Author: Karina Yan Glaser
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa
I’ve wanted to start the Vanderbeekers series for a while now, and it just so happens that the first book takes place around Christmas time. The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street was actually author Karina Yan Glaser’s debut novel back in 2017, and since then, she has published six more books in the series. They are all geared toward kiddos aged 8-12, and the lengths seem to range from about 320 to 420 pages each.
In The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, we meet the family: Mama and Papa; their five children, ranging from 4 ¾ to 12 years old; and the three pets, a dog, a cat, and a rabbit. They have lived in their beloved brownstone in New York City for six years, but just a few days before Christmas, they learn that their landlord is not going to renew their lease. They are all heartbroken at the thought of leaving, so the kids devise different ways to try to get the curmudgeonly Mr. Beiderman to change his mind. They try giving him cookies and making him a CD and writing him a haiku, but nothing seems to be working – until a Christmas miracle happens.
I thought this book was very cute and sweet, with excellent themes of kindness and community as well. The family, and all of their friends in the neighborhood too, are just fantastic, and I think the author really created a strong foundation for the series to grow upon. I can’t wait to pick up the second book and see where the family’s story goes next.
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