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The Vanderbeekers #5
The Vanderbeekers Make A Wish
One hilarious Harlem family is on a mission to find the perfect way to celebrate their Papa's fortieth birthday while discovering more about their mysterious grandparents in this heartfelt romp and latest installment to the New York Times best-selling series, perfect for fans of the Penderwicks.
It's summer on 141st Street, and the Vanderbeekers are looking forward to Papa's surprise fortieth birthday party.
But then Papa must leave town to help his best friend and the Vanderbeeker children are surprised to find their maternal grandparents on their doorstep. Grandma is very critical of everything they do. Meanwhile, they find themselves learning more about their papa's father than ever before, and wishing they could have known him a bit better. Can they learn more about the grandfather they lost and come to appreciate the grandparents they still have while making sure their papa has the best birthday ever?
It's summer on 141st Street, and the Vanderbeekers are looking forward to Papa's surprise fortieth birthday party.
But then Papa must leave town to help his best friend and the Vanderbeeker children are surprised to find their maternal grandparents on their doorstep. Grandma is very critical of everything they do. Meanwhile, they find themselves learning more about their papa's father than ever before, and wishing they could have known him a bit better. Can they learn more about the grandfather they lost and come to appreciate the grandparents they still have while making sure their papa has the best birthday ever?
6 pages, Audiobook
First published September 21, 2021
162 people are currently reading
2036 people want to read
About the author
Karina Yan Glaser
29 books1,131 followersOriginally from California, Karina came to New York City for college and has stuck around for nearly twenty years. She has had a varied career teaching and implementing literacy programs in family homeless shelters and recruiting healthcare professionals to volunteer in under resourced areas around the world. Now as a mother, one of her proudest achievements is raising two kids who can’t go anywhere without a book. She lives in Harlem with her husband, two daughters, dog, cat, and house rabbit.
Karina is a contributing editor at Book Riot where she writes about children's books and her life as a reader.
Karina is a contributing editor at Book Riot where she writes about children's books and her life as a reader.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 426 reviews
September 13, 2021
This series is perfection. Please, please, please keep writing a new chapter in the Vanderbeeker story each year, Karina Yan Glaser! I look forward to my time in Harlem with this family each year. This year the kids are preparing to celebrate their dad's 40th birthday. After discovering a letter that was written by their grandfather (Pop-Pop)to their father, they are inspired to plan a trip for him. They need more information and a treasure hunt of sorts begins. As they track down people who knew Pop -Pop, their plans start coming together. Complicating life is the fact that Mama's parents have come early for the party and they are not the most compliant of guests. Taking the grandparents to see some of the sights gives us the chance to go along. I especially loved the Brooklyn Bridge adventure. Mama's Treehouse Bakery and Cat Cafe' is still going strong. Sounds like a lovely place to visit. Spend some time with the Vanderbeekers. If you haven't met them yet, what are you waiting for?!
Thank you to Clarion Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Clarion Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2022
The kids are gradually growing up. They’re now each two years older than they were in the first book.
Great characters! Great family! Great neighbors. Great sense of community! Great food!
Laugh out loud stories within the story. I came near (usually happy) tears at a couple places too.
I do appreciate that the youngest two children, both girls, are vegetarians. Definitely not vegans but at least vegetarians, and I love how the family supports their choice. (I would be deliriously happy if a regular character from this book would be a vegan, even if it wasn’t one of the children.)
I love the independence of the kids. I love how the family members all contribute to the running of the household.
I like the complicated relationships in the story. I appreciate showing some difficulties but then having the difficulties resolved in a mostly realistic way.
This book’s story looks as though it will lead right into the next story in the sixth book in this series. I cannot wait. Seriously, it’s going to be difficult to wait!
