Karina Yan Glaser
Author of The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
About the Author
Image credit: reading at 2018 Gaithersburg Book Festival By Slowking4 - Own work, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69292193
Series
Works by Karina Yan Glaser
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 20th century
- Gender
- female
- Birthplace
- California, USA
- Places of residence
- New York City, New York, USA
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Reviews
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.
And all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home.
While Isa is off at sleepaway orchestra camp, Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney are stuck at home in the brownstone with nothing to do but get on one another's nerves. But when catastrophe strikes their beloved upstairs neighbor, their sleepy summer transforms in an instant as the Vanderbeeker children band together to do what they do best: make a plan. They will create the most magical healing garden in all of Harlem.
On the one hand, great characters and a little bit of a blueprint for how community can help people heal from trauma. On the other hand, it's oddly idealized and a little unbelievable -- the "good" characters are over the top and so are the villains. I mean, I love to read about a social worker who has the time and money to bake cookies every night and buy people their favorite foods, but I don't know any social workers who can do that. I do really love the message that people need stability, and that it takes time and support to begin to recover from homelessness. I also liked the social justice piece. I don't really get why musical instruments are forbidden, and it takes me out of the story whenever I stop to think about it.… (more)
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Statistics
- Works
- 13
- Members
- 2,855
- Popularity
- #8,985
- Rating
- 4.2
- Reviews
- 99
- ISBNs
- 112
- Languages
- 5
- Favorited
- 1
But when they discover the true identity of the person making a home in the community garden's shed, their world turns upside down as they learn what it means to care for someone in an impossible situation.