The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

The Vanderbeeker family lives in a 4-story brownstone in Harlem, New York City. They are a multiracial family (no more description is given) consisting of:

Mr Vanderbeeker (Papa)

Mrs Vanderbeeker (Mama)

Isa (12, twin)

Jessie (12, twin)

Oliver (9)

Hyacinth (6)

Laney (4)

Franz (dog)

George Washington (cat)

Paganini (rabbit)

They love their house and their street, and can't imagine living anywhere else. So when their dad announces that their upstairs neighbor and landlord, grumpy old Mr Beiderman, is not renewing their lease for the new year, Operation Beiderman begins.

It being the week before Christmas, the children have just five days they figure, to break through Mr Beidermans crusty exterior and convince him to renew their lease. But their best-laid plans always seem to go awry. When Hyacinth brings Mr Beiderman a Christmas place mat the she sewed, along with breakfast on a tray, his growl scares her so badly she drops the whole thing and runs away. Another idea, the neighborhood petition, includes unexpected consequences. The Vanderbeeker children bring Mr Beiderman Christmas cookies, a jazz record, a small Christmas tree, and a kitten but nothing seems to melt his cold, hard heart.

There's such mystery to Mr Beiderman.

Why did he leave his teaching job at City college? And why does he have no family? And why does he still react so violently to Isa's violin playing, even though she's made so much improvement in the past year? And finally, will he relent and renew the Vanderbeekers lease?

It's been a long time since I've read a book set in modern times that reminded me of a neighborhood of the 1950s. When everyone knew all their neighbors and played outside in the street til dark. When the roof of a brownstone was a perfectly acceptable place to play and siblings could walk to the library or the corner store together. When boys talked to each other with walkie-talkies, and four-year-olds played make-believe. The sentiment here might put you in mind of Mr Rogers and his neighborhood. Or the similar setting in All-of-a-Kind family.

This story is wholesome, and refreshingly family-centered.

Mr and Mrs Vanderbeeker are happily married, Mr Vanderbeeker is attentive to his children and leads the family in saying grace before meals, Mrs Vanderbeeker helps her children with cooking and baking projects in the kitchen. The children's feelings are validated and discussed. There's a continuity to their life together, and a reticence that it will change. They know they've got a good thing. This book contains one of the sweetest conversations I've ever read between a six-year-old and her father, about having courage.

Conversely, there are a couple of things that I wish had been omitted. The jarring conversation on only page two about parents divorcing and  the whole secondary story line where the twins disagree about an invitation to a school dance and have a fight about the boy that wants to take Isa. This seems unneccesary at only twelve years old. But forgiveness and restoration do come for the twins.

In two instances, restoration and healing are needed after the children misbehave. First, they keep Operation Beiderman a secret from their parents and this causes neighborhood trouble. And secondly, the children lie to a potential renter who asks them for directions to their apartment for a viewing. In both of these situations, the children later confess to their parents, they are appropriately disciplined, and the relationship is restored.

This is a satisfying ending to a story that has happened to my family before, and that could happen to any of us.

Laney, the perceptive four-year-old, predicts toward the beginning of the novel, “I think the Beetleman needs hugs.” And indeed, he did need hugs. He needed music. He needed understanding. He needed a family intent on loving him when he was unlovable.

All in all, the positives far outweigh the few, minor negatives. It's an (almost) perfect Christmas read. And if the satisfying denouement doesn't break through your hard exterior, I feel sorry for you.

It's almost enough to make me want to get a rabbit to name Paganini.

CONTENT CONSIDERATIONS

When their father states that he has bad news, the children jump to the conclusion that their parents are getting divorced (page 2.)

Twelve-year-olds are concerned with a school dance, and with having a date.

“Channeling” is perhaps an unfortunate word choice that may leave your reader with questions. Hyacinth uses it when she is giving herself a pep talk, trying to shore up her courage.

Jessie calls an older boy “jerk face” in defense of her sister.