While I am still grateful being able to borrow e-copies from the library since I do not want to go into the library to pick up books and my library has stopped offering outdoor pickup, I’m once again hating e-books. (This was a Kindle edition borrowed via Overdrive from my library.) At the end in the author’s note she mentions the map on the end papers, missing from my edition. I love maps in books and would have loved to have seen it. There are a few charming illustrations but now I’m wondering if some were missing. It seemed as though there were fewer than in the first four books. I cannot wait to read paper books again! I wish I could own all the books in this series, in paper, preferably in hardcover.
Highly recommend this book and this series for girls and for boys ages 8-11, and all the way up for older readers who enjoy children’s literature.
Great characters! Great family! Great neighbors. Great sense of community! Great food!
Laugh out loud stories within the story. I came near (usually happy) tears at a couple places too.
I do appreciate that the youngest two children, both girls, are vegetarians. Definitely not vegans but at least vegetarians, and I love how the family supports their choice. (I would be deliriously happy if a regular character from this book would be a vegan, even if it wasn’t one of the children.)
I love the independence of the kids. I love how the family members all contribute to the running of the household.
I like the complicated relationships in the story. I appreciate showing some difficulties but then having the difficulties resolved in a mostly realistic way.
This book’s story looks as though it will lead right into the next story in the sixth book in this series. I cannot wait. Seriously, it’s going to be difficult to wait!
While I am still grateful being able to borrow e-copies from the library since I do not want to go into the library to pick up books and my library has stopped offering outdoor pickup, I’m once again hating e-books. (This was a Kindle edition borrowed via Overdrive from my library.) At the end in the author’s note she mentions the map on the end papers, missing from my edition. I love maps in books and would have loved to have seen it. There are a few charming illustrations but now I’m wondering if some were missing. It seemed as though there were fewer than in the first four books. I cannot wait to read paper books again! I wish I could own all the books in this series, in paper, preferably in hardcover.
Highly recommend this book and this series for girls and for boys ages 8-11, and all the way up for older readers who enjoy children’s literature.
Want to read
January 5, 2021This is the bright and shining star I needed to assure me that 2021 will in fact be okay. *cartwheels*
March 25, 2023
I just love the wholesomeness of this series. It’s so refreshing to see a normal, healthy family that cares about each other and is kind to each other.
In this fifth book of the series, I really like how respectful the Vanderbeeker kids are towards family members they don’t necessarily like. Sure, there’s a bit of eye rolling and wishing those family members weren’t staying with them, but everyone is respectful to their faces and firmly, but kindly sharing their own opinions on certain matters.
Content: (Listed for families with young children who want to know about the content found in this book. Overall, I've found the series to be quite enjoyable and quite clean, albeit there's a couple comments or mentions of things I don't personally agree with.)
Mentions of praying, prayers, & blessings over food; Mentions of tai chi; A couple mentions of a man saying that “snakes represent the creative life force in all of us” and then adds that snakes are “symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing”; A mention of church going; A mention of a pet dog being the “perfect case study of what fourteen thousand years of domestication will do to you”.
'Crummy' and 'oh my gosh' are both said twice; A family member is very nitpicking towards the Vanderbeeker children and their interests; There is a scene of a man making fun of an Asian woman’s accent (a friend stands up for her and he says “I just want to live in a country where I understand what people are saying. Is that so wrong?” and someone else calls him ignorant (this exchange bothers Isa and it’s discussed by others that it’s happened to people they know as well); Mentions of wars; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of people dying their hair crazy colors, shaving part of it, and/or having it in spikes; A few mentions of a car crash; A few mentions of robbers & robberies; A couple mentions of a heart attack & death.
The oldest daughter (a sophomore in High School) has a boyfriend (they meet up once to talk about recent things, but no romance content happens).
In this fifth book of the series, I really like how respectful the Vanderbeeker kids are towards family members they don’t necessarily like. Sure, there’s a bit of eye rolling and wishing those family members weren’t staying with them, but everyone is respectful to their faces and firmly, but kindly sharing their own opinions on certain matters.
Content: (Listed for families with young children who want to know about the content found in this book. Overall, I've found the series to be quite enjoyable and quite clean, albeit there's a couple comments or mentions of things I don't personally agree with.)
Mentions of praying, prayers, & blessings over food; Mentions of tai chi; A couple mentions of a man saying that “snakes represent the creative life force in all of us” and then adds that snakes are “symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing”; A mention of church going; A mention of a pet dog being the “perfect case study of what fourteen thousand years of domestication will do to you”.
'Crummy' and 'oh my gosh' are both said twice; A family member is very nitpicking towards the Vanderbeeker children and their interests; There is a scene of a man making fun of an Asian woman’s accent (a friend stands up for her and he says “I just want to live in a country where I understand what people are saying. Is that so wrong?” and someone else calls him ignorant (this exchange bothers Isa and it’s discussed by others that it’s happened to people they know as well); Mentions of wars; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of people dying their hair crazy colors, shaving part of it, and/or having it in spikes; A few mentions of a car crash; A few mentions of robbers & robberies; A couple mentions of a heart attack & death.
The oldest daughter (a sophomore in High School) has a boyfriend (they meet up once to talk about recent things, but no romance content happens).
July 24, 2021
ALL THE STARS for the latest book in the Vanderbeeker series! These are heart-print books for me, and the author never fails to touch me with her tender, touching stories filled with laugh-out-loud moments. This series is on my list of top five all-time favourites, and this book did not disappoint.
It's almost time for Papa’s 40th birthday, and the family is planning a surprise party for him after he and Oliver return from their camping trip. Unfortunately, the death of a close family friend cancels the trip, and Papa has to travel for the funeral. Shortly after he departs, Mama’s parents and cousins arrive unexpectedly, and the brownstone fills with Grandma’s negative energy. The Vanderbeeker siblings decide to plan a special birthday present for Papa, which helps them learn about and connect to their family history on Papa’s side, but they struggle to understand the family presently staying in their home.
There are some hilarious moments in this story, yet it also addresses more serious topics like racism. The community surrounding the Vanderbeekers continued to play important roles in their lives, but I loved that the author incorporated some challenging family dynamics through which the kids had to work. New York City came to life as the family travelled around the city, and I loved seeing it through their eyes. My favourite part of this story is the characters and their relationships (I especially love Laney’s big heart and her even bigger ideas). I always put down these books feeling lucky for the time spent with this family and their friends.
I highly recommend this book, and the whole series, for readers Gr. 4-6. I frequently recommend it as a family read-aloud and any time a patron is asking for a “feel good” story.
It's almost time for Papa’s 40th birthday, and the family is planning a surprise party for him after he and Oliver return from their camping trip. Unfortunately, the death of a close family friend cancels the trip, and Papa has to travel for the funeral. Shortly after he departs, Mama’s parents and cousins arrive unexpectedly, and the brownstone fills with Grandma’s negative energy. The Vanderbeeker siblings decide to plan a special birthday present for Papa, which helps them learn about and connect to their family history on Papa’s side, but they struggle to understand the family presently staying in their home.
There are some hilarious moments in this story, yet it also addresses more serious topics like racism. The community surrounding the Vanderbeekers continued to play important roles in their lives, but I loved that the author incorporated some challenging family dynamics through which the kids had to work. New York City came to life as the family travelled around the city, and I loved seeing it through their eyes. My favourite part of this story is the characters and their relationships (I especially love Laney’s big heart and her even bigger ideas). I always put down these books feeling lucky for the time spent with this family and their friends.
I highly recommend this book, and the whole series, for readers Gr. 4-6. I frequently recommend it as a family read-aloud and any time a patron is asking for a “feel good” story.
August 5, 2021
The Vanderbeekers remain my favorite family in KidLit. Every adventure they go on fills my heart with warmth, hope for humanity, and joy. The Vanderbeekers Make a Wish is another hit! Fear not: the series has NOT lost any steam! The characters and their community are as charming, endearing, and uplifting as ever! This time, the Vanderbeeker kids are on a mission to create the most wonderful surprise for their father's birthday. There's an intriguing bit of mystery mixed in with this realistic fiction story when they discover a letter to their father from the grandfather they never met. They discover so much along the way about extended family and family history. Each new character they meet reveals to them a little more of the puzzle related to their grandfather and his letter, and it fits together in a beautifully serendipitous way. If I could live in a fictional world with fictional characters, I'd without a doubt choose the Vanderbeekers.
January 1, 2024
Re-read: December 2023 with John
Original review:
::sigh:: So. Good. (as usual!) It is going to be very hard to wait another year for book #6, for sure!
P.S. So excited to see Karina has another new book coming out in the spring that isn't part of this series, too!
Original review:
::sigh:: So. Good. (as usual!) It is going to be very hard to wait another year for book #6, for sure!
P.S. So excited to see Karina has another new book coming out in the spring that isn't part of this series, too!
October 25, 2021
Another cutie tender hopeful heartwarming book spent w this precious family. Like why do I always cry reading these
August 4, 2025
5⭐️
Welcome to an official Charlotte’s BookNook book review! Make sure to go follow my YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@charlottes_bookn...) if you haven’t already. I post video reviews and all sorts of clean bookish content! Now let’s get this review started.
“I really don’t have much to say!” I say as I write a lengthy review 😂. This is a five star! Every Vanderbeeker book gets better and better and they’re just so comforting. They always make me feel so warm and fuzzy and I always shed a few tears at the end of each of them. This would be my number one book series I would recommend to someone looking for something wholesome with great adult role models and kids. It has great diverse representation, especially this particular one having to do with the kids Chinese grandparents. Even though it’s not explicitly Christian, it has amazing morals and Christian undertones. Each book teaches an important lesson and addresses lots of topics kids will go through. I find that that this series paints the most vivid picture and keeps you so engaged. All the characters are very rememberable, personable, and unique, and I think that every kind of kid could relate to someone in this lovable series. Please go read the series if you haven’t already!!
Language:
An adult says “language” to a teen girl for saying stupid
LGBTQ+:
None
Romance:
Mention of a teen having a boyfriend
Violence:
None
Religious Views:
One or two mentions of prayer
Authority Roles:
Amazing!!! The Vanderbeekers series never fails at putting the adults and kids in a good light, highlighting how a parent should raise and treat their kids! I wish the mom would’ve been around a little more in this particular book, but it was still great.
Welcome to an official Charlotte’s BookNook book review! Make sure to go follow my YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@charlottes_bookn...) if you haven’t already. I post video reviews and all sorts of clean bookish content! Now let’s get this review started.
“I really don’t have much to say!” I say as I write a lengthy review 😂. This is a five star! Every Vanderbeeker book gets better and better and they’re just so comforting. They always make me feel so warm and fuzzy and I always shed a few tears at the end of each of them. This would be my number one book series I would recommend to someone looking for something wholesome with great adult role models and kids. It has great diverse representation, especially this particular one having to do with the kids Chinese grandparents. Even though it’s not explicitly Christian, it has amazing morals and Christian undertones. Each book teaches an important lesson and addresses lots of topics kids will go through. I find that that this series paints the most vivid picture and keeps you so engaged. All the characters are very rememberable, personable, and unique, and I think that every kind of kid could relate to someone in this lovable series. Please go read the series if you haven’t already!!
Language:
An adult says “language” to a teen girl for saying stupid
LGBTQ+:
None
Romance:
Mention of a teen having a boyfriend
Violence:
None
Religious Views:
One or two mentions of prayer
Authority Roles:
Amazing!!! The Vanderbeekers series never fails at putting the adults and kids in a good light, highlighting how a parent should raise and treat their kids! I wish the mom would’ve been around a little more in this particular book, but it was still great.
May 14, 2022
Once again a very cute little story!
This family is just adorable to read about, and since it's a lower reading level it takes no brainpower to read, which is nice when I'm tired.
Also I didn't realize that their grandparents on the mom's side were Chinese until near the end of the story. I don't know if I was reading too fast or what, but I liked that cultural difference that was incorporated into the book, as I feel like that's a good thing for kids to learn about.
From reading the acknowledgements I found out that the author actually lives in Harlem, which is perfect!
This family is just adorable to read about, and since it's a lower reading level it takes no brainpower to read, which is nice when I'm tired.
Also I didn't realize that their grandparents on the mom's side were Chinese until near the end of the story. I don't know if I was reading too fast or what, but I liked that cultural difference that was incorporated into the book, as I feel like that's a good thing for kids to learn about.
From reading the acknowledgements I found out that the author actually lives in Harlem, which is perfect!
November 12, 2023
This was a fun read! This is the 5th book in this kid’s series and I only read the 1st before. (Not recommended as the series is a continuous story. Whoops 😆)
But I liked this better than the first one. Fun storyline, sweet moments, and splendid ending! The grumpy grandparents were a great piece of the story, but their about face in behavior after a few conversations was a little unrealistic. However, I do believe understanding where people are coming from and why they act a certain way is very, very important in relationships!!
I’ll go back to book #2 now. 😎
But I liked this better than the first one. Fun storyline, sweet moments, and splendid ending! The grumpy grandparents were a great piece of the story, but their about face in behavior after a few conversations was a little unrealistic. However, I do believe understanding where people are coming from and why they act a certain way is very, very important in relationships!!
I’ll go back to book #2 now. 😎
November 4, 2021
This series, this family = everything right in middle grade fiction. There is elevated vocabulary and plenty of subtle humor to keep readers of all ages engaged.
The author's treatment of tough topics is never heavy handed. We've known since book one that the Vanderbeeker kids are mixed race, but it wasn't until this book that we have a better understanding of the Chinese American side of their family story. I look forward to more exploration in future books.
I love how the interactions and hijinks are totally relatable and simultaneously unique enough to keep the reader on her toes. Marvelous, heartwarming comfort read that is perfect for reading aloud with the family. My nine-year-old is already counting down the months until the next release, and so am I.
The author's treatment of tough topics is never heavy handed. We've known since book one that the Vanderbeeker kids are mixed race, but it wasn't until this book that we have a better understanding of the Chinese American side of their family story. I look forward to more exploration in future books.
I love how the interactions and hijinks are totally relatable and simultaneously unique enough to keep the reader on her toes. Marvelous, heartwarming comfort read that is perfect for reading aloud with the family. My nine-year-old is already counting down the months until the next release, and so am I.
November 23, 2022
This series continues to be a complete delight! I probably start all my reviews for these books this way, but it's true. I love this fictional family.
I loved how this particular book wove more of their mother's Chinese heritage into the story. But mostly, I loved the utterly believable generational conflicts and conundrums. This family feels very real, but in a light and uplifting way. The parents are good parents, the kids are good kids, and the misunderstandings and scrapes that occur are never overblown OR underplayed.
I loved how this particular book wove more of their mother's Chinese heritage into the story. But mostly, I loved the utterly believable generational conflicts and conundrums. This family feels very real, but in a light and uplifting way. The parents are good parents, the kids are good kids, and the misunderstandings and scrapes that occur are never overblown OR underplayed.
October 12, 2024
"'Family history is important,' Mrs. Castleman said. 'It’s good to know where we came from. You, my dear, have a beautiful legacy.'"
In The Vanderbeekers Make A Wish, the fun family from Harlem again has a lot of things going on. Papa's 40th birthday is in a couple of days, but the kids don't have a birthday present for him. Until they find a letter from their late grandfather about a road trip he and Papa were going to go on before their grandfather died. So now they have to recreate this road trip, but Mama's parents are there and messing up all their plans.
It is always such a delightful time to read about the Vanderbeekers! They are just the most fun - and chaotic - family, and these stories are always so heartwarming. It is just nice to read about people liking other people and trying to make the world the best place it could be.
In this book, we really focus on family and how grown-ups have their own lives and histories that kids don't always think about. It was very interesting to see how much they were thinking about the dead grandfather when they had two living grandparents that they didn't want to spend time with. And then they slowly got to learn about each other and found out how much they have in common and love each other. So sweet. It also touches on some more heavy topics like immigration and racism which I would have liked to have read more about. The way it was done felt more like a short comment, and I wish we could have spent more time on really delving into that side of the family history. But that is pretty much my only criticism about this book; overall, it was just a really good time!
And I think that the next book in the series is going to be a direct continuation with a road trip. So I am excited to see what new adventures they are going to get up to!
My other reviews of The Vanderbeekers series:
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (#1)
The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden garden (#2)
The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue (#3)
The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found (#4)
The Vanderbeekers on the Road (#6)
The Vanderbeekers Ever After (#7)
In The Vanderbeekers Make A Wish, the fun family from Harlem again has a lot of things going on. Papa's 40th birthday is in a couple of days, but the kids don't have a birthday present for him. Until they find a letter from their late grandfather about a road trip he and Papa were going to go on before their grandfather died. So now they have to recreate this road trip, but Mama's parents are there and messing up all their plans.
It is always such a delightful time to read about the Vanderbeekers! They are just the most fun - and chaotic - family, and these stories are always so heartwarming. It is just nice to read about people liking other people and trying to make the world the best place it could be.
In this book, we really focus on family and how grown-ups have their own lives and histories that kids don't always think about. It was very interesting to see how much they were thinking about the dead grandfather when they had two living grandparents that they didn't want to spend time with. And then they slowly got to learn about each other and found out how much they have in common and love each other. So sweet. It also touches on some more heavy topics like immigration and racism which I would have liked to have read more about. The way it was done felt more like a short comment, and I wish we could have spent more time on really delving into that side of the family history. But that is pretty much my only criticism about this book; overall, it was just a really good time!
And I think that the next book in the series is going to be a direct continuation with a road trip. So I am excited to see what new adventures they are going to get up to!
My other reviews of The Vanderbeekers series:
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (#1)
The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden garden (#2)
The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue (#3)
The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found (#4)
The Vanderbeekers on the Road (#6)
The Vanderbeekers Ever After (#7)
October 19, 2022
4.5⭐️
• comfort reading at its finest
• nuanced portrayal of how intergenerational understanding can grow
• the most darling family and best NYC neighborhood feel
Lines I underlined:
“We are in desperate need of chocolate croissants.”
“You’re always in the middle of a really good book.”
“They carried their own stories, which they were creating each day with each other in the cozy brownstone and in the neighborhood and country and world.”
• comfort reading at its finest
• nuanced portrayal of how intergenerational understanding can grow
• the most darling family and best NYC neighborhood feel
Lines I underlined:
“We are in desperate need of chocolate croissants.”
“You’re always in the middle of a really good book.”
“They carried their own stories, which they were creating each day with each other in the cozy brownstone and in the neighborhood and country and world.”
October 23, 2022
These books have such a sweet family relationship <3<3<3 As always, great book can't wait for the next installment!
March 10, 2025
Always a good read and this was no different. It was very cute and I’m excited to read the next one and the final one after!
October 20, 2021
It just gets better and better!!
Birthdays are such wonderful things, and I enjoyed reading about one. The Vanderbeekers are the most joyous family, and I could never get sick of them.
When Miss Karina hooks you with the beginning quotes, which are always fabulous, then you know it’s going to be a wonderful book. And it was!!! I adored it, and can’t wait for more to come :).
If Castlemen’s Bakery was a real thing, then I would pack my bag and catch the soonest flight to NY, just to get those cheese croissants.
Birthdays are such wonderful things, and I enjoyed reading about one. The Vanderbeekers are the most joyous family, and I could never get sick of them.
When Miss Karina hooks you with the beginning quotes, which are always fabulous, then you know it’s going to be a wonderful book. And it was!!! I adored it, and can’t wait for more to come :).
If Castlemen’s Bakery was a real thing, then I would pack my bag and catch the soonest flight to NY, just to get those cheese croissants.
August 2, 2023
I don’t know if the writing is getting better or if these books are just growing on me but I enjoyed this one more than the first one. Read aloud to my 16,13, and 12 year olds…and they were not ok with it if we ever tried to read it without any of them! Lol. Maybe I just like the company. 😉 whatever the reason, I’ve already ordered the next one because they all want to keep reading them together! 🥰
October 8, 2021
Cute little rendition!! I love this sweet series.
April 26, 2023
Okay, this one takes the cake. It was my favorite Vanderbeeker book since the first one. It really hit home, as I have a rather shaky relationship with my grandparents, so I really loved them dealing with that in this one. Laney was fantastic in this book. <3
October 4, 2021
I loved this installment. I love this family so much!!
September 28, 2021
Cozy!! Love this series!!!
June 13, 2025
With every Vanderbeekers book finished I'm reminded of how wholesome and beautifully meddling these children are. Every action they undertake comes from a place of good, even if sometimes it can get horribly wrong. However, they all have the resilience and courage to start anew and make everything right again, while making new friends along the way. Definitely a series that I will be continuing when I need that touch of childhood whimsy.
March 23, 2023
"The events of the last week flooded into her memory, and she felt more connected to her extended family than ever before. Jessie stirred, and Isa looked over and thought about how she and her siblings carried the stories of so many people.
They carried the stories of the brownstone, of Mama and Papa and of Mr. Jeet and Miss Josie and of Mr. Beiderman and Orlando.
They also carried the stories of their grandparents, and of their grandparents' grandparents.
And they carried their own stories, which they were creating each and every day with each other in this cozy brownstone and in their neighborhood, country, and world."
Another sweet installment into this enchanting, feel-good series. I just love the Vanderbeeker's, and even though this may be the *weakest* (gasp!) so far for me in the series, it was still an absolute delight! This felt like a hinge novel for me, setting up Book 6, which I will absolutely be reading as the roadtrip sounded so fun!
This installment was all about family histories and the importance of passing on our family's stories and memories from generation to generation.
Actual rating, 3.5-3.75 stars (rounded up)
They carried the stories of the brownstone, of Mama and Papa and of Mr. Jeet and Miss Josie and of Mr. Beiderman and Orlando.
They also carried the stories of their grandparents, and of their grandparents' grandparents.
And they carried their own stories, which they were creating each and every day with each other in this cozy brownstone and in their neighborhood, country, and world."
Another sweet installment into this enchanting, feel-good series. I just love the Vanderbeeker's, and even though this may be the *weakest* (gasp!) so far for me in the series, it was still an absolute delight! This felt like a hinge novel for me, setting up Book 6, which I will absolutely be reading as the roadtrip sounded so fun!
This installment was all about family histories and the importance of passing on our family's stories and memories from generation to generation.
Actual rating, 3.5-3.75 stars (rounded up)
October 13, 2021
3.75 ⭐️ - Not my favorite Vanderbeeker book, but I did enjoy it nonetheless. These are such feel good stories that you can’t help but smile throughout because the kids are so endearing and I love their crazy house filled with love for each other, their neighbors, and their animals. It’s always a good time when I get to revisit the Vanderbeekers in their brownstone each year to see what they are up to next.
July 10, 2022
The way I CRY at this series. Indulge me, but I think the Vanderbeekers and I are similar in that we assume people are good at heart—and what a magical / tender / hopeful thing that is. One to read, along with Books 1-4.
March 24, 2025
A lovely continuation of the Vanderbeekers' adventures. I really appreciate how Karina Yan Glaser introduces difficult topics with both a rawness and gentle approach. Leaves on an exciting note for the next book, which we are diving into immediately!
September 28, 2021
Feeling wholesome 💕
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September 23, 2022Best new children’s series in a long time, highly recommend. The Vanderbeekers are right up there with the Penderwicks and Bastables.
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