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The House on Rondo
A young girl reckons with the demolition of a Black Saint Paul neighborhood to make way for the Interstate in the early 1960s
When thirteen-year-old Zenobia has to leave her friends and spend the summer at Grandma’s while Mama recovers from a stroke, life seems so unfair. But then the eviction letters start arriving throughout her grandparents’ neighborhood, and white men chalk arrows to mark the gas and water lines, and a new world of unfairness unfolds before her. It’s 1963, and Zenobia’s grandparents’ house on Rondo Avenue in Saint Paul—like all the homes in this thriving Black community—is targeted for demolition to make way for the new Interstate Highway 94.
As Zenobia gradually learns about what’s planned for the Rondo neighborhood and what this means for everyone who lives there, she discovers how her story is intertwined with the history of her family, all the way back to Great Grandma Zenobia and the secrets Grandma Essie held close about the reason for her light skin. With the destruction of the neighborhood looming, Zenobia takes a stand on behalf of her community, joining her no-nonsense neighbor, onetime cowgirl Mrs. Ruby Pearl, in a protest and ultimately getting arrested. Though Zenobia is grounded for a month, her punishment seems of little consequence in comparison to what is happening all around her. Even though the demolition continues, she is proud to discover the power and connection in protesting injustice.
The House on Rondo captures the heartbreak, resistance, and resilience that marks a community sacrificed in the name of progress—a “progress” that never seems to favor Black families and neighborhoods and that haunts cities like Saint Paul to this day. As Zenobia learns what can be destroyed and what cannot, her story teaches us that joy, community, and love persist, even amid violence and loss.
When thirteen-year-old Zenobia has to leave her friends and spend the summer at Grandma’s while Mama recovers from a stroke, life seems so unfair. But then the eviction letters start arriving throughout her grandparents’ neighborhood, and white men chalk arrows to mark the gas and water lines, and a new world of unfairness unfolds before her. It’s 1963, and Zenobia’s grandparents’ house on Rondo Avenue in Saint Paul—like all the homes in this thriving Black community—is targeted for demolition to make way for the new Interstate Highway 94.
As Zenobia gradually learns about what’s planned for the Rondo neighborhood and what this means for everyone who lives there, she discovers how her story is intertwined with the history of her family, all the way back to Great Grandma Zenobia and the secrets Grandma Essie held close about the reason for her light skin. With the destruction of the neighborhood looming, Zenobia takes a stand on behalf of her community, joining her no-nonsense neighbor, onetime cowgirl Mrs. Ruby Pearl, in a protest and ultimately getting arrested. Though Zenobia is grounded for a month, her punishment seems of little consequence in comparison to what is happening all around her. Even though the demolition continues, she is proud to discover the power and connection in protesting injustice.
The House on Rondo captures the heartbreak, resistance, and resilience that marks a community sacrificed in the name of progress—a “progress” that never seems to favor Black families and neighborhoods and that haunts cities like Saint Paul to this day. As Zenobia learns what can be destroyed and what cannot, her story teaches us that joy, community, and love persist, even amid violence and loss.
104 pages, Hardcover
Published October 7, 2025
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3342 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 15, 2025
Although this is a YA book, it is equally enjoyable and informative for adults. I first became aware of what happened to the Rondo area of St Paul during the construction of I-94 when I read Evelyn Fairbanks book, Days of Rondo and heard her speak at the White Bear Library in 1990.
October 5, 2025
I was pretty disappointed in this one.
The premise sounded great, from the publisher’s description. A young girl moves in with her grandparents for the summer of ‘63, because of her mother’s illness. While there, all the homes on the street where her grands have lived for years are set to be demolished, to make way for the new interstate highway system…
Being an avid reader of history and historical fiction books, as well as growing up in the 70’s with two teaching parents, I knew 1963 to be one of great upheaval. Protests for civil rights were being waged, often by young people. Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the August March on Washington, the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed in September, killing four young girls, and President Kennedy was assassinated in November of that year. This book mentioned none of those events, even at the end when the author mentioned that the book was based on her family’s experiences. The author’s notes were not set apart from the narrative as is usual; they were just there at the book’s end with no explanation.
