Age 8 – 12
A charming and cozy debut novel for tweens, this middle grade story starts off with a major dilemma facing the Vanderbeeker family. The landlord, a seemingly gruff recluse of a man, has decided that the rambunctious family of 7 with a dog, a cat, and a house rabbit, will not be able to renew their lease in the Harlem apartment that they love. And they will have to move.
Everyone is devastated and determined to change the landlord’s mind. This leads to some hilarious adventures as the 5 children (ranging in age from 4- 12) embark on this most important mission. What I liked about the series was its focus on community, good family values, and humour. You can say a lot of things about this biracial family, but what they are not is: Calm, Tidy, Boring, or Predictable.
The author lives in Harlem herself, and was involved in various educational, literacy and community projects before she started writing books. “Now as a mother, one of her proudest achievements is raising two kids who can’t go anywhere without a book.”
This is the first in a series which follows the antics of the Vanderbeeker family. I will go ahead and read the next two right away. The fourth has not yet been released. It will be available later in 2020.
The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden
The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue
Joanne's Reading Blog 