Karina Yan Glaser

A modern classic in the making reminiscent of the Penderwicks series, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street is about the connections we make and the unexpected turns life can take. The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. It's practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have eleven days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince the dreaded Beiderman just how wonderful they are. And all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

Sarah Sammis

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser is the first of a middle grade series about a large family renting two floors of a brownstone somewhere on 141st street (probably West 141st street) in New York. The owner of the building is a grumpy shut in named Mr. Beiderman.

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Sonia Grgas

Charming, great reading for this time of year. Recommended for children of all ages (especially the grownup ones).

Savindi Jinasena

4/5 Stars

Home is much more than a place

What a charming read! I picked up The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street purely because of the cover. I mean look at how quirky and colourful it is! I'm so glad to say that I enjoyed this book a lot. I think I read it with a sense of nostalgia because I returned from Sri Lanka recently; a place where 'home' is quite a complicated concept sometimes. But that aside the Vanderbeeker family brought a smile to my face. They weren't perfect characters by any means but they shared so much love amongst each other. I think Isa, Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth and Laney all embody certain characteristics we all have has children and possibly even as grown ups. I loved how Harlem came to life through the eyes of these children and the sense of community present was beautiful. My only complaint is that the ending felt rushed and there was no development. 

Overall this was such an enjoyable read! Definitely recommend it.

The Vanderbeekers are made up of a mom, a dad, a dog, a cat, a rabbit, and five kids.  Which means that the little brownstone they call home on 141st Street is quite the houseful.  But they adore their home, and are devastated to learn that their lease is not being renewed, and that they have until Christmas to move out.  Unfortunately, Christmas is in five days, so the Vanderbeeker siblings don’t have much time to compel their landlord to have a change of heart.  Improbable doesn’t mean impossible, though, so the Vanderbeekers embark on a quest to save their home by any means necessary.

This was a fun little story that introduced a larger-than-life cast.  All of the siblings had a ton of character.  Jessie and Isa are the oldest and are twins but, while they love each other, they couldn’t be more different.  Jessie is a scientist in the making and Isa is a brilliant violinist.  Oliver is next in line and, as the only boy, prefers to live life with his head stuck in a book whenever he can to escape all the estrogen.  Hyacinth is the second to youngest, and yet somehow is almost the second mother of the family.  She is tenderhearted and creative and loves to make things.  Laney, the baby of the family, loves training her bunny to do tricks and just wants everyone to be happy.  The rest of the cast is fun, as well.

I will say that I found all of these characters fun on the surface but lacking the kind of depth that creates staying power.  And I think that could be said for the entire story.  It was a fun time, but it’s been 2 days since I finished reading it and I’m already losing some of the details.  Some middle grade books also have the power to enchant the minds of adults.  I don’t think this is one of those books.  Again, it was fun, but not one that felt magical to me.  However, I know that this is the beginning of a series featuring the same larger-than-life cast, and I think it would be a great series to give younger middle grade readers, specifically those in the 8 to 10 year old range.

Celeste Richardson

The Vanderbeekers are made up of a mom, a dad, a dog, a cat, a rabbit, and five kids.  Which means that the little brownstone they call home on 141st Street is quite the houseful.  But they adore their home, and are devastated to learn that their lease is not being renewed, and that they have until Christmas to move out.  Unfortunately, Christmas is in five days, so the Vanderbeeker siblings don’t have much time to compel their landlord to have a change of heart.  Improbable doesn’t mean impossible, though, so the Vanderbeekers embark on a quest to save their home by any means necessary.

This was a fun little story that introduced a larger-than-life cast.  All of the siblings had a ton of character.  Jessie and Isa are the oldest and are twins but, while they love each other, they couldn’t be more different.  Jessie is a scientist in the making and Isa is a brilliant violinist.  Oliver is next in line and, as the only boy, prefers to live life with his head stuck in a book whenever he can to escape all the estrogen.  Hyacinth is the second to youngest, and yet somehow is almost the second mother of the family.  She is tenderhearted and creative and loves to make things.  Laney, the baby of the family, loves training her bunny to do tricks and just wants everyone to be happy.  The rest of the cast is fun, as well.

I will say that I found all of these characters fun on the surface but lacking the kind of depth that creates staying power.  And I think that could be said for the entire story.  It was a fun time, but it’s been 2 days since I finished reading it and I’m already losing some of the details.  Some middle grade books also have the power to enchant the minds of adults.  I don’t think this is one of those books.  Again, it was fun, but not one that felt magical to me.  However, I know that this is the beginning of a series featuring the same larger-than-life cast, and I think it would be a great series to give younger middle grade readers, specifically those in the 8 to 10 year old range.

Steph L 

A fantastic Middle Grade novel

This book was fantastic. The characters in the book were fantastic, especially the kids. The plot was good, and I was curious to see how the story would end. Writing in this book was fun, and each of the kids personalities really came though in the writing. The romance between Benny and Isa in the book was fantastic. I would recommend this for fans of Middle Grade. I really enjoyed this book.

Mary Horton

Absolutely darling. I want to live in the Vanderbeekers' version of New York, lol.

4 stars!

Helene Skjørvold

I loved the character Oliver! He was such a cute written character that I think many people can relate to in some way or another. 
The whole family was so cute, and the way the children works so hard to try to renew their lease for the place where they live is so amazing!!
Not my favourite, but it wasn’t bad :)

laura

I really loved this story so much. It was such a fun holiday read. I also loved how NYC became a character in this story as well. I loved all the characters in the story and also unlike most middle grade the parents had an active role in this story. I loved both the mystery but also the holiday fun that occurred in this novel. I grew so attached to this characters and was happy to hear a sequel is coming. I thought this was prefect holiday read and made me smile and cry for the holidays!

Renee Delcourt

Omg this is the sweetest middle grade book I think I've ever read. It's literally like a full body hug that makes you glow. The way that the family exudes live for each other and how the community cares for one another is so welcoming and beautiful. I think this is the perfect feel good book to read as a family around Christmas. Highly highly recommend it.

Alejandra Bran

The sweetness on this book is off the chart! I love everything about it! The parents/children dynamics and the sibling dynamics are just so beautiful that I found myself almost tearing up!

I love how here are these parents of 5 that no matter how much they struggle or how busy they are, they’re still so present on their kids lives. They understand the needs and quirks that every single one them has. And that made love this book so much. 

The characters are so lovable that I found myself invested even the on the secondary characters. I truly cannot wait to start the next tittle! 

The conclusion was just so expected because, how can someone know the Vanderbeekers and not love them.

In this acclaimed "captivating" debut, the "wildly entertaining" Vanderbeeker children will do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved brownstone. A sweeping family story that is as lively, diverse, and noisy as any street in Harlem.

Stefie 

What a lovely read. It’s so light and yet manage to make me feel emotional here and there :)

If you ever need a light book to sit by the fire, something that didn’t require a lot of thinking, but just to be enjoyed this Christmas, I think this book will be a great read. The warmth of the family in this book is so strong, that you can feel the book is hugging you :D

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

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