Another thing that bothered me was the author’s very choppy style of writing. She wrote from the viewpoints of so many characters, even the houses themselves, that it was difficult to keep them straight! Also, there seemed to be a lack of a beginning, middle and end that followed a well-planned plot.
Lastly, the frequent use of sentence fragments was annoying. (Any writing I had turned in to my teachers with fragmented sentences would have been given a very low grade).
I will not be recommending this book, for the above reasons.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
The premise sounded great, from the publisher’s description. A young girl moves in with her grandparents for the summer of ‘63, because of her mother’s illness. While there, all the homes on the street where her grands have lived for years are set to be demolished, to make way for the new interstate highway system…
Being an avid reader of history and historical fiction books, as well as growing up in the 70’s with two teaching parents, I knew 1963 to be one of great upheaval. Protests for civil rights were being waged, often by young people. Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the August March on Washington, the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed in September, killing four young girls, and President Kennedy was assassinated in November of that year. This book mentioned none of those events, even at the end when the author mentioned that the book was based on her family’s experiences. The author’s notes were not set apart from the narrative as is usual; they were just there at the book’s end with no explanation.
Another thing that bothered me was the author’s very choppy style of writing. She wrote from the viewpoints of so many characters, even the houses themselves, that it was difficult to keep them straight! Also, there seemed to be a lack of a beginning, middle and end that followed a well-planned plot.
Lastly, the frequent use of sentence fragments was annoying. (Any writing I had turned in to my teachers with fragmented sentences would have been given a very low grade).
I will not be recommending this book, for the above reasons.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
August 6, 2025
As a fan of urban geography, I’ve been fascinated by the story of Rondo since I first heard about it, well into my adult life. Part of that fascination comes from “How did I miss what was going on?”
My dad worked for the Minnesota Highway Department, my great aunt—who we visited frequently—lived in an apartment just a few blocks from Rondo, and we frequently were in and around (and even briefly lived in) St. Paul during the late fifties and early sixties. I even started reading the daily newspapers around 1963 when most of this book is set. Yet somehow, I never saw the construction, never read about it in the paper, never heard anyone in the family even mention it.
And I guess that’s the story of Rondo: an enormous interstate highway project, taking place in plain sight for the better part of a decade. It tore out an entire neighborhood, completely altered the landscape through the center of the city, and displaced more than 600 families and countless businesses. But somehow all of that remained invisible to the people in the surrounding community.
Debra Stone’s book (of which I read an advance copy) is listed on Amazon for young adults. And I wondered about that when I first started reading it—Rondo is seen through the eyes of seventh grader, Zenobia, who spends the summer of 1963 with her grandparents and experiences firsthand the impact of the project on her family and the community.
The reader can’t help but share Zenobia’s feelings of powerlessness and confusion as one by one, houses are taken and razed, as longtime friends and neighbors suddenly are gone. It’s powerful stuff.
While the author never says it outright, Zenobia seems to be reliving Stone’s own memories. Told vividly, but without hyperbole, this is not just a book for young adults. It transcends YA, standing as a hidden history of what happened in plain view of a larger community that chose to ignore it—a wonderful and heartfelt book.
The only things that initially had me a little confused were in the last quarter of the book. The actual transition of Zenobia’s family to their new house was skipped over. And a handful of unexpected elements were either injected into the story or expanded from earlier on, including the ghost boy, the anthropomorphizing of the house, and Ruby Pearl’s “talking” dog.
Even so, all of those were effective ways of telling parts of the story. It chooses not to follow the traditional template one might expect from a novel, unless maybe you read As I Lay Dying and your expectations were shaped by someone like William Faulkner.
It presents slices of life in a way that tells a larger story, one where even when the bad guys win, the resilience of the protagonists is able to carry them forward. It’s deeply rooted in history and family history, and while it may appear to be “only” a story about Rondo, it’s really a story about people and in its telling reveals so much more.
My dad worked for the Minnesota Highway Department, my great aunt—who we visited frequently—lived in an apartment just a few blocks from Rondo, and we frequently were in and around (and even briefly lived in) St. Paul during the late fifties and early sixties. I even started reading the daily newspapers around 1963 when most of this book is set. Yet somehow, I never saw the construction, never read about it in the paper, never heard anyone in the family even mention it.
