BIG FAMILIES ABOUND In classic children's literature. Back in the 1940s and '50s, Eleanor Estes's four Moffats and Elizabeth Enright's four Melendy children, the six siblings of Sydney Taylor's "All of a Kind Family," and the Gilbreth offspring in "Cheaper by the Dozen" charmed children and adults alike. These books featured feisty white protagonists inventively solving problems by applying kid logic. But today's metropolitan world of rising rents, shrinking spaces and culturally diverse neighbors can make those older titles feel incredibly quaint. Enter the Vanderbeekers of 141st Street. They are a biracial family with five kids and three pets residing on two floors of "a humble red brownstone with a weathervane" in Harlem. And just like that, everything old is new again. Papa, a computer technician and building superintendent, and Mama, a professional pastry chef, cheerfully preside over their large brood of curious, spirited children: 12-year-old twins Isa and Jessie, 9-year-old Oliver, 6-yearold Hyacinth and 4-year-old Laney. They know all their neighbors by name, including a retired couple, a family who own the local bakery and Mr. Vanhooten, Isa's violin teacher. The cherished brownstone, drawn and diagrammed throughout the book, is a creaking, clanking haven of delights that evokes the pre-World War II brownstone of Enright's Melendy family. Isa muses, "Do you think the brownstone loves us?" There is no doubt that the children view the building as the eighth Vanderbeeker. Alas, there is a snake in this domestic paradise, and his name is Mr. Beiderman, their landlord, who is immune to their charms. When they learn he is not renewing their lease 11 days before Christmas, the children commence "Operation Beiderman," bringing him breakfast and giving him jazz records. Then there is the mystery of why Mr. Beiderman never sets foot outside his apartment. Like Scrooge, Mr. Beiderman is mean because he's sad, and once the Vanderbeekers uncover his tragic secret, they melt his frozen heart and usher in a happy Christmas ending. This is Karina Yan Glaser's debut novel, and her contemporary family narrative preserves the winsome tone and innocence of the classics while updating them. Instead of labeling their ethnic backgrounds, Glaser plants hints that suggest possibilities. The Vanderbeekers are "a biracial family," but Glaser never says which races. Instead we learn that "Isa inherited her mother's stickstraight black hair"; her twin, Jessie, has "Papa's wild, untamable hair." Oliver has "Mama's dark eyes," Hyacinth "Papa's large feet." This technique allows an array of readers to see themselves, their families and friends If Glaser's 141st Street often feels like Sesame Street, that's not a coincidence. At Christmas dinner, Papa toasts the neighbors who have nurtured his children: "Raising kids means more than just being a good parent," he says. "It means surrounding your kids with amazing people who can bring science experiments and jam cookies, laughter and joy, and beautiful experiences into their lives." 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 biracial Vanderbeeker family--five happy siblings and two loving parents--loves its close-knit Harlem neighborhood, minus grouchy, misanthropic landlord Mr. Beiderman. Then the Beiderman announces he wants the family out by New Years. The intrepid siblings decide to give their parents the Best Christmas Present Ever by making him change his mind. Predictably, but nonetheless amusingly, their various schemes tend to backfire--until the inevitable change of heart. Glasers 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. monica edinger (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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 PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

*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.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2017 Booklist

A few days before Christmas the Vanderbeeker family finds out they will have to leave their beloved brownstone by the end of the monthor will they?When their landlord, Mr. Beiderman, decides not to renew their lease, the Vanderbeeker kids12-year-old twins Isa and Jessie, 9-year-old Oliver, 6-year-old Hyacinth, and 4 (and )-year-old Laneyspring 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) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 2-5-A family of seven residing in Harlem get dreadful news five days before Christmas: their reclusive and grumpy landlord will not renew their lease, and they must be out of their brownstone by the end of the year. The five kids strategize multiple schemes to get Mr. Beiderman to change his mind; all seemingly make the problem worse. The children struggle with personal dilemmas as they also learn more about their landlord and each other. This debut novel reads like a joyous, heartwarming Hallmark movie. The conclusion seems inevitable, but the journey will fill listeners' minds with unique pictures of a loving family. Subplots include engaging tales about twins, budding musicians, pet care, and selecting thoughtful gifts. Robin Miles adapts her voice for each distinctive personality. VERDICT A recommended purchase for elementary and middle school collections.-Deb Whitbeck, formerly at West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.