The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (Vanderbeekers #1)

A heartwarming story about family and community that will appeal to readers who also enjoy an old-fashioned feel.

★ Few [families] in children's literature are as engaging or amusing as the Vanderbeekers.

Glaser's third-person narration weaves individual characters' plot threads and a palpable sense of place through the larger family story in the tradition of Jeanne Birdsall, Sydney Taylor, Elizabeth Enright, and Hilary McKay.

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. (Oct.)

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

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

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

...[Karina Yan Glaser's] contemporary family narrative preserves the winsome tone and innocence of the aforementioned classics while updating them with a rich, modern diversity of characters, settings and problems....Glaser's warmhearted story highlights a cold truth: What is often missing in the busy lives of today's plugged-in, checked-out families is a sense of community. In the vast village of New York City, she suggests, what it takes to raise a child can still be found on one square block. —The New York Times Book Review

With rich dialogue and detailed descriptions of the neighborhood, the text provides a humorous and heartwarming story about siblings uniting to save their home. Through the Vanderbeekers, Glaser provides a portrait of the splendors of Harlem and the sense of community that can be built among neighbors of all backgrounds. . . This will draw fans of rollicking family stories, and while it's centered on Christmas, it would be enjoyable any time of the year. —Bulletin

The Vanderbeekers join the Melendys, the Cassons, and the 'All of a Kind' Family on my list of favorite book-families. I'm in love with every single Vanderbeeker! Their story is utterly enchanting: I did not want it to end. More, please? —Linda Sue Park, Newbery medalist