And I guess that’s the story of Rondo: an enormous interstate highway project, taking place in plain sight for the better part of a decade. It tore out an entire neighborhood, completely altered the landscape through the center of the city, and displaced more than 600 families and countless businesses. But somehow all of that remained invisible to the people in the surrounding community.
Debra Stone’s book (of which I read an advance copy) is listed on Amazon for young adults. And I wondered about that when I first started reading it—Rondo is seen through the eyes of seventh grader, Zenobia, who spends the summer of 1963 with her grandparents and experiences firsthand the impact of the project on her family and the community.
The reader can’t help but share Zenobia’s feelings of powerlessness and confusion as one by one, houses are taken and razed, as longtime friends and neighbors suddenly are gone. It’s powerful stuff.
While the author never says it outright, Zenobia seems to be reliving Stone’s own memories. Told vividly, but without hyperbole, this is not just a book for young adults. It transcends YA, standing as a hidden history of what happened in plain view of a larger community that chose to ignore it—a wonderful and heartfelt book.
The only things that initially had me a little confused were in the last quarter of the book. The actual transition of Zenobia’s family to their new house was skipped over. And a handful of unexpected elements were either injected into the story or expanded from earlier on, including the ghost boy, the anthropomorphizing of the house, and Ruby Pearl’s “talking” dog.
Even so, all of those were effective ways of telling parts of the story. It chooses not to follow the traditional template one might expect from a novel, unless maybe you read As I Lay Dying and your expectations were shaped by someone like William Faulkner.
It presents slices of life in a way that tells a larger story, one where even when the bad guys win, the resilience of the protagonists is able to carry them forward. It’s deeply rooted in history and family history, and while it may appear to be “only” a story about Rondo, it’s really a story about people and in its telling reveals so much more.
December 22, 2025
The target audience here is the YA crowd but it serves as a good reminder of the tragedy that befell the Rondo neighborhood during the construction of the Interstate.
We should also keep in mind that this wasn't an isolated incident. Racism abounds.
We should also keep in mind that this wasn't an isolated incident. Racism abounds.
August 31, 2025
This was a great story about the destruction that happened to neighborhoods when the federal interstate highway systems was built. Great history (including some photos) nestled in a nice coming of age story. Good for middle grade and adult readers.
January 19, 2026
What a rich, informative, and interesting historical fiction story about what it was like to live on Rondo when eminent domain was declared and the neighborhood was razed for the construction of I-94. Loved the little windows into what it was like to live in such a vibrant community during a tumultuous time—how churches had different reputations, how communities come around and support kids in need, how houses were moved, and others were destroyed with residents protesting (lassoing/tying themselves to rocking chairs). Loved how photos were interspersed with the story. The houses talking to the reader added another dimension; the story would have hung together without them, but I enjoyed them.
August 4, 2025
"The House on Rondo" is a beautiful telling of the progress of the African American community, eminent domain, and the complex relationships that make up both family and community. The writing style was a little choppy for my taste but it was a quick read and I could picture myself in the place of each of the characters. This is an important novel for capturing our nation's history. *I received a complimentary e-ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
August 4, 2025
The hardest thing for me to overcome is the writing style of this book. I’m not sure of the targeted age demographic, but it’s not my preferred style at all. It was like poetry but in novel form. It could be meaningful for some readers, I did enjoy learning about the historical black events specifically with housing and such. I didn’t hate it, just didn’t love it. It’s a quick read so wasn’t bad, just not my preference.
December 8, 2025
A fictional story about the actual destruction of the Rondo neighborhood in the 1960’s to make room for Interstate 94 to connect St Paul and Mpls. Gave me a better appreciation for the injustice on the black homeowners who were evicted and paid less than market price for their properties.
July 4, 2025
Beautifully told story of the destruction of Rondo to make way for I-94 and the resilient people who once called it home.
January 13, 2026
really quick read. Set in Minneapolis/St. Paul
January 13, 2026
Teen historical fiction style, but relevant to adults as well. “Eye witness “ to the destruction of a vibrant black neighborhood in St. Paul MN.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews