies are happily tolerated and misunderstandings are warmly resolved. Readers who enjoy a cheery story that’s simultaneously old-fashioned and of the moment in its sensibility will enjoy this introduction to the Vanderbeekers and look forward to their future adventures. Ages 7–10. Agent: Ginger Clark, Curtis Brown.

Starred review from August 1, 2017

Gr 3-5-Glaser's pitch-perfect debut novel set in Harlem introduces the endearing biracial Vanderbeeker family. Twins Isa and Jessie, along with siblings Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney (ranging from ages four-and-three-quarters to 12), plus a dog, a cat, a bunny, and their parents, all live together in a brownstone on 141st Street. Unfortunately, cantankerous landlord Mr. Biederman refuses to renew the lease. They have the five days before Christmas to change his mind or they will have to move out of the only home they have ever known. Each child has a plan and a distinct personality to match; the neighbors and friends all do, too. Glaser's detailed line drawings of the block's brownstones emphasize that this book is not just about one family; rather, it encompasses the stories of an interconnected community. Jessie creates a Rube Goldberg contraption that makes music while watering the building garden. Elderly Miss Josie and Mr. Jeet live above the Vanderbeekers and count on their support. A school dance, sibling rivalry, and preparing just the right gifts for Christmas are all subplots that Glaser deftly uses as a tool to both develop the characters and engage readers in the family's entertaining daily chaos. Glaser's love for the Vanderbeekers shines through in her prose and stick drawings. Readers will look forward to future adventures. VERDICT A highly recommended purchase for all middle grade collections. Fans of Sydney Taylor and Jeanne Birdsall are sure to be satisfied by this contemporary urban update of the family-centered novel.-Eva Thaler-Sroussi, Glencoe Public Library, IL

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Starred review from August 1, 2017
Grades 3-6 *Starred Review* As Tolstoy wrote, All happy families are alike, but few in children's literature are as engaging or amusing as the Vanderbeekers, even in a time of turmoil. Twins Isa and Jessie (12 years old), Oliver (9), Hyacinth (6), and Laney (4) react with disbelief, a bit of guilt, and plenty of indignation when they hear that Mr. Beiderman, their reclusive neighbor, has refused to renew the lease on their beloved Harlem brownstone apartment. With only 11 days left, the kids embark on Operation Beiderman, a series of secret initiatives intended to win over their landlord. A biracial family within a close-knit, diverse community, the Vanderbeekers are swiftly, deftly individualized by Glaser, who lets the kids' strengths, weaknesses, and quirks emerge as each takes the initiative and then deals with the repercussions that inevitably follow. Scenes are beautifully written, and a subplot adds depth to the novel. While there's pain and pathos here, humor is a constant, bubbling up in unexpected places. The story's ending seems inevitable, but it's moving nonetheless, and the journey to that destination is wildly entertaining. Add this captivating first novel to the list of family stories that would make an only child long for siblings